Ancient History of Mines
Mining involves the extraction of valuable minerals or geological materials from the earth, an ore body, or coal seam. Some non-renewable resources that are mined are petroleum and natural gas, as well as materials such as iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, and limestone. Mining processes involve prospecting for ore bodies, analyzing the profit potential of a proposed mine, extracting desired materials, and reclaiming land in preparation for other uses once the mine is closed. Because the nature of these processes affects the environment, regulations have been implemented to address the negative effects of mining operations. Mining dates back to prehistoric times when people used stone and metals to create tools and weapons. For example, materials for flint tools were acquired from flint mines located in areas where seams of flint stones were found underground. The Grimes Graves is a famous Neolithic flint mine that goes back to around 4000 BC. The oldest mine is the Lion Cave in Swaziland which is about 43,000 years old. In this mine, people extracted the mineral hematite, or iron oxide, to produce the red pigment ochre. Ancient Egyptians mined malachite and used it for creating ornaments and pottery. They also mined precious stones and metals, such as turquoise, copper, and gold. Today, there are mining courses that teach how to mine precious stones and metals, borrowing some ideas from ancient times. The Romans were the first to introduce large-scale mining methods. These methods used large volumes of water, which is brought to the minehead through aqueducts, to remove overburden and rock debris. This method is now known as hydraulic mining, and it’s still one of the most important mining methods employed today. Hydraulic mining is taught in a generic induction course on modern mining. Aside from the hydraulic method, present mining also uses heavy machinery to remove rocks and boulders. A contemporary mining course teaches how heavy machineries, such as bulldozers, drills, and explosives, are used for breaking and removing rocks. Topics including laws on mining and mine sites, as well as issues on permits, defect reports, tagging and isolation are also covered in such mining courses. Other topics are about general safety, emergency procedures, and potential mining hazards.
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