Why is geological mapping an effective exploration technique?

Your answer: Mineral deposits are often associated with distinct geological
environments
Thats right. Certain types of minerals form in particular geological environments, and
these environments can be recognised by patterns and features in rocks a long way
from an actual ore deposit.
What is the primary task of a Mining Engineer?
Your answer: Design and operate mines for the safe, efficient and economical
extraction of minerals
Thats right. The primary task of Mining Engineers is to design and operate mines in an
effective manner.
All other things being equal, the economic viability of a mineral deposit is likely to be
increased by which of the following?
Your answer: Technological innovations in mineral handling and processing
Being able to produce a commodity for a lower unit cost makes its exploitation more
economically viable.
Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the Mining Engineer?
Your answer: Finding the mineral deposit
Yes, the work of the mining engineer is focused on getting the deposit out of the ground,
once geologists have defined it.
Possible mining impacts on the natural environment do NOT include impacts on:
Your answer: Cultural heritage
Yes, cultural heritage is not a part of the natural environment and therefore does not
have an impact on mining.
Which of the following is NOT a reason for coal beneficiation?
Your answer: Increasing product density
Thats correct. We do coal beneficiation to reduce the concentration of mineral matter,
which reduces the transport costs and improves thermal efficiency. If we were to
increase the product density, all that would do in increase the transport costs. In actual

fact, coal is a low density product so as we remove the gangue mineral matter, we are
actually decreasing the density.
What is the purpose of the chemical reagents called collectors?
Your answer: To make particles hydrophobic
Correct. Once the particles become hydrophobic, they can then attach to air bubbles
and be separated from the hydrophilic particles.

Module 3

What is surface mining?

Your answer: The exploitation of the deposits that is exposed to the atmosphere or
outcropping to the surface and extending to shallow depths
Correct! Surface mining is the extraction of mineral deposits lying only on the surface. It
does not include the deposits extending to shallow depths that are still included in
surface mining.
Which of the following is NOT well suited to surface mining?
Your answer: A small rich ore body of lead and silver at great depth
Small, rich ore bodies at depth are good targets for underground mining, as they can
exploit most of the ore with minimal removal of waste rock.
What is the rock mass above a deposit located at a certain shallow depth from the
surface known as?
Your answer: Overburden
If the deposit is not outcropping on the surface but is located at a certain shallow depth
from the ground surface, the rock mass covering top the ore body is called overburden.
Which are the main aspects that should be considered in the geotechnical model
definition?
Your answer: Geology, structure, rock mass and hydrology
The definition of the geotechnical model involves a good understanding of the
geological setting of the area where the open pit is going to be mined. As well as this, a

proper description of the rock mass structure of the area and the properties of the
material in which the slope is going to be excavated.
What is the Factor of Safety?
Your answer: The ratio of the resisting forces over the driving (or acting) forces on the
slope
Great! the Factor of Safety represents how much resistance the structure/slope has
compared to the destabilizing actions (eg. gravity or water pressure).
Which of the following best describes a waste dump?
Your answer: The area in which a surface mining operation can dispose of low grade
and /or overburden material that has been removed from the pit to expose higher
grades material
The area in which a surface mining operation can dispose of low grade and /or barren
material that has been removed from the pit to expose higher grades material is called
a waste dump, or spoil dump or spoil pile.
Which of the statements below is correct?
Your answer: Blasting is more controllable if an initiation sequence including a delay is
used
Correct! Delaying the sequence of blasts helps controlling the blast and in particular,
the level of vibrations.
What conditions are draglines best suited to?
Your answer: Flat tabular shallow dipping deposits
Correct. Draglines are used for mining operation with a relatively tabular or shallowdipping coal seam.
Who is responsible for the safety management in a surface mine?
Your answer: The mine operator
Thats correct. The mine operator has to ensure the safety of the mine site to provide a
safe work environment for all employees
Why do underground mining operations often follow after open pit mining?
Your answer: With increasing depth, surface mining becomes less efficient and
underground mining eventually becomes more economical
The battered pit slopes required for stability mean that the ratio of waste rock moved to
the ore recovered increases as surface mining gets deeper.

Underground mining methods are:

Your answer: Adaptable to ore bodies of any size and orientation, at any depth
Underground mining of any ore body is possible, but the economic viability reduces as
the proportion of waste rock increases and/or the grade of the ore decreases.
Permanent access structures (e.g. shafts and declines) for underground mines are:
Your answer: Generally located outside the deposit so that they do not sterilize
portions of the deposit
Yes, it does not make sense to put permanent features in rock you want to mine.
Which of the following terms does not refer to a type of stope?
Your answer: Pillar
Yes, a pillar is not a stope because a stope is an underground opening.
Your answer: The behavior that when intact rock is broken up, the volume it occupies
increases, making the space around it appear to shrink
Well done. If you keep breaking up new rock in an underground mine without removing
some of the rock you produce, the space in the mine will shrink.
Which of the following is an advantage of cave mining?
Your answer: There is less ore remaining in pillars
Yes, with cave mining, less ore is left in the ground.
Electrical safety in coal mines is NOT increased by which of the following?
Your answer: Using big batteries instead of live wires
Correct. Even a digital watch carries a small risk of generating a spark and therefore
using big batteries will not increase electrical safety in a coal mine.
Which approach cannot be used to control the rockfall hazard due to loose fragments?
Your answer: Propping of loose fragments
Well done. Loose fragments can detach from anywhere and at any time. Hence, trying
to identify and then prop them all individually is not practical.