Advantages of open pit mining in zambia pdf

The blasting and other noise might disturb some people nearby. An open pit mine is essentially a big hole in the ground. Within the project, a prestudy has been made on the environmental impacts of mining in zambia. Traditionally, contract mining has come at a cost premium of about 15% to 20% compared. The zambian copper mining industry as we know it today had its genesis in the 1920s. Mining is a prerequisite for much industrial production. Open pit mining does offer some advantages over traditional deep shaft mining.

In the previous topic, we saw which are some of the advantages that can make the surface open pit mining methods superior method compared to the underground mining. Open cast mineral resources are quoted as insitu tonnages and mineral reserves are tonnages falling within an economic pit shell. What is a disadvantage for open pit mining answers. Open pit mining mining methods hydraulic gassification opencast mining open cut mining surface or strip mining final pit. Pit mining is more cost effective than shaft mining because more ore can be extracted and more quickly. Second,for mining to contribute to the goals of sustainable development at the community level,it must provide a. To our knowledge, this method has not been used for ground water control in underground mines, with the exception of shaft sinking. Informative presentation you came across to know about open pit mining. Developments on the international stage, such as the. Perceptions that the taxes and fees for mining in zambia is attractive does not necessarily mean the fiscal rates are themselves attractive and vice versa as investors tend to view taxes and fees in a broader context of risks to existing framework including its historical volatility and expectations regarding future changes, the possibility. This creates costs as well as environmental issues with waste rock disposal. Epa hardrock mining conference 2012 underground mines pre mining water table 1600 m amsl. Copper mining in za mbia history and future population increase lead to the establishment of settlements which rapidly grew into new towns.

Contain approximately 1,899 million tonnes of overburden cover an area of approximately 206,465ha. Reliable equipment built for mining applications, coupled with specialized and reliable dealer support, is vital to. With a total mineral resource of at least two billion tons in the copperbelt region alone, the mining sector offers real potential for growth and further expansion. This paper also considers its main forms, types and its importance in the educational process. The thickness that is, the height of the benches depends on the type of deposit, the mineral being mined, and the equipment being used. The two industries ranked together as the primary or basic industries of early civilization. This study examined the environmental and social effects of large. Practical aspects of watersealing at konkola copper mine. Approximately 21 waste rock dumps approximately 77 million tonnes of waste rock. Insitu leaching isl, also called insitu recovery isr or solution mining, is a mining process used to recover minerals such as copper and uranium through boreholes drilled into a deposit, in situ. Zambia economic brief making mining work for zambia the. Support industries emerged and infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, roads, markets, and recreational facilities were built.

Water control in underground mines grouting or drainage. Openpit mining is a type of strip mining in which the ore deposit. However, underground mining has its own advantages. Mine dewatering and water management at barrick goldstrike mine in the carlin trend, nevada. Dust is created in mining activities, and any moisture falling into the mine can dissolve minerals and convey them into ground water. Occupational injuries and fatalities in copper mining in. Dewatering an open pit mine is an important process and its implications should be thoroughly understood before selecting the pumping equipment and designing the pumping system. Mining companies can contribute to the zambian economy by providing experience and training for their own management and workforce. Advantages and disadvantages of open pit mining lorecentral. An open pit mining operation virtually eliminates any biologic life at the surface.

It highlights key industry issues, and shares information about mining and its contribution to the economy and society. A case of nchanga open pit mine, zambia silwamba c, chileshe p r k abstract. Standard ac multidrive installations have been mechanically reinforced to make them. Change in production and productivity of us coal mines the higher productivity for open pit mining equipment also lowers costs. Without replanting and restoring the ecosystem, a strip mining site can take decades to recover. It was initially renowned for silver extraction, but nowadays it also produces lead and zinc. And finally, the ultimate decision to mine from the surface or from underground comes down to the specific characteristics of the deposit. Through the meetingpoints mining project, the geological survey of sweden has been fa cilitating partnerships and networks in the mineral sector in several subsaharan african coun tries since 2010. In a swift response barrick gold reacted with an announcement effecting the suspension of operations from january 1 2015. Openpit mining deposits mined by open pit techniques are generally divided into horizontal layers called benches. Overview of mining and its impacts environmental law alliance.

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency rates of occupational injuries and fatalities among copper miners in zambia. Mining for zambia is an industry website aimed at promoting a better understanding of the zambian mining industry. In situ leach works by artificially dissolving minerals occurring naturally in a solid state. Introduction konkola mine, arguably the wettest mine in the. Our own experiences here in mindanao validate the report. Pdf open mining development is the cheapest method, because it uses powerful. The current operating depth of oc mines in sccl is about 200m and sccl proposed to operate oc mines upto a depth of 420m. Mmsd breaking new ground 234 the mining, minerals and sustainable development project mmsd mine wastes are produced in a number of different categories,including. In many cases, logging of trees and clearcutting or burning of vegetation above the ore deposit may precede removal of the overburden. Occupational safety and health in mining anthology on the situation in 16 mining countries ed. Open pit mining, where material is excavated from an open pit, is one of the most common forms of mining for strategic minerals. Mining in chingola, zambia, started underground in 1931, and was catastrophically flooded and closed.

Ultra large hydraulic excavators and dump trucks for large open pit mines 270 to the rapid rise in fuel prices in recent years and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help prevent global warming, with the first truck due to enter service in the fall of 2011 at a copper mine in zambia in africa. All the content, except for external news items, is free for use. Reading the mining in the philippines concerns and conflicts, fact finding mission to the philippines report, i deplore and lament with the prophets of old what is happening to our beloved land. In the middle of the city one can observe the highest openpit mine in the world, which extends about 2 kilometers and is almost 400 meters deep. In the middle of the city one can observe the highest openpit mine in the world, which extends about 2.

The advantages and disadvantages of mining can be determined based on facts uncovered by scientists and by personal opinions. This note explores the prospects for growth in zambia s copper mining industry, the potential contribution that a larger, more competitive copper mining industry could make to jobs and prosperity, and what it would take for the industry to achieve its potential. Vegetation is stripped, and the surface at the dig site is left completely barren. Approximately 32 overburden dumps in zambias mining industry. Mine dewatering and water management at barrick goldstrike. Ultra large hydraulic excavators and dump trucks for large. What are the advantages and disadvantages of what are the advantages and disadvantages of nationalized what are the advantages and disadvantages of. Open pit mines, like the one shown in this video, process tons of rock in order to extract just a few ounces. However these benefits will only occur if the companies develop good human resources and training programmes and commit to building up the skills of zambians, rather than employing expatriate workers in all of the. On december 17, zambia s parliament approved a proposal in the 2015 national budget to increase mineral tax for open pit mining from six to 20 per cent. Gold is now primarily found in very low concentrations. However, disadvantages when compared to underground mining also exist.

Opencast allows for high tonnages to be moved hence economies scale safe as workers are not working under disturbed roof opencast trucks have higher payload hence more economical. The effort and safety conditions of workers improve. What is opencast mining opencast mining is also known as open pit mining, open cut mining, surface or strip mining. Copper mining in zambia page 2 paper 165 july 2008 however, its performance declined from the mid1970s and by the end of the 1980s copper mining was no longer the golden cow which had been the engine of the countrys industrial and social development. Zambia is set to gain a competitive regional advantage over other african mining. Africa, where underground mining of ore gold is conducted. Opencast mining has several advantages compared to underground mining, these are. Thus, by 1964, when zambia was born, it had a strong. Often mine owners will choose the contractor option without fully understanding the consequences of undertaking this option. Unesco eolss sample chapters civil engineering vol. The economic contribution of zambian copper mining. Epa hardrock mining conference 2012 open pit 400 m 3,700 m 2,000 m 7.

The evaluation method is generally ordinary kriging with mining block sizes ranging from 10 x 10m to 100 x 100m to 250 x 250m in the plan view. The nchanga open pit nop mine started in 1955, situated to the west of nug, and partially overlying it. Kabanga tin mines zambia information memorandum june 2008 libra minerals ltd 3 1. This type of mining is particularly damaging to the environment because strategic minerals are often only available in small concentrations, which increases the amount of ore needed to be mined. Mechanization has no limits in terms of the dimensions of the equipment. The coal upto economical depth will be excavated by oc method. What are the advantages and disadvantages of openpit mining. Aside from copper and cobalt, zambia also boasts of precious stones such as emeralds, amethyst, aquamarine, gold and diamonds, among others. A retrospective study of occupational injuries and fatalities at one of the largest copper mining companies in zambia was undertaken for the period january 2005 to may 2007. As a leading global manufacturer of crushing, grinding and mining equipments, we offer advanced, reasonable solutions for any sizereduction requirements including, method of mining in zambia, quarry, aggregate, and different kinds of minerals. The typical large open pit mining operation that has been in production for 10 years and more is operating under conditions that could not possibly have been foreseen by the orig inal planners of. The present nchanga underground mine nug started in 1937. The working conditions are safer for the miners because there is no risk of cave in or toxic gas.