Surface Mining
From IntFX
Surface Mining includes:
Surface Mining has the following advantages versus Underground Mining:
- Lower cost
- Less complicated
- Larger output
- Greater recovery of ore
- Better working conditions
- Lower labour requirements
- Easier planning and supervision
- Greater safety
It generally also has the following disadvantages:
- Greater effect on the environment
- Continuous exposure to weather (for example flooding is a large risk)
- Limited to deposits that are found near the surface
- Gets increasingly expensive as it progresses (dictated by the Break-even Stripping Ratio due to large amounts of waste.
