Digging Deeper: Explained Mining Methods

Underground, underground, and open-pit mining are all options. These are the main mining methods we use to extract our products. We will be digging deeper into each of these methods in this Digging Deeper article. Anglo American’s core business is mining. It is the basis of all our activities. It is crucial that we manage our mining activities efficiently and intelligently.

Before we can break ground, it is necessary to first explore the mineral resources. We also need to allow time for planning our mining methods, making sure that all the parts are in place before we start mining. After all of this is done, we can go. What mining methods are used to produce our wide range of products?

1. Open-pit mining

The most popular method of mining is open-pit. It starts at the earth’s surface and continues to expose the surface for the duration. To ensure safety, the excavation has stepped sides. There is also a ramp that allows the equipment to travel on the ramp. This makes it possible to remove the product efficiently from the site.

Open-pit Mining is possible when the ore bodies are large and closer to the surface.

Open-pit mining has many advantages:

1. You can move large quantities of rock with powerful trucks or shovels.
2. The size of the opening is not a limitation on the equipment.
3. Production is faster
4. Mining at a lower cost means that ore grades are more economically viable.

2. Underground mining

Underground mining is used for extracting ore below the surface of the earth economically and safely. An adit, shaft, or decline is a way to get from the surface into an underground mine.

Underground mining can be done when:

1. The ore body is too thick to be mined profitably from an open pit.
2. The quality and grades of the orebody are sufficient to cover the costs.
3. Underground mining is less expensive than open-pit mining.

What is underground mining?

We use room and pillar, narrow vein stopping, and large-scale mechanized underground mining.

Room and Pillar Mining is a method of mining that involves tunnels being driven in a chessboard-like pattern. There are massive square pillars interspersed between the tunnels, which are then gradually removed as work progresses. This is used to mine coal.

The narrow vein stopping is done underground along geological “veins” — distinct, sheet-like bodies made of crystallized minerals in a rock. This is where the mineral was mined and extracted. Underground mine stopping requires excavations to access engine rooms, pump chambers, shafts, drives, and raises. This is used to mine platinum.

Large-scale mechanized mining We use the following methods:

• Longwall Mining, where a wall of coal is mined in one slice, often by a large machine.
• Sub-Level-Caving, Where levels of the ore can be blasted with explosives;
• Block caving, in which large areas of the ore body can be blasted and then extracted using gravity.

These three types of underground mining techniques are used to mine coal, diamonds, and copper.

3. Underwater mining

If the product you have identified is in an aquatic environment such as the seafloor, then underwater mining is required. This is a challenging task that requires a thoughtful approach to the local ecology. Underwater mining is done with purpose-built ships, using either remote-operated underwater vehicles or drill technology. We do this at depths between 100 and 140 meters below sea level. The Debmarine Namibia fleet is currently at sea for approximately two-and-half years. They are operated out of Port Nolloth on the northern coast of South Africa.

This post was written by Justin Tidd, Director at Becker Mining Systems! For nearly half a century, Becker Mining has been at the forefront of industry safety. Becker/SMC is the industry’s leader in increasingly more sophisticated electrical control systems. Most of the major innovations, design features, and specialized electrical components have been developed by Becker/SMC.