GineersNow Engineering Magazine November 2016 Issue No 009

Photo by InfoMine
project is to conduct geologic
investigations to locate the
deposit. This stage, called
exploration, involves surveying of
rocks on the surface and drilling
for rocks that are hundreds of
meters below the surface, among
other things. Based on the
information gathered, which are
called geologic data, a 3D model
of the mineral deposit can be
generated by a computer. The
possible economic value of the
mine based on all the geologic
data will then be evaluated.
The next stage of mining is
development which involves
construction of surface
infrastructure, initial clearing
of mining area, and initial
excavation or tunneling to reach
the ore deposit. Production will
commence after fully developing
the mine. During the production
stage, either a large hole is
gradually opened up on the
ground creating an open pit
or the minerals will be mined
from underground tunnels. The
excavated ore will be transported
to the processing plant on
the surface near the mine.
Photo by ALS Global
Photo by TheAusIMMBulletin
Afterwhich the ore will undergo
a series of processes of mineral
concentrating, melting, and
refining until the final product
is produced, like copper plates,
or gold bars. This product will
then be used by manufacturers
to make various tools, electronics,
and machines.
A mine can operate for decades
until it runs out of economic
mineral reserves. When the mine
closes, it must be rehabilitated
into the pre-mine environmental
conditions or into sustainable
income-generating projects like
resorts, agroforests, or parks.
Mining deals with extracting
minerals from the earth. The raw
materials dug up from the mine
undergo a series of processes until
the final products are produced.
These final products are finally
used to manufacture various
things that we use everyday.
Mankind has been mining for
materials since tens of thousands
of years ago. In fact, mining
and the development of human
civilization and culture are so
intertwined that major stages
in human history are identified
by various minerals or their
derivatives: Stone Age, Bronze
Age, Iron Age, Steel Age, and
Nuclear Age. During the Stone
Age, man used wood, stone, bone
and ceramics for shelter, weapons
and utensils. Other materials
such as ceramics, clay, salt and
meteoric iron were used as
ornaments, decoration, jewelry,
coinage, and components of
cosmetics.People eventually
used minerals to make various
components for shelters as well
as transportation equipment.
Copper, discovered in Cyprus in
2700 BC, became a sought-after
component of tools, weapons,
and kitchen utensils. Uranium,
which was first extracted from
the Habsburg silver mines in
Bohemia in the middle ages,
was initially used to color glass
and ceramics. The radioactive
properties of uranium were then
discovered, eventually leading to
the development of the nuclear
bomb and eventually nuclear
power plants in the 20th century,
signalling the beginning of the
nuclear age.
Metallurgy, the process of
separating or mixing metals,
began as early as 7000 BC
with copper being melted and
cast into objects, followed
by lead, silver, gold, and iron.
Advancements in metallurgy
made it possible to mix metals
into their alloys forming bronze,
iron and brass. During the 18th
century, iron metallurgy made
great strides and made Industrial
Revolution possible, a period
during which the economy of
an underdeveloped country
could be transformed into an
industrial economy, stimulated
by the availability of energy and
metal sources. This developing
technology was accompanied
by a revolution in science and
engineering. The machine age,
a product of the industrial
revolution, needed certain
minerals as raw materials and
as a source of energy, making
industrial power a measure of
nation's political and military
power, and economic wealth.
Today, our modern society
needs these raw materials for
machineries used in various
industries, electronics for
computers and communication,
and nuclear fission for warfare
and electrical power generation.
The demand for raw materials
from mining is ever-increasing
in order to sustain our growing
needs for infrastructure, goods,
and services.
Virtually all things we use today
are products of mining. Copper,
for example, is used to make
various kinds of products like
electrical wire, cookware, pipes,
car parts, paint, and electrical
appliances. Iron is a common
component of paint, cosmetics,
and fertilizers, and when
mixed with carbon forms steel.
Nickel when mixed with steel
produces stainless steel which
is used for various objects like
sinks, kitchenware, and musical
instruments. Gold is primarily
used for jewelry but is also used
for electronics and electrical
appliances. Chromite is used for
stainless steel production and
also in the tanning process of
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NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance