THE MINING LIFECYCLE

Before being refined and traded, metal needs to be mined. Even with the help of modern technology, mining is still a long and difficult process.

A common definition for mining is simply the process of extracting, through various methods of extraction, useful and/or precious minerals from the surface and the depths of the Earth, including deep sea and seabed. Regardless of the type of excavation, the process usually consists of several distinct steps.

The first stage is the actual discovery of the ore body, which is established by many different techniques, including geological surveys and/or satellite surveys, prospecting or exploration of an area to find and then define the size, location and quality (grade) of the ore body. ...

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