Mining
Taurin Batts & Michael Dansky
Surface Mining
-used when ore material is extracted fairly close to the surface.
-safer and easier than subsurface mining.
-does more damage to the surface ecosystems.
Subsurface Mining
-when the material is deep beneath the surface.
-not as much damage to the ecosystems.
-difficult and expensive to do.
3 types of Surface MIning
-strip mining
-open pit
-mountain top removal
Strip Mining
a type of surface mining that involves excavating earth, rock, and other material to uncover a tabular, lens-shaped, or layered mineral reserve.
Open Pit Mining
a surface mining technique of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow.
Mountain Top Removal Mining
a form of surface mining that involves the mining of the summit or summit ridge of a mountain.
3 types of Subsurface Mining
-slope
-drift
-shaft
Slope Mining
a method of accessing valuable geological material, such as coal or ore.
Drift MIning
a more general mining term, meaning a near-horizontal passageway in a mine, following the bed (of coal, for instance) or vein of ore.
Shaft Mining
method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom.
Fracking
the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release natural gas inside.
Effects fracking has on the environment
-It takes 1-8 million gallons of water to complete each fracturing job.
-The water brought in is mixed with sand and chemicals to create fracking fluid. Approximately 40,000 gallons of chemicals are used per fracturing.
-Up to 600 chemicals are used in fracking fluid, including known carcinogens and toxins such as.
-The fracking fluid is then pressure injected into the ground through a drilled pipeline.
-Contaminated well water is used for drinking water for nearby cities and towns.