How do they extract ore?
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In our time, any production depends on the extractionfossils. To produce, for example, some electronic device, it is necessary to extract a lot of resources from the ground. The most popular resource today is oil, but various ores do not lag behind in popularity, because metals are always needed for any production. Without them, there would be no cars, buildings and many other things. However, very few people know how ore is mined in our time.
Let's consider this interesting question together.
How ore is mined in our time
Ore mining is a complex business in which it is necessarydeepen in the earth's thickness and find deposits of various metals and minerals. Before proceeding to the prey itself, first find the necessary place where the ore deposits are located. After this, the process of extraction begins, which is conducted in two ways:
- Open ore mining.
- Closed ore mining.
Consider these two ways, their pros and cons in detail.
Open ore mining
At present, an open method of extracting minerals predominates. This is safer than a closed method.
Open mining is preferred ifThe location of the ore is not solid rock minerals and land, which could significantly interfere with the extraction, as well as no settlements and communication systems.
There are five types of open-pit ore:
- The surface method is characterized by the total production of the overburden and all the minerals that will be detected. Overburden rocks are dumped in the waste areas of the quarry.
- Deep mining is the production of overburden rocks and ore step by step layers down.
- The mountain type of mining is typical for the mountainous terrain, where it is better to place overburden rocks on lower marks from the top down.
- The deep-mountain way of working out is suitable only for very complex mountain reliefs.
- Underwater way. If minerals are at the bottom of a body of water that can not be dredged before, then this method of ore mining is used.
Before starting work, the soil must be loosened. If mining occurs on mountain soil, then explosives are used to crush stone soil.
After the extraction of ore, it is transported by transport to factories and other customers.
In this case, open ore production is more economically closed, but there will be a significant change in the landscape and the formation of giant quarries.
Closed ore mining
Such a method is used if it is not necessaryChange the surface landscape, but you need to build a network of tunnels under it and extract the ore. The closed method was used from time immemorial and continues to take place in our time, especially in the highlands.
However, the closed method of mining ore is more expensiveand less safe for workers, because the mine can always collapse unexpectedly and bury the miners underneath. In addition, much more resources are being spent to build a mine and deliver ore to the surface.
Also you can read several of our articles on this topic:
- How to get iron
- What is the industry
- What are the minerals?