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Mine trucks moving material from the Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mines in Colorado. Image Credit USGS/Photo by Yolanda Fong-Sam
The mining process is used to separate rock or ore from surrounding rock. There are four main mining methods: underground, open surface (pit), placer, and in-situ mining. The method used depends on the type of mineral resource that is mined, its location beneath the surface, and whether the resource is worth enough money to justify extracting it. The potential environmental impacts of mining depend on the resource being mined, how it is mined, and local factors like climate. In the United States, these impacts are now closely regulated, and mine areas are often reclaimed for another purpose after mining is over.
Why does mining matter?
Mining is essential to provide the 38,000 lbs of mineral resources per person per year that we use in the United States.[1] Mineral resources are integral to the roads, vehicles, buildings, technologies, and personal products we rely on every day. Mining also produces a large proportion of the fuels that power and transport our society.
How does geoscience inform decisions about mining?
Geoscientists determine how to mine mineral resources economically, help to protect water and minimize environmental damages around the mine, and help reclaim disturbed land after mining.
References
1How many pounds of minerals are needed for each person in the U.S. per year?, AGI Critical Issues Program, www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/how-many-pounds-minerals-are-required-average-person-year
Learn More
Introductory Resources
- Metal Mining and the Environment(Booklet),American Geosciences Institute
Provides basic information about the mining cycle, from exploration for economic mineral deposits to mine closure. The booklet discusses the environmental aspects of metal mining and illustrates the ways science and technology assist in preventing or reducing environmental impacts.
Resources for Educators
- Education Resources Network, AGI's Center for Geoscience & Society
Search for coal resources in: Professional Resources, Organizations, Curricula & Instruction, Teaching Media, Outreach Programs - NGSS Performance Expectations, Next Generation Science Standards
K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, 4-ESS3-1, 5-ESS3-1, MS-ESS3-1, MS-ESS3-3, MS-ESS3-4, HS-ESS3-1, HS-ESS3-2, HS-ESS3-3, HS-ESS3-4 - NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas, Next Generation Science Standards
ESS3.A, ESS3.C
Frequently Asked Questions
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U.S. Energy Information Administration
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Coal Data Browser provides a variety of state-specific and nationwide visualizations for their coal reports and data sets.The annual data sets go back to 2008 and can be displayed as a time series graph, bar graph, U.S. map, or coal basin map. Data set...
U.S. Energy Information Administration
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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
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North Dakota Public Service Commission
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North Dakota Public Service Commission
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Missouri Department of Natural Resources
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Missouri Department of Natural Resources
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Missouri Department of Natural Resources
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Missouri Department of Natural Resources
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U.S. Geological Survey
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U.S. Geological Survey
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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
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West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
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Utah Geological Survey
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Utah Geological Survey
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Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources
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Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
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Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining & Safety
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
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Iowa Geological Survey
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Florida Geological Survey
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Florida Geological Survey
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Virginia Division of Geology and Mineral Resources
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Maine Geological Survey
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Maine Geological Survey
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Kentucky Geological Survey
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Missouri Geological Survey
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Indiana Geological and Water Survey
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Indiana Geological and Water Survey
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Idaho Geological Survey
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Idaho Geological Survey
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Arkansas Geological Survey
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Arkansas Geological Survey
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U.S. Geological Survey
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U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Resources Data System catalogs information about mineral resources around the United States and the world. Using the map tool, users can zoom in to obtain reports and data on past and present mines, mine prospects, and processing plants.All of the data...
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