Introduction to mining
ﻣﻘﺪﻣﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺘﻌﺪﻳﻦ
Rocks
Rocks A rock is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineralize matter.
5 It is categorized by the minerals included, its chemical composition and the way in which it is
formed. Rocks are usually grouped into three main groups:
➢ Sedimentary rocks
➢ Igneous rocks
➢ Metamorphic rocks Rocks form the Earth's outer solid layer, the crust.
Exploration Program
Topography and
Geomorphology
Produced a topographic map at
scale of 1:5000 for the area,
the surveying data in form of
(x, y, z) in Palestine Grid. The
data was incorporated in the
GIS database. Integrated Digital
Elevation Models (DEM) was
created along with
topographical maps.
Geological Mapping
Geophysical
The stitched TEM models demonstrate the patterns of resistivity distribution
across area of different geological structures; hence, the individual sections
are designed to incorporate the available boreholes data and modeled
geophysical data into subsurface images that would trace out different
geological layers (e.g., bituminous marl) and structures.
Drilling and Sampling
MINING’S CONTRIBUTION TO
CIVILIZATION
Here the term mining is used in its broadest context as encompassing the
extraction of any naturally occurring mineral substances—solid, liquid, and
gas—from the earth or other heavenly bodies for utilitarian purposes.
Mining: the activity, occupation, and industry concerned with the extraction
of minerals.
Mine: an excavation made in the earth to extract minerals.
Mining engineering: the practice of applying engineering principles to the
development, planning, operation, closure, and reclamation of mines.
Mining methods
➢ Surface mining Techniques of
surface mining include:
➢ Open-pit mining
➢ Quarrying
➢ Open cast
strip mining
➢ Mountaintop removal
➢ Placer deposits
➢ Underground mining Techniques of
underground mining include:
➢ Room and pillar mining
➢ Block caving
➢ Shrinkage stoping
➢ VRM/ VCR
➢ Cut and fill
➢ Stope and fill
Mining techniques
Mining techniques can be divided into two common excavation types: surface
mining and sub surface (underground) mining. Today, surface mining is much
more common, and produces, for example, 85% of minerals (excluding
petroleum and natural gas) in the United States, including 98% of metallic
ores.[32] Targets are divided into two general categories of materials: placer
deposits, consisting of valuable minerals contained within river gravels, beach
sands, and other unconsolidated materials; and lode deposits, where valuable
minerals are found in veins, in layers, or in mineral grains generally
distributed throughout a mass of actual rock. Both types of ore deposit,
placer or lode, are mined by both surface and underground methods.
Overburden removal activity consists of several stages, namely:
Land Clearing
This is an additional activity in the mining stage. This activity aims to support the
smooth operation of mining. At this stage road will be built to access for
transportation. This needs to a land compaction, of course. A common tool used is a
bulldozer ripper and with the addition of chainsaw\ 49 Cutting machine for chopping
trees with a diameter more than 30 cm. This takes time proportionately to the size of
land to be mined.
Overburden Removal
Overburden removal is an activity that absolutely must be done on mining, especially
in mining activities that use open-pit mining system.
Overburden removal activity is determined by the target in the production plan; the
better the design in the stripping of overburden will give the better production plan
targets. To realize such condition it requires necessary methods and tools that support
the stripping of overburden. When the overburden material is a soft material (soft
rock), then the cover soil excavation will be done on liberty. However, if the material
is a strong one, the first matter to do is discharging with demolition followed by the
quarrying activity. Blasting that will be done needs to be designed to correspond to
the desired production.
Drilling and blasting
Drilling and blasting currently utilizes many different varieties of explosives with
different compositions and performance properties. Higher velocity explosives
are used for relatively hard rock in order to shatter and break the rock, while
low velocity explosives are used in soft rocks to 51 generate more gas pressure
and a greater heaving effect. The most commonly used explosives in mining
today are ANFO based blends due to lower cost than dynamite.
Mining Equipment
Mining equipment selection begins with the initial conception of mine
development. The criteria for mining equipment selection take into
consideration several factors such as:
Ore deposit and overburden material characteristics
General site conditions
Mining parameters
Practice of utilizing such mining equipment in Jordan.
Haulage distance.
Daily operation time
CAT 6030 face shovels in operation CAT 992K wheel loader in operation CAT 777D dumb truck in operation
Hazards in the working environment
In the working environment of a surface mine airborne contaminants(such as
rock dust and fumes), excessive noise, vibration, heat stress and ergonomic
problems can create health risks to mineworkers who are subject to frequent
and prolonged exposure to them.
Dust Noise
Harmful fumes Vibration
Heat stress
Health, welfare and hygiene of
mineworkers
Health care
Changing and bathing facilities
Sanitary facilities
Drinking water
Areas for food
Intoxicating beverages and narcotics
Personal protective equipment
The mine operator should provide, free of charge, the personal
protective equipment that is to be worn when hazards cannot be
eliminated — and ensure that it is worn properly and maintained in
good condition.
The basic personal protective equipment should be:
safety helmet (hard hat) where falling objects might create a
hazard.
protective gloves when handling materials or performing work
which might cause injury to the hands.
suitable protective footwear (e.g. safety shoes or rubber boots)
where there is a danger of slipping or of injury to the feet.
hearing protection where excessive noise levels are produced (e.g.
where compressors, drilling machines or pick-hammers are used).
dust mask where excessive airborne dust is produced (e.g. during
drilling or rock-breaking).
safety glasses/goggles where there is a danger from flying particles
that may cause injury to the eyes (e.g. where hard rock is to be
broken).
