HANDOUT 7: Advantages and Disadvantages of underground mining 1. ADVANTAGES A) Underground mining (as compared to open pit exploitation) allows a mine operation to be largely hidden; having only Adits or head frames protruding above the surface. This enables the land above the zone of mining to be reclaimed for other uses, after mining has ceased. This is so much easier than in the case of an open pit.! B) Underground mining can be mined as deep as the development permits excavation to take place.  If there is a shaft with headgear, then mining can take place until that depth of the shaft.  If it is accessed by horizontal Adits, it can mine until the lowest Adit from upwards.  If it is accessed by decline, the development and mining can continue so long as economic exploitation is possible. Unlike open pit, it is NOT dependent on stripping ratios, which means that deep mining of narrow geological structures becomes practical ONLY by use of underground mining.! C) There is opportunity to use old mined-out stopes as a repository for waste rock blasted, in order to access further new stopes. Such a process is known as backfilling old workings; helps to stabilize the ground, reduces the cost of haulage; and helps avoid rock falls / rock bursts.! D) Produces very little waste and mill tailings, less damaging to environment, very little visual impact, easier permitting, easier grade control, smaller mill capacity required, more profit per ton of ore mined! 2. DISADVANTAGES& A) Pillars' need to be left in place to safeguard the safety and structure of haulages and drives. These pillars often contain valuable ore that has to be left in situ. In an open pit, IT IS POSSIBLE TO EXTRACT VERTUALLY EVERYTHING. Mining in an underground environment is often inefÏcient with economically valuable material inevitably, occasionally, being left in the stope roof / floor or sidewalls (depending on the geometry of the orebody). B) Underground mining is not suited to the exploitation of a low grade, wide, orebody composed of disseminated mineralization where VOLUME of production rather than the focus on avoiding dilution within a narrow vein system is the most important factor.! C) Fatalities do occur in open pits, but there are more possibilities for fatal accidents to occur in underground mines, even though mining these days is quite a safe industry with stringent safety procedures in place. D) Underground mining is used for relatively high grade, small orebodies, and open pit mining is used for relatively large, low grade orebodies..! E) Underground mining cost is high per ton of ore, requires ventilation, and more hazardous to workers.!When a mine is planned, geologists and mining engineers have to carefully consider the characteristics of the ore body and environment to decide which type of mining is better. Some mines use a combination of both open pit and underground.! The purpose of mining is not to create jobs, but to produce metals and minerals for today's society. The disadvantages are great. You are making a big hole in the earth. You are leaving debris around, polluting streams, polluting air and nearby land with mined refuge. EXAMPLES 1 & 2

Advantages and Disadvantages of Underground Mining

Related Documents

Recommended Documents

Description

Related Documents

Almost There!

Free up your schedule!

Take 5 seconds to unlock