By: Jose,
Marlon and
Trevone
Mining is important for many reasons:
- Canada is third in the world for mineral production.
- Canada doesn’t have a use for all its minerals so it
sells about 80% to other countries.
- in 2001 Canada’s coal, metallic and non-metallic
(industrial) minerals were worth over 24 billion.
- Canada’s vast amount of resources play a vital part in
our war efforts.
- the government also greatly encourages mining
companies to find new ways to mine because of how much
mining supports Canada’s economy.
- Canada’s mineral reserves are
decreasing day by day.
- the Canadian government is trying to find
new mining sites to remain at a steady
flow of minerals.
- finding new, large deposits is hard
because minerals are found in few and
specific places around the world.
- mining is also an expensive process with
includes locating rich deposits, and
figuring out the type of rock located in the
area.
There are 3 types of mining:
Underground mining
Strip Mining
Open pit mining
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Underground mining is a
great way to mine for
minerals deep in the ground.
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What they do:
-miners take the cage
down to the work area.
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-holes are drilled then filled
with explosives.
1. The cage (elevator).
-the blasted rock is taken
and sent down a large hole
to the crusher.
3. Ventilation pipe.
-the crushed rock is placed
into a skip with is then
hoisted up to the head
frame.
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2. Head frame.
4. Work area.
5. Rock crusher.
6. Skip.
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Open Pit mining is used to mine for minerals close to
the surface, but they can be expanded to mine deeper
if needed.
1. Trees, rocks and earth is
removed.
2. Explosives are placed 10-15m
deep blasting huge holes in the
ground.
3. Huge shovels pack 90 to 250
tonnes of ore into trucks.
4. Ore then waits in a storage site
near the mill, after it is
transferred to a factor to be
manufactured.
This type of mining is used to mine oilsands,
coal and other minerals that are located close
to the surface.
There are four steps in strip mining:
1. Overburden (trees, earth rock, etc.)
are removed.
2. Explosives may be needed to remove
some mineral deposits.
3. The material is loaded into trucks by
shovel or dragline.
4. The material is then shipped off to a
processing mill.
There are 3 types of minerals:
Fossil Fuels
Metallic Minerals
Industrial Minerals
- when refined they become materials
known are metals.
- can be valued for rareness and
beauty. Example: gold and silver.
- iron is used for its strength.
- nickel can be combined with iron to
make stainless steel.
- gold and silver is used to make
jewelry.
- minerals that can’t be categorized as
metallic minerals or fossil fuels.
- still important but sometimes not
acknowledged as much.
- sand makes glass and gravel makes
concrete.
- potash makes fertilizers.
- diamonds make jewelry and cutting tools.
- release energy when burned.
- fossil fuels are used for transportation
and heating.
- for 200 years they have provided energy
to society.
- in the 1800s coal was an important fuel
- coal was replaced by oil and gas in the
last century.
- two steps: milling and smelting.
- milling is the process that separates the
minerals from the ore.
- what is left of the rocks and minerals after
this process is called concentrate, but it can
still contain 70% of waste rock.
- what was separated from the minerals is
called tailings with are very toxic and must be
dealt with carefully.
- the concentrated material is sent to a smelter
where it is melted in a furnace.
- the newly melted minerals are poured into a
mould, cooled the shipped off to the costumers