.
Construction
Once the miner has addressed all the regulatory, funding and technical aspects of the project it can
finally start construction; this process can be different depending on the mineral being mined and the
size of the project, and will often take longer than exploratory and design stages. Construction of mining
sites invovles building roads, processing facilities, environmental management systems, employee
housing and other facilities.
4. Production
Eventually the project is constructed and ready to begin producing. The two most common methods of
mining are surface and underground mining. The method is determined mainly by the characteristics of
the mineral deposit and the limits imposed by safety, technology, environmental and economical
concerns.
The first step in the production stage is recovering the minerals; this is the process of extracting the ore
from rock using a variety of tools and machinery.
The second step is processing; the recovered minerals are processed through huge crushers or mills to
separate commercially valuable minerals from their ores.
Once processed, the ore is then transported to smelting facilities.
The final step in production is smelting; this process involves melting the concentrate in a furnance to
extract the metal from its ore. The ore is then poured into moulds, producing bars of bullion, which are
then ready for sale.
5. Closure and reclamation
The fifth and final stage in mining operations is closure and reclamation. Many mines may be capable of
producing economically for decades, but mining is still a temporary activity. The vast majority of
companies now have to formulate their plan on how to close their operation before they event build it,
as governments require assurances that operators have a plan and the funds needed to close the mine
before they are willing to issue permits.
The detailed environmental studies that are conducted during the process form a major part of the plan
on how the mine site will be closed and rehabilitated.
A comprehensive mine rehab (rehabilitation) program has many clearly stated objectives which may
include:
ensuring public health and safety
minimizing environmental effects
removing waste and hazardous material
preserving water quality
stabilizing land to protect against erosion
establishing new landforms and vegetation
Mine closure plans can aim to renovate the site to varying degrees:
Remediation. Cleaning up the contaminated area, including water.
Reclamation. Stabilising the terrain, landscaping and topsoil replacement to make the land useful once
again.
Restoration. Rebuilding any part of the ecosystem that was disturbed as a result of the mine such as
flora and fauna.
Rehabilitation. Rehabilitating the site to a stable and self-rejuvenating state, either as it was before the
mine was built or as a new equivalent ecosystem.
Some of the major steps that are common for companies to follow when shutting a mine are as follows:
Mine shutdown. Production is halted, equipment is taken offline and the workforce is scaled back.
Decommissioning. The operation and equipment is taken apart, waste is disposed of, buildings are
demolished or repurposed and the site is cleaned.
Remediation or reclamation. Returning the land, trees, topsoil, water and wider ecosystem to a
satisfactory state while removing contaminants or hazardous materials.
Post-closure. Monitoring programmes initiated to ensure shut down is effective and highlight any
further work that needs to be completed.
