Mining Techniques & Ore Processing | Lesson 5.2 | Earth Science

Summary

This lesson focuses on the mining process, specifically on production and ore processing. It covers two major types of mining: surface mining and underground mining, detailing methods like open-pit, strip mining, and mountaintop removal for surface mining, and drift, slope, and shaft mining for underground operations. The lesson then shifts to ore processing, discussing steps like crushing, grinding, and various separation techniques such as heavy media separation, magnetic separation, flotation, and cyanide heap leaching, highlighting their importance in concentrating valuable minerals.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Mining is the process of extracting useful minerals from the Earth's surface, with two major types: surface mining and underground mining.
• 🏞️ Surface mining includes various methods such as open-pit mining, strip mining, mountaintop removal, and placer mining.
• 🚜 Open-pit mining involves digging large open holes in the ground to extract minerals.
• 🪨 Strip mining removes layers of soil and rock, called overburden, to access minerals beneath them.
• ⛰️ Mountaintop removal involves removing the top of a mountain to access mineral deposits.
• 🏞️ Placer mining extracts minerals from sediments, rocks, or gravel in riverbeds or lakes and is one of the oldest forms of mining.
• 🌍 Underground mining is used when minerals are buried deep within the Earth, with methods including drift mining, slope mining, and shaft mining.
• 🛤️ Drift mining involves cutting horizontally into the Earth to access minerals, while slope mining involves a sloping shaft to reach deeper materials.
• ⛏️ Shaft mining involves digging vertically or nearly vertically downwards to access deep mineral deposits.
• ⚙️ Ore processing, also known as mineral processing or ore dressing, involves separating valuable minerals from unwanted materials through techniques like crushing, grinding, and various separation methods.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of lesson number five in the video?

The primary focus of lesson number five is on mining and ore processing, specifically the production phase of the mining process.

What are the two major types of mining discussed in the lesson?

The two major types of mining discussed are surface mining and underground mining.

What distinguishes surface mining from underground mining?

Surface mining is used when minerals are close to the surface of the earth, while underground mining is used when the minerals are buried deep in the earth's crust.

What are the different types of surface mining mentioned in the video?

The types of surface mining mentioned are open-pit mining, strip mining, mountaintop removal, and placer mining.

How is open-pit mining carried out?

Open-pit mining involves digging large open holes in the ground to extract minerals, covering a vast area of land.

What is strip mining, and how does it differ from open-pit mining?

Strip mining involves removing layers of soil and rock (overburden) to extract minerals beneath them, unlike open-pit mining which digs large open holes.

What is the purpose of ore processing in mining?

Ore processing, also known as mineral processing or ore dressing, involves separating the grains of ore minerals from unwanted materials to concentrate the valuable minerals.

What are some of the common methods used in ore separation?

Common methods of ore separation include heavy media separation, magnetic separation, flotation, and cyanide heap leaching.

How does magnetic separation work in ore processing?

Magnetic separation utilizes the force exerted by a magnetic field to attract magnetic materials, separating them from non-magnetic materials.

What is the purpose of cyanide heap leaching in mineral extraction?

Cyanide heap leaching is used to extract valuable minerals, such as gold, by passing a cyanide solution through the ore to separate the desired substances.

Outlines

00:00

🪨 Introduction to the Mining Process

The lesson begins with an overview of the mining process, focusing on the fourth step, production. It introduces mining as the process of extracting useful minerals from the Earth's surface and classifies mining into two major types: surface mining and underground mining. The paragraph also details various types of surface mining, including open-pit mining, strip mining, mountaintop removal, and placer mining, explaining each method in detail.

05:02

🔦 Overview of Underground Mining Techniques

This paragraph shifts focus to underground mining, explaining its necessity when minerals are buried deep within the Earth's crust. It covers three primary types of underground mining: drift mining, slope mining, and shaft mining. Each method is explained with emphasis on how the mining tunnels are constructed and the different angles and approaches used to access the minerals.

10:15

⚙️ Ore Processing and Separation Techniques

The focus moves to ore processing, a critical step in the mining process. Ore processing, also known as mineral processing or ore dressing, involves separating valuable minerals from unwanted materials. The paragraph explains the initial steps of comminution (crushing and grinding) to reduce ore size and the importance of liberation. It also touches on the subsequent process of sizing to ensure efficient mineral separation.

15:20

🔬 Advanced Methods of Mineral Separation

The final section delves into various methods of mineral separation used after the comminution process. It explains heavy media separation, magnetic separation, flotation, and cyanide heap leaching, each method tailored to the physical and chemical properties of the minerals. The paragraph also emphasizes the goal of achieving a concentrated yield of the desired minerals while discarding the unwanted gangue materials.

Keywords

💡Mining

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, typically from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, or reef. In the video, mining is the central theme, with a focus on the production phase of the mining process, which involves extracting useful minerals from the surface of the Earth. The script distinguishes between two major types of mining: surface mining and underground mining.

💡Surface Mining

Surface mining is a type of mining where minerals are extracted from the Earth's surface. It is exemplified in the script by open pit mining, strip mining, mountaintop removal, and placer mining. These methods are characterized by their large-scale impact on the landscape and are used when minerals are located close to the surface.

💡Open Pit Mining

Open pit mining is a form of surface mining where large holes are dug into the ground to access the mineral deposits. It is mentioned in the script as a method involving a vast area of land and is one of the types of surface mining that significantly alters the landscape.

💡Strip Mining

Strip mining is another form of surface mining where layers of soil and rock, known as overburden, are removed to access the mineral deposits beneath. The script describes the process of removing the overburden layer by layer to reach the minerals, which is distinct from open pit mining in its approach to accessing the mineral resources.

💡Mountaintop Removal

Mountaintop removal is a controversial form of surface mining where the top of a mountain is removed to access coal deposits. The script refers to it as a method used when other techniques cannot access the deposits, highlighting its environmental impact compared to open pit mining.

💡Placer Mining

Placer mining is an ancient type of mining that involves extracting minerals from sediments in rivers, lakes, or other bodies of water. The script describes it as one of the most ancient forms of mining, using modern machinery like backhoes or dredging equipment to extract minerals from placer deposits.

💡Underground Mining

Underground mining is the process of extracting minerals that are buried deep within the Earth's crust. The script discusses three types of underground mining: drift mining, slope mining, and shaft mining, each with a different method of accessing the mineral deposits.

💡Drift Mining

Drift mining is a type of underground mining where tunnels are cut into the side of the Earth rather than tunneling straight down. The script explains that this method is used to access minerals horizontally, as opposed to the vertical access of shaft mining.

💡Slope Mining

Slope mining is an underground mining technique that involves a sloping access shaft traveling downwards towards the mineral deposits. The script describes slope mining as a diagonal approach to reach the minerals, differentiating it from the horizontal access of drift mining.

💡Shaft Mining

Shaft mining is the process of digging straight down or almost straight down to reach the desired depth where minerals are located. The script mentions it as the last type of underground mining discussed, emphasizing the vertical access to the mineral deposits.

💡Ore Processing

Ore processing, also known as mineral processing or dressing, is the process of separating valuable minerals from the unwanted minerals. The script defines ore processing and describes its purpose as concentrating the minerals, with tailings being the waste product of this process.

💡Crushing and Grinding

Crushing and grinding are the initial steps in ore processing where the ore is reduced in size to particles or fragments. The script explains that crushing results in larger fragments, while grinding reduces the ore to a near powdered state, which is essential for the liberation of the minerals.

💡Separation

Separation in the context of ore processing involves creating concentrates of minerals by separating them from the gangue (unwanted minerals). The script outlines different methods of separation, such as heavy media separation, magnetic separation, floatation, and cyanide heap leaching, which are based on the properties of the minerals to ensure an effective yield.

💡Heavy Media Separation

Heavy media separation is a method of ore processing that uses a dense medium, such as a solution with high specific gravity, to separate minerals based on their density. The script describes this process, noting that it considers the density of the gangue and the mineral itself to achieve separation.

💡Magnetic Separation

Magnetic separation is a process that uses a magnetic field to separate magnetic materials from non-magnetic materials. The script explains that this method utilizes the force exerted by the magnetic field to counteract gravity, allowing for the separation of magnetic minerals from the rest of the material.

💡Floatation

Floatation is a separation process that involves the separation of hydrophobic (water-repelling) materials from hydrophilic (water-attracting) materials. The script describes how this process uses chemicals to alter the properties of the materials, causing the desired minerals to rise to the surface and form a froth that can be collected.

💡Cyanide Heap Leaching

Cyanide heap leaching is an extraction method used to separate gold or other precious metals from their ores using a cyanide solution. The script illustrates this process by showing how cyanide is sprinkled over a heap of ore, creating a mixture that allows for the separation of the mineral from the gangue.

Highlights

Introduction to the mining process, including exploration, development, design, construction, production, and closure/reclamation.

Focus on the fourth step of the mining process: production.

Definition of mining: the process of extracting useful minerals from the surface of the Earth.

Classification of mining into two major types: surface mining and underground mining.

Description of surface mining methods: open-pit mining, strip mining, mountaintop removal, and placer mining.

Detailed explanation of open-pit mining: involves digging large open holes in the ground.

Explanation of strip mining: removing soil and rock layer by layer to access minerals.

Overview of mountaintop removal: removing the top of a mountain to access minerals.

Discussion of placer mining: extracting minerals from sediments, rocks, or gravel in riverbeds or lakes.

Introduction to underground mining: used when minerals are buried deep in the Earth.

Description of drift mining: cutting into the side of the Earth to access minerals horizontally.

Explanation of slope mining: accessing minerals through a sloping access shaft.

Overview of shaft mining: digging straight down to reach minerals.

Introduction to ore processing, also known as mineral processing or ore dressing.

Explanation of ore processing methods: comminution, separation, heavy media separation, magnetic separation, floatation, and cyanide heap leaching.

Transcripts

good day class welcomes the second part

now lesson number five not in search

science

so in this lesson we will focus on

mining and or

processing

so first part the discuss not enough but

it won't say yes no mining process

and these are exploration development

and design

construction production and closure and

reclamation

with this video we will focus on the

fourth step of

the mining process which is the

production

the production case

let us first define my knee mining is

the process of

extracting useful minerals from the

surface of the earth

and now we can say that there are two

major types of

mining mining could either be classified

as surface mining or underground mining

then support non-surface mining

you have different types such as open

pit mining

strip mining mountaintop removal and

placer mining

on the other hand drift mining

shaft and slope mining belongs to

underground

mining first type

of mining is surface mining so guinea

gameta and a surface mining

if a minerals eye close to the surface

of the earth episode

first type of surface mining is open

with my name

so this involves the digging of large

open holes in the ground

you will have a vast or large amount of

land area of land

nothing

second type is strip mining it is

defined as the practice of mining and

work

by first removing all of the soil and

rock that lies

on top so as you can see here in the

model

you can say nadate

overburden

then you'll have the minerals

so is that layer by layer

in a strip mining so you'll try to

remove this overburden first

then extract the mineral

then after extracting the mineral

mineral or remove the next overburden

and go to extracting the minerals again

so unlike open pit mining

over burden plus the mineral with strip

mining

layer by the earth you remove the

overburden

go with the mineral then next layer of

overburden

next layer of mineral

third type is mountaintop removal

this is commonly done for mining holes

and defined as the practice of removing

the top of the mountain

to remove deposits not accessible by

other techniques

unagamitone mountain top removal

open pit mining pero nacho steroids

ibizabian sobrang intention effect

now mountain top removal as you compare

it to the effect of

open pit mining last type of surface

mining is place reminding

and said to be the process of extracting

minerals

from placer capacity navigating placer

ito yuma sediments rocks or gravel and

riverbed or lake placer mining

is also one of the most ancient type of

mining that we have

it is a picture

to extract minerals modern types of

laser mining uses machineries to extract

or

marine backhoe or other dredging

equipment san gamitonilla

during placer mining

now we are done with discussing surface

mining and its types

we will go now with the different types

of underground mining specifically

drift shaft and slope mining

with nothing on surface mining

minerals now with underground mining we

are using it if the materials we want to

mine

is buried deep in the earth's crust

first type of underground mining is

drift mining so this

method is used by

cutting into the side of the earth

rather than

tunneling straight downwards so as you

can see here

this is the tunnel

so technically this is the drift tunnel

that you can use to access the minerals

here

so normally it says underground my name

but is with drift mining horizontally

gagawahan and tunnel to access

the minerals

next type is slope mining so with slope

mining it is defined

as the method of accessing valuable

geologic material

where a sloping access shaft travels

downwards

towards the material so nina is a

drift mining horizontal angle

you can say in a diagonal

diagonal and then you can access the

minerals there

from that diagonal slope

next or the last type of underground

mining is shaft

my name so with shaft mining it is a

process where miners

dig straight down or almost straight

down until they reach

their desired depth so detail no man

straight vertically and pago

we are done with discussing the

different types of my name

now my name will give you a result

so for us to do that we want to use or

processing so with oil processing we

will be able to

concentrate the minerals

the different techniques for or

processing

let us first define or processing so ore

processing could also refer to mineral

processing

or or dressing and defined as the

process of separating the grains

of oil minerals from the unwanted

minerals

para must maintain the antenna or

processing let's

look on this illustration so at least

the illustration that will make it

after or processing make it an added

and after that after or processing

you'll have this what you call

as the tailings so technically this is

the waste

of ore processing

after you have concentrated the minerals

the first step of order processing is

coming

so this is the process of reducing the

ore size

turning it into particles or fragments

involves the process of crushing and

grinding

crushing will result to bigger fragments

around

6 to 14 mesh which is equivalent to a

fraction of an

inch but grinding the man almost

powdered

in particles neon size asinosurana ions

and microns the main goal of your

combination

is liberation

and lastly sizing may happen after

crashing

science sizing in a sense nahini walai

uh nathan jung fragments based on its

size

to check kumeron banda but it likes a

machine for it to be crushed again

after you have freed the mineral from

the ground

so you want to do separation so

separation

involves stuff of creating concentrates

of minerals

as it is separated from the gap

so different methods will be used detox

separation and these

methods should be based from the

properties of the minerals

this is will ensure an effective yield

separation

process so as you can see here's a

picture natto

you have here the powdered um

minerals or powdered oil that will go

through a machine

after going through a machine you will

see there

that it will lead

there are different methods of

separation so you have what you will

discuss

in this video will be heavy media

separation

magnetic separation floatation and

cyanide

heap bleaching i want you to take note

that these are just

examples these are the common methods

used for separation metampangiba

one example is hand picking hand

so the main goal of separation is

concentration

so we want to produce concentrated

minerals

separated from concentrated amount of

gum

first type of separation is heavy media

separation

so i want you to take note negan again

with nothing to heavy media separation

if we are considering the density of the

gang

and the or or the mineral itself uh

so take note

then it will go through a media it could

be a water or different thing

a different solution so after going

through my kitamon

young is an existing is a

flow so you can see there in the

different densities

next type is magnetic separation so

magnetic separation utilizes

the force exerted by a magnetic field

upon magnetic materials

to counter a partially or wholly the

effect of gravity

so take note can mean as a heavy media

separation density you

know considering magnetic separation

magnetic properties you know considering

that

material so take note here so your raw

material

then this magnet will rotate upon aggro

rotation

it will attract the magnetic materials

the position hindenburg magnetic

materials will drop

in here this process will be

are repeated

foreign next type

is floatation so floatation involves the

separation of hydrophobic materials

from hydrophilic materials sodito

pineapple nothing uncommon muted

materials

say some solution and that solution will

be agitated

and different chemicals to uh to alter

the hydrophobic and hydrophilic

properties

of the material now contingency is that

your wanted minerals will

rise here sir

and then you will be able to separate it

once you have collected

the froth which technically um

materials

last type is cyanide heap reaching so

this method of extraction

is used wherein a solvent is passed

through a mixture

to remove some desired substance from it

and that

solvent a modulus neglected for

saison cyanide sodium cyanide so take

note on this illustration

so you can see here hip

hip now or

now that was

atom sprinkler nato and magula

knight so on tendency um

abandoned

so technically as the sprinkler

um drops the cyanide the dalaina

hasan

so this is technically a mixture of

cyanide

and gold and then after that

cyanide then you will be able

to separate the mineral from the

gang so that is the end of

our lesson for this week