What mining technique is used for iron?
Most iron ores are extracted by surface mining. Some underground mines do exist, but, wherever possible, surface mining is preferred because it is cheaper.
What is the process of an open cut mine?
Open cut (or open pit) mining involves digging and/or drilling and blasting to remove the resource or ore for processing. Often there is ‘overburden’ or waste rock material, which must be removed before the actual resource can be mined. Open cut is sometimes referred to as ‘strip mining’.
What are the 4 mining techniques?
There are four main mining methods: underground, open surface (pit), placer, and in-situ mining.
- Underground mines are more expensive and are often used to reach deeper deposits.
- Surface mines are typically used for more shallow and less valuable deposits.
Which iron ore has highest iron content?
Magnetite
Magnetite is the finest iron ore with a very high content of iron up to 70 per cent. It has excellent magnetic qualities, especially valuable in the electrical industry. Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of the quantity used, but has a slightly lower iron content than magnetite.
What minerals are mined in open-cut mining?
Materials commonly extracted from open-pit mines include:
- Bitumen.
- Clay.
- Coal.
- Copper.
- Coquina.
- Diamonds.
- Iron.
- Gold.
What are the benefits of open-cut mining?
After the mineral deposits have been exposed, the area is drilled, fractured and the mineral extracted. This method has a high recovery rate when compared to the underground, as 90 percent of mineral deposits are recovered. Overall when compared to other methods, open-cut is much safer.
Which is the purest iron ore?
Answer: [a] Magnetite Among all the ores of Ferrous (Iron) magnetite is the finest quality of iron ore.