How are minerals extracted from the earth?
Minerals occur in the earth’s crust through-out the world. Depending upon the nature and location of the minerals, various methods are used for their extraction.
Excavation is one such method in which mechanical excavators scoop out the surface rock and sediments so that the useful minerals like gravel, coal. sand etc., which occur near the surface of the earth, can be extracted.
Drilling is done to reach deep deposits of non-metallic minerals that can rise to the surface as gases or liquids. Oil. Natural gas, Sulphur etc. are obtained by drilling. In mining, the engineers make powerful explosions to smash rocks to make shafts and tunnels. Tunneling machines with mechanical shearers extract the minerals.
Quarrying involves blasting explosives, using deep cutting machines or even high pressure jets of water to extract non- metallic minerals like limestone, marble, salt from their surface deposits.
