Where does all the earth from surface mining go?

Asked by: Thao Adams

How does surface mining affect the Earth?

Surface mining (another name for “strip mining”) can severely erode the soil or reduce its fertility; pollute waters or drain underground water reserves; scar or altar the landscape; damage roads, homes, and other structures; and destroy wildlife.

Where does surface mining happen?

There are several types of surface mining, and these include area mining, contour mining, auger mining, and open-pit mining. Area mining is used predominantly in the Midwest and western mountain states, where coal seams lie horizontally beneath the surface.

What do we get from surface mining?

In particular, surface mining is used to retrieve sand, gravel, stones, coal, iron and other metals. There are five recognized types of surface mining, each with specific variations depending on the minerals being extracted. These include strip mining, open-pit mining, mountaintop removal, dredging and highwall mining.

How does surface mining affect the atmosphere?

Air Quality



Hundreds of tons of rock are unearthed, moved, and crushed in mining operations significantly increasing the amount of dust and particulates in the air. In addition, mine tailings, which may contain finely ground and even toxic waste, can become airborne. This air pollution can directly affect human health.

How does subsurface mining affect the environment?

Subsurface mines produce large amounts of environmentally hazardous acid mine drainage. To keep the underground system of tunnels and mine shafts clear, mining companies have to pump out large amounts of water, which go into surface ecosystems.

How does mining destroy the land?

It destroys river banks, and changes how the river flows, where it flows, what lives in it, etc. Toxins used in the extraction of minerals (for example cyanide and byproducts like mercury) can permanently pollute the land, which makes people not able to farm in certain places.

What are the disadvantages of surface mining?

Disadvantages include its high visibility, the large-scale surface disturbance and the limited economic depth to which mining can take place. Environmentally responsible miners are always looking at new ways to minimise the impacts of their operations on the environment.

How do surface mines work?

Surface mining is a form of mining in which the soil and the rock covering the mineral deposits are removed. It is the other way of underground mining, in which the overlying rock is left behind, and the required mineral deposits are removed through shafts or tunnels.

How do humans get the rocks out of the ground for use?

The rock is drilled and blasted, then moved to the surface by truck, belt conveyor, or elevator. Once at the surface, the material is sent to a mill to separate the ore from the waste rock.

How did Miners travel between the surface and the pit bottom?

Steam winding



Horses were still used in the production of coal but their role shifted from the surface ‘pit-top’ to the ‘pit-bottom’ where they were used to haul materials around the tunnels and transport coal-tubs from the coal-face to the shaft and out to the surface.

Which is better surface or subsurface mining?

Surface mining is often preferred to subsurface mining by companies in the industry because it is less expensive, there are fewer complications with electricity and water, and it is safer. However, surface mining can be more environmentally-damaging than subsurface mining.

How ore deposits close to the surface are mined?

Surface mining allows extraction of ores that are close to Earth’s surface. Overlying rock is blasted, and the rock that contains the valuable minerals is placed in a truck. The truck takes the rock to a refinery. Figure below of surface mining includes open-pit mining and mountaintop removal.

How is the region where there is a surface mine reclaimed?

As surface mines are developed, the topsoil is saved as the dirt and rock covering the mineral-bearing ore is removed. That topsoil is then used for reclaiming mined areas, so that native trees and grasses can be replanted and thrive.

How does mining affect the lithosphere?

Lithosphere . Even the lithosphere itself can experience a lasting impact, detrimental to future use. Mining subsidence, sinkholes, and drying-up of aquifers are among the most prevalent potential environmental impacts of mining.

Does surface mining cause noise pollution?

Noise in mining can come from a whole host of sources across a site, making the hazard difficult to manage. Whether the culprit be processing plants, machinery, traffic, blasting, or otherwise, a mine site is an incessant producer of noise pollution.

What are the disadvantages of surface mining?

Disadvantages include its high visibility, the large-scale surface disturbance and the limited economic depth to which mining can take place. Environmentally responsible miners are always looking at new ways to minimise the impacts of their operations on the environment.

How does surface mining affects plant life?

Surface mining destroys all plant life in the area the mine occupies. Plants living in the area where the surface mine is to be located are removed.

How does mountaintop removal affect the environment?

Contaminants from mountaintop removal even poison the drinking water of downstream communities. And this form of mining makes a twofold contribution to climate change: The forests destroyed in the process no longer store carbon, and the burning of the coal that’s mined releases carbon into the atmosphere.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of surface mining?

The pros of surface mining are that it has a lower financial cost and is a lot safer than underground mining because all mining operations take place above the surface. The cons are the hazards it presents to human health and the environment.

Why is underground mining better than surface mining?

Underground mining is practical when: The ore body is too deep to mine profitably by open pit. The grades or quality of the orebody are high enough to cover costs. Underground mining has a lower ground footprint than open pit mining.

Do you think underground mining is better for the environment than surface mining?

Surface mining is less dangerous for miners than underground mining but it does have negative effects on the environment. Because the topsoil is removed (and the plants that hold it in place) this method causes erosion and dust pollution. It exposes rock that contains iron sulfides.