Mining Geology Lecture series

Mining Geology Lecture Series

Welcome to the Mining Geology Lecture Series!

This educational video series is designed for students, professionals, and enthusiasts interested in the fundamentals and advanced concepts of mining geology. The lectures, delivered in clear English, cover a wide range of topics essential for understanding the geological principles and practical methods used in the mining industry. Whether you are preparing for competitive exams or seeking to deepen your knowledge, this series provides comprehensive insights into mining geology

What You’ll Learn

1. Introduction to Mining Terms

This video defines essential mining terms like ore, gangue, assay, and exploitation. It clarifies concepts such as shafts, adits, drives, and stopes, explaining their role in accessing and extracting mineral deposits. Key distinctions like hanging wall and footwall are also covered, providing a foundational understanding of mining vocabulary.

2. Alluvial Mining Methods

This lecture details seven alluvial mining methods for extracting minerals from soft sediments. Techniques range from manual pan and battia, rockers, and Long Tom, to more mechanized sluicing, hydraulicking, drift mining, and large-scale dredging. Each method is designed to efficiently separate valuable materials based on their density and location.

3. Opencast Mining (Part 1)

This video introduces opencast mining, a surface technique for extracting minerals from open pits. It's chosen for shallow deposits where overburden removal is cost-effective. Methods vary from manual to mechanized, forming benches or steps for operation. The video also discusses criteria for selecting hand or machine loading based on deposit characteristics and economics.

4. Opencast Mining (Part 2): Machine Loading

Continuing the opencast mining series, this video focuses on machine loading. It details the operation of draglines, used for long-reach digging below base level, and power shovels, which are more positive for digging and lifting broken rock. A comparison highlights their respective advantages, particularly for different material types and operational needs in quarries.

5. Opencast Mining (Part 3): Scrapers, Land Dredges, Overburden Bridge

This video covers additional opencast mining machinery. Scrapers collect loose material, while land dredges use bucket chains for excavation. The overburden bridge (T-bridge) is a large-scale system for simultaneously removing mineral deposits and topsoil, facilitating backfilling by transporting excavated material across the mine.

6. Opencast Mining (Part 4): Glory Hole

This video covers details Glory Hole mining, where gravity aids ore loading in a descending pit, suitable for brittle, massive deposits. It also explains Kaolin mining in Cornwall, a specialized hydraulic method. This process involves sinking shafts, using high-velocity water jets to dissolve clay, and then processing it through sandboxes and filter presses.

7. Introduction to Underground Mining (Part 1)

This video introduces underground mining, contrasting it with opencast methods and explaining its necessity for deeper ore bodies. Reasons include environmental protection, land use restrictions, safety, and economic feasibility. It briefly introduces various methods like Rat Hole Mining and Room and Pillar, discussing their basic principles, pros, and cons.

8. Underground Mining (Part 2): Longwall, Sublevel Stoping, Shrinkage Stoping

This part details specific underground mining techniques. Longwall mining offers high recovery for thin, horizontal seams. Sublevel stoping suits inclined, thick ore bodies with strong rock, emphasizing productivity. Shrinkage stoping works for steep, narrow deposits, using broken ore for support, though it involves delayed revenue.

9. Underground Mining (Part 3): Sublevel Caving, Block Caving, Cut and Fill

This video explores three more underground mining methods. Sublevel caving is for inclined ore bodies with incompetent rock, allowing controlled collapse. Block caving targets massive, low-grade deposits, relying on gravity. The cut and fill method involves extracting ore in slices and backfilling, ideal for irregular ore bodies and ground support.

10. Underground Mining (Part 4): Drift and Fill, Retreat Mining, Blast Mining

Concluding the underground series, this video explains drift and fill for wide ore bodies, enhancing stability. Retreat mining, a room and pillar phase, maximizes recovery by removing pillars, but carries high risks. Blast mining, or drill and blast, uses explosives to fracture rock, offering versatility but with safety and environmental considerations.

Definitions of mining terms

This video explains mining terms like ore, gangue, assay, and exploitation. It details various mine excavations such as shafts, cross-cuts, adits, drives, rises, and winzes. It also covers concepts like assay width and cut-off grade, categorizing terms by orientation and location relative to the ore deposit.

Alluvial mining

This lecture details seven alluvial mining methods: pan and battia, rockers, Long Tom, sluicing, hydraulicking, drift mining, and dredging. These techniques extract valuable minerals from soft sediments, ranging from manual to high-pressure water and large-scale dredging operations.

Opencast Mining (part - 1)

This video explains opencast mining, a surface technique where minerals are extracted from open pits. It's chosen when deposits are near the surface and economically viable. Methods include manual, semi-mechanical, and mechanized approaches, with considerations for bench width and various loading techniques.