Subsurface mining offers notable advantages, primarily centered around enhanced safety and reduced environmental impact compared to surface methods like open-pit mining.
Subsurface mining, also known as underground mining, is a method used to extract minerals or geological materials from the Earth through shafts and tunnels. While it involves complex engineering, it possesses distinct benefits.
Key Advantage: Enhanced Safety
According to records kept by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, subsurface mines are some of the safest. This key advantage stems from the inherent nature of working underground, which minimizes exposure to many surface-level risks.
Why is Subsurface Mining Safer?
The primary reason for the improved safety profile of subsurface mining highlighted in the reference is the lessened risk of surface hazards. These hazards are commonly associated with open-pit mining and include:
- Flooding: Surface mines are more susceptible to being inundated by heavy rain or nearby water bodies.
- Subsidence: While underground mining can cause subsidence, surface operations like open-pit mining can also lead to significant ground instability and collapse around the pit edges.
- Landslides: Steep slopes in open-pit mines are prone to landslides, posing a significant risk to personnel and equipment.
By operating underground, subsurface mines effectively mitigate the direct impact of these surface environmental phenomena on the mining operations and workforce.
In summary, the principal advantage of subsurface mining, supported by safety data, is its ability to conduct extraction with reduced exposure to many of the significant environmental hazards that threaten surface mining operations.
