open pit mining
Terraced earth extraction
Open pit mining is a method of extracting ore or minerals from the earth by digging a large, terraced hole rather than tunneling underground.
The pit expands outward and downward as material is removed, creating a stepped, bowl-shaped excavation.
It's used when deposits lie near the surface and are too spread out for efficient underground extraction: The copper came from open pit mining operations in Arizona.
Also called open-cast or strip mining, though strip mining more specifically refers to removing horizontal layers of soil to reach coal seams.
- excavatorMachine that digs earth
- coalCombustible sedimentary rock
- oreMetal-bearing rock
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- quarryingOpen-pit stone mining
soil erosion · environmental impact · copper · drill rig · gold · bauxite · iron · crusher · conveyor belt · bulldozer · limestone · mountaintop removal · water pollution · habitat destruction · gravel · loader · heavy equipment · grader
- mininggold, mines, gold mines, mine, coal
- extractionexcavation, distillation, filtration, extraction, drilling
- earthworkdigging, excavation, excavating, trenching, shoveling
- gem mininggem cutting, gem quality, rough diamond, rough stones, kimberlite
- mining historygold pan, pickaxes, prospectors, mineshafts, tunnels
- mining termsgold veins, silver veins, drilling, blasting, extraction
open pit miningunderground mining
Excavating minerals from tunnels
deep mining · land preservation · conservation · wilderness protection · reclamation
open, mining, miners, opened, opening, opens, opener, openers, openly