Which is more dangerous surface mining or subsurface mining?
Surface mining is often preferred to subsurface mining by companies in the industry because it is less expensive, there are fewer complications with electricity and water, and it is safer. However, surface mining can be more environmentally-damaging than subsurface mining.
Which type of mining is associated with disturbing more land?
Although dramatic changes in landscape may sometimes occur as a result of open mining, underground coal extraction on occasion causes such gross land disturbance that reclamation runs into much greater difficulties and costs than in open mining.
What is the key difference between surface and subsurface mining?
In surface mining, the ore is accessed directly from the Earth’s surface, and contact is maintained with the surface throughout the operation. Underground or subsurface mining is accomplished with the help of tunnels going into the Earth, and does not occur on the surface.
What are some advantages of subsurface mining compared to surface mining?
Advantages : Safer than surface mining, faster than 60% of other mining in the U.S, less disruptive to the environment, leads to more minerals. Disadvantages : Costs more, harder to do than surface mining, takes a lot of time.
What are the disadvantages of surface mining?
Surface mining (another name for “strip mining”) can severely erode the soil or reduce its fertility; pollute waters or drain underground water reserves; scar or altar the landscape; damage roads, homes, and other structures; and destroy wildlife.
Why is subsurface mining more expensive than surface mining?
Underground mining is more expensive because it’s more capital intensive. Proper ventilation system is also needed to supply necessary oxygen to miners working underground, and to dilute, render harmless, and carry away the hazardous components of mine air (including methane that is potentially explosive).
What are the negative effects of mining?
Across the world, mining contributes to erosion, sinkholes, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, significant use of water resources, dammed rivers and ponded waters, wastewater disposal issues, acid mine drainage and contamination of soil, ground and surface water, all of which can lead to health issues in local …
Which type of mining is least harmful to the environment?
Placer mining can be less damaging to the environment than surface mines, as the sediment is returned to the water after the minerals have been extracted.
What type of mining is an example of subsurface mining?
Room-and-pillar mining is a common method of subsurface mining. This method is used to extract salt and coal.
Is surface or underground mining worse?
Underground mining The majority of the world’s coal is obtained through underground mines. While underground mining, which allows coal companies to extract deeper deposits of coal, is viewed as less destructive than strip mining, the effects of mining widespread damage to the environment.
What are the pros and cons of surface mining?
Surface mines offer advantages and disadvantages when compared to underground mining. Amongst the advantages are that it is cheaper, can recover more of the resource (usually up to 100% within the mining excavation), is safer and can use larger-scale mining equipment offering higher production rates.
What do you call land disturbance caused by surface mining?
When dealing with the land disturbances caused by surface mining operations, the terms remediation, reclamation, restoration and rehabilitation (R4) are commonly used interchangeably or otherwise vaguely defined. Expectations associated with these terms may differ significantly from one stakeholder to another, however.
Which is worse underground mining or strip mining?
While underground mining initially disturbs only a small portion of the surface above a mined area, long-term effects from ground subsidence can be more severe and widespread than the effects from modern strip mining and reclamation.
What are the different types of surface mining?
In surface mining, soil and rock overlying or hosting a shallow ore deposit is physically removed to access the resource. Surface mining comprises different practices − strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop-removal mining − and accounts for more than 80% of ore mined each year ( Ramani, 2012 ).
What’s the difference between surface mining and remediation?
Remediation, rehabilitation, reclamation and restoration are simply defined. Legacy may be attenuated by a combination of engineering and ecological approaches. Surface mining is a global phenomenon.