1. Mining removes rocks and minerals that contain useful metals from the Earth’s crust.
Image: G. Plumlee, USGS
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2. Many mines are large surface excavations.
Image: Kennecott Utah Copper Co.
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3. Some mines are underground.
Image: US Bureau of Mines
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4. Drilling cuts holes in metal-bearing rock where explosives can be placed.
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5. Explosions - or blasts - break metal-bearing rock into blocks and fragments.
Image: US Bureau of Mines
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6. Metal-bearing rock broken by blasting is hauled to a crusher.
Image: US Bureau of Mines
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7. Crushed metal-bearing rock - most pieces smaller than a baseball - is ready for processing that removes metals.
Image: Kennecott Utah Copper Co.
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8. All mines eventually deplete their valuable metal-bearing rock and close.
Image: Kennecott Utah Copper Co.
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