Surface mining

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/surface-mining

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the economic rationale?Generally offers lower operational costs and higher efficiency compared to underground mining
2. How does surface mining differ from underground mining?In surface mining the overlying material is taken away and the ore is dug from the open ground, while underground mining keeps the overburden in place and digs through tunnels and shafts.
3. Why do people choose surface mining?It is cheaper and faster when the minerals are close to the surface, so it can get more material at a lower cost per unit.

Overburden: The geological material overlying a mineral deposit that must be removed before extraction can commence.
Strip Mining: A form of surface mining where mineral deposits are removed in long, narrow strips.
Open-pit Mining: A method of extracting rock or minerals from a large, open hole in the ground.
Mountaintop Removal: A type of surface coal mining where entire tops of mountains are removed to access coal seams.