Flashcards

Mining methods and environmental impacts: key terms

aej53099 English 11 cards

Cards in this deck (11)

1tailingore left overs after a metal has been extracted
2surface impoundmentslarge reservoirs, where tailings are stored
3strip miningremoval of layers of soil and rock to expose the resource just below the surface
4subsurface miningunderground work
5acid drainagesulfide in newly exposed rock reacts to oxygen and rainwater
6open pit miningcreates immense holes,digging holes and removing the desired ore, along with the waste rock surrounding the ore
7mountaintop removal mininghundred of feet of mountaintops removed to allow recovery of entire seams of resource
8reclamation"to restore the site" to a condition similar to its condition before mining
9mass wastingthe down slope movement of soils and rocks due to gravity
10mudslidessoil, rock and water movement caused by saturated soil from heavy rains
11laharsextremely dangerous mudslides caused when volcanic eruptions melt snow