Mining Engineering Tips
Mining engineers specialise in the extraction and processing of minerals below the earth's surface. Mining may seem like an easy task since most minerals cost a fortune or are in high demand. However, this is not always the case. The article below details the mining process. Hopefully, it will give you a good understanding of the mining engineering process.
Prospecting
The primary purpose of prospecting is to establish the presence of minerals in the area. First, the mining engineer will assess the history of the land. Usually, the local mining department will have a wealth of information regarding the presence of minerals in the area. For instance, it could be that recreational miners have mined small quantities of the mineral in the past. The engineer will also assess the characteristics of the soil. For example, iron ores are found in sedimentary rocks below the surface.
Site Surveys
The mining engineer will then visit the site to establish the viability of the project. For example, the potential mine could be located in a steep hill that could be difficult to excavate. On the other hand, the mining area could be too small for a commercial project. Remember, mining is an expensive undertaking. Therefore, the engineer must be sure that the available amounts can yield profits for the investor.
Licences
Mining is a heavily regulated activity. Therefore, you will need permits to conduct commercial mining. The mining engineer will liaise with local governments and the mining department to secure the necessary permits to extract the mineral. In some cases, the mineral could be on private land. In this case, the engineer will negotiate with property owners to gain permits to mine on their land. More often than not, the landowner will want a percentage of the mined minerals.
Mining Planning
The characteristics and amount of the mineral will determine the mining method that the engineer will use. For example, panning is a suitable method to extract small gold deposits. On the other hand, sluicing and dredging would be appropriate if the mine has significant deposits. The mining engineer must also detail the sequence of extracting the mineral. For example, they could identify two or three mining fields in the area. Usually, they start with one site and move to the next. It helps prevent resource wastage since there is a probability that the available minerals may not be sufficient for commercial mining.
When extracting minerals, mining engineers are charged with prospecting the mineral, conducting site surveys, securing licences, and creating a mining plan.
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