Open Pit Mining Process

Opencast sometimes referred to as open cut mining, surface mining or simply open pit is extracted a mining technique that important minerals from a borrow or an open pit.

There are two types of extraction methods, commonly used in Large scale mining mineral; Open pit mining and tunnel mining or Under ground mining. Opencast mining is used when the minerals are on the surface only in the vicinity are degraded. This is especially when the soil or material covers the minerals are relatively thin and can be easily moved for mining to take place.


opencast mining are generally operated until either the asset mineral is exhausted in them or expanded mines will maintain uneconomic. At such point, when this happens, the depleted mines are switched in some cases at landfills for the disposal of waste.

A control certain type  to prevent  the pits of water for the open pit mine be required, this is especially important if the mine is located in a lake or if the geological composition of the mine allows moving underground water.

The extraction of the pit

Opencast mines are dug on benches, Demonstrate the vertical planes of the pit. These benches are excavated usually to between four and sixty meter intervals. The size of the seats depending on the size of the bulldozers they used.

The materials used most of the open pits mines (quarries) are generally flat to produce and thus do not have seats. The walls of the wells dug at an angle, the risks that having vertical walls, such as to minimize rockfall. That is the nature of the rocks determine their weathering and structural weaknesses, such foliations, scissors, and errors in the field especially.

The walls to the pits are usually reinforced. The flat section of wall steps as berm or a bank, while the oblique segment of the walls is known as the dough known. The creation of the steps in the walls will fall to prevent rocks. Sometimes rock anchors, shotcrete and cable screws are used to Supply additional support for the walls. Dewatering drill could be used to alleviate water weight by drilling on a flat surface in the walls, which could affect the strength of the walls.

Drive other than strong walls, open pit with a made strong haul road, which is generally built along the edge of the pit, in the form of a gradual slope from the bottom of the pit, on the truck both minerals and waste can carry rocks , The waste rock on the surface, near the edge of the open pit heaped in what is commonly called the heap. The stockpile is also laminated and joined to slow deterioration.

The processed ore from an open pit mine is known as tailings usually in the form of slurry. This is pumped into a catch basin or settling lakes, where the water dissipates.

Tailings dams can be toxic as unextracted sulfide minerals, various types of harmful minerals in the gangue, and most cyanide gold ore is used to treat, to heap leaching process because of the presence of toxic materials. These toxins can be harmful to the overall environment if not properly managed

Rehabilitation of mine

If the mineral is exhausted open pit, mine rehabilitation will have to undergo. Some of the time abandoned open pits used as dumping of solid waste. In the event that the mined ore is contained sulfides with a layer of clay prevent access of rain water and oxygen attached to use of the air which can oxidize the sulfides to produce sulfuric acid. The mine is then covered with soil and vegetables than they planted the natural appearance of the area to recovery.

Mines rehabilitation is to develop a mine is an important step in this process, and most countries Necessity a plan in place to rehabilitate the land after a mining operation,though not all countries have the same requireme. 3rd world countries are more relaxed Approximately rules than some of the major gold mining countries such as Canada, Australia or the United States generally

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