EARTH SCIENCE RESEARCH UNIT

MINERAL DEPOSIT RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIES (MDRDT)

The three major components of mining (exploration, mining, and processing) overlap somewhat. After a mineral deposit has been identified through exploration, the industry must make a considerable investment in development before mining begins. Further exploration near the deposit and further development drilling within the deposit are done while the mining is ongoing. Comminution (i.e., the breaking of rock to facilitate the separation of ore minerals from waste) combines blasting (a unit process of mining) with crushing and grinding (processing steps). In-situ mining, which is treated under a separate heading in this chapter, is a special case that combines aspects of mining and processing but does not require the excavation, comminution, and waste disposal steps. The major components can also be combined innovatively, such as when in-situ leaching of copper is undertaken after conventional mining has rubblized ore in underground block-caving operations.