THE FUNDAMENTALS OPEN CAST MINING.

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The Essence and elements of Opencast Mining

Method of Mining Mineral Deposits

Opencast mining refers to the totality of open-pit operations which are aimed at extracting various rocks from the earth and creating pits and excavations. Opencast mining mainly concerns mineral extraction in which all the operations involved are accomplished in open pits. In underground or deep-shaft mining, minerals are extracted by making special underground workings.

Depending on the working site, opencast mining of mineral deposits includes stripping (removal, haulage and removal of overburden), mining proper (extractions, haulage and storage or unloading of the mineral) and development work that consists in making permanent trenches and other workings, for instance, underground. The specific purpose of development work is to ensure free access of transport (haulage) means to faces and the initial front of mining work.

Open cast mining also includes the preparation of the depots and its individual district (mainly preparation of the surface), the work aimed at ensuring stability of the worked rock mass, conservation of mineral resources and structures (provision of dewatering, prevention of spontaneous combustion of the rocks and surface deformation. Reclamation work, etc.). These operations must be accomplished in a definite sequaence and be interrelated in such a way as to ensure at all times the availability of a front for stripping and mineral extraction work, high output, safe operation of the mining equipment, and the exploration of the quarry or pit as a whole.

The sequence in which the operations involved in opencast mining are accomplished within the limits of a quarry field or its districts is referred to as he mining system. The mining system adopted at a quarry must ensure safe, systematic and efficient execution of mining work, the required quarry production utilization of all mineral,  complete extraction of resources, conservation of mineral resources and environmental control.

DEPOSIT MINING TECHNOLOGY

Deposit mining technology is the totality of interrelated unit operations, methods and techniques involved in merchandised mining; it is based on the fundamental knowledge of the regularities of mining and the capability of technical means. Technological operations are those unit operations which result in a qualitative change of the worked material, such as surface-mined rocks that change their state of aggregation and location during mining. The auxiliary operations associated with each main unit operation make it possible to accomplish production as planned or to facilitate its accomplishment.

            Indian Mining Legislation