PrintLesson 4.3: Mining Methods
We are going to identify the various mining methods in this lesson, and then we are going to look at the factors that affect our selection of a method. Later in the course, we will study the methods in more detail, but at this stage, we want to understand why a particular method would be identified in the feasibility study.
Classification of Mining Methods
We will use a traditional taxonomy to classify the mining methods. At the top level, mining methods are either surface or underground. The difference rests solely with where we access the orebody: are we accessing it from the surface or is it too deep beneath the surface, such that we can only economically access it from underground?
Figure 4.3.1 Mining Methods - Surface and Underground
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