Australian mining

Exploration of new sites

The advent of new and more efficient mining methods has greatly improved the process of mineral extraction. The exploration of a new mining site is done in various ways. Mining companies and geological teams will usually employ more than one method to determine the potential value of a site. See image 1

They will conduct aerial surveys, getting an idea of the general topography and the nature of the surrounding environment. From aerial images they can determine what sorts of mining techniques will be required and also what effect the mining activity is likely to have upon the environment.

Geologists will carry out seismic surveys in prospective mining areas, to determine what types of ore are present. Rocks containing different ores will reflect and refract soundwaves differently. From these results, geologists create maps detailing what ores are available and where precisely they are located.

Once geologists have established the types of ore deposits that exist in the area and their quality, they will then decide whether to establish an open-cut mine or an underground mine. As underground mining requires more risk and considerably more expense, a mining company will prefer to extract all possible mineral deposits using an open-cut mining system before they attempt to establish underground mineshafts.

Sea mining

New technology has led to another source of rich mineral deposits. Sea mining has become increasingly popular in recent years as it has few of the infrastructure issues that land mining encounters. See image 2

Australia has several ocean-based oil rigs and has drilled for oil for many years. In addition, large stores of precious metals including gold and silver are now known to lie at the bottom of the ocean. These mineral deposits are among the purest in the world and are believed to have far greater value than those currently being accessed through land mining. Technology is currently being developed to access these deposits and it is likely that sea mining will become a common method of mineral extraction in the coming years.

Concern has been expressed by some environmental groups about sea mining, in particular the effect it may have upon marine ecosystems. Of particular concern is the dumping of waste in the water, such as when petroleum is extracted from below the sea bed. The disturbance of the sea bed and the use of some chemicals in the process pollute the oceans and can be deadly to several marine animals. See image 3

Environmental protection authorities frequently conduct studies to assess the effects of deep-sea mining, monitoring the ecological features of mining sites. This includes assessment of animal populations and the testing of water and soil samples to detect chemical and pollution levels.

Mining companies have to meet stringent conditions before they can establish a mine site. They have to have a comprehensive environmental management strategy, detailing the plans for the mine site and rehabilitation procedures before they will be given permission to mine.