Mining is important work. It extracts valuable materials from the ground like precious metals and jewels. It has lasted through ages and civilizations, making it not only significant but historical as well. While mining has roots in the ancient times, there have also been technological advancements to this kind of work. From rudimentary tools to green light lasers, mining techniques and equipment continues to develop.
Surface mining is for removing minerals that are close to the surface of the earth. Once the minerals have been excavated, the land is recovered through reclamation for further use. There are different kinds of surface mining-placer mining, strip mining, mountaintop removal, hydraulic mining, open pit mining and dredging. It depends on the type of mineral and soil formation.
Underground mining is used to extract valuable minerals from deep underground. They vary in size and complexity as it tunnels further into the ground. They only accommodate people while others can fit big excavators underground.
Like surface mining, underground mining have plenty of variations which are drift mining, slope mining, hardrock mining, shaft mining and borehole mining.
Tools like a green light laser are a safer alternative to blasting rock and dirt formations to loosen precious metals, uncover petroleum or create entrances to crevices. They are measurement tools to keep distance between the miner and the blast site. Technologically advanced lasers also increase precision and accuracy.
The modern forms of shovels, excavators are invaluable kinds of mining equipment. Instead of manually breaking and removing earth, miners can operate these vehicles, using the scoop attached to the rotating platform to remove massive amounts of dirt at a time. They are cost, time, and labor efficient. Gone are the days where excavation takes months to complete because of manual labor.
Another important kind of mining equipment is drills. They use these to drill holes into the ground to excavate the oil underneath. They use bigger drills to dig into the soil for deeper excavations. They also use drills to create holes to put in smaller explosives to blast small chunks of earth.
Mining is more than just drilling for oil and digging for gold. There are different kind of miners depending on what they extract from the earth such as stone, metal, coal, oil and gas.
If you are a miner, deciding to become one, or simply have interest in the industry, learning all about the kinds of equipment is one of mining’s most interesting aspects. Any current or future miner must learn how to use drills, cutting machines, green light lasers and many other kinds of equipment. Mining has been part of humanity since its early ages and it is here to stay.
