Mining & Fracking
Lauren Caterino
The Two Types
Surface contains:
- strip
- open pit
- mountain top removal
Subsurface contains:
- slope
- drift
- shaft
Surface mining
Strip Mining
Strip mining is removing soil and rock above a layer followed by the removal of the exposed mineral. Strip mining severely erodes the soil and can reduce fertility; pollutes water; alters the landscape; damages the roads/homes.
Open-pit Mining
Open-pit mining is the blocks of earth are dug from the surface to remove the ore contained in them.This damages the environment because when the mineral is excavated from and open pit, it allows minerals to often become available in small amount which increases the need for it
Mountaintop Removal Mining
Mountaintop removal mining involves the mining of the summit ridge of a mountain. Coal seams are extracted from a mountain by removing the land. This impacts the land by destroying houses and mountains over a long period of time.