Subsurface Mining
When mineral ores are too deep to get at with the surface mining techniques, subsurface mining methods are used instead. An advantage of subsurface mining is that it disturbs much less land than surface mining. In fact, it disturbs less than one-tenth the amount of land as surface mining. Click each image to learn about some methods of subsurface mining.
Shaft mining is the deepest form of underground mining. It involves excavating a tunnel from the top to the bottom area of the mine. From this tunnel, the miners then dig long horizontal tunnels to get to the coal or other mineral ore. The tunnels are dug deeper and longer until all the ore is extracted or it becomes too deep to worry about it.
Hard rock mining is one of the most dangerous kinds of mining. It involves excavating deep tunnels downward, and then sending workers deep underground in a "man cage." The workers excavate rooms underground that are held up by pillars of rock. Gold and diamonds are commonly mined in this way.
Drift mining is done when the mineral ore exists in the side of a mountain. It involves digging a tunnel into the side of the mountain, usually using explosives. This method of mining is highly dangerous because it is prone to cave-ins.
Longwall mining is where a long wall of coal is mined in a single slice. Workers use massive electric equipment to grind out chunks of coal from a wall of rock.
