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Simply digging around and stumbling upon a rock does not qualify as mining. To obtain the minerals, miners must often sort through waste material first. Waste, in this sense, does not hold the same definition as garbage, but rather, refers to material that does not provide any economic interest to the miner. Waste is often the largest product of mining, and incurs the highest cost.
There are different kinds of mines. A drift mine is a horizontal mining space that allows access to transportation, accommodation logistics, and even temporary roads. Drift mines are ideal for land-based mining operations.
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Slope mining is, as the term suggests, mining through an inclining surface. This is often how coal is obtained. Slope mines differ from drift mines in that the resources are accessed by tunneling straight down and then horizontally, respectively.
Unlike the two, a shaft mine, also known as shaft sinking, is a mining space wherein the excavation occurs in a vertical or near-vertical angle, from the top down. Shaft mines are ideal for mining occurring several levels underground. Shafts grant access to the different levels and the main ground on top.
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Little is understood about the mining industry. As the director and executive chairman of a mining company, Richard Fifer raises awareness about the myriad processes involved in commercially producing metal. Read about his work with Petaquilla Minerals Ltd. on this website.
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