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II. MINE DEVELOPMENT

"Mine production" means mining that is producing any mineral or mineral-bearing substance for

immediate sale or stockpiling for future sale, and includes the development of a mine for such

purposes"

STEPS OF MINE DEVELOPMENT

The process of mining from discovery of an ore body through extraction of minerals and finally

to returning the land to its natural state consists of several distinct steps. The first is discovery of the ore

body, which is carried out through prospecting ore exploration to find and then define the extent,

location and value of the ore body. This leads to a mathematical resource estimation to estimate the

size and grade of the deposit.

This estimation is used to conduct a pre-feasibility study to determine the theoretical economics

of the ore deposit. This identifies, early on, whether further investment in estimation and engineering

studies is warranted and identifies key risks and areas for further work. The next step is to conduct

a feasibility study to evaluate the financial viability, technical and financial risks and robustness of the

project.

This is when the mining company makes the decision to develop the mine or to walk away from

the project. This includes mine planning to evaluate the economically recoverable portion of the

deposit, the metallurgy and ore recoverability, marketability and payability of the ore concentrates,

engineering concerns, milling and infrastructure costs, finance and equity requirements and an analysis

of the proposed mine from the initial excavation all the way through to reclamation. The proportion of a

deposit that is economically recoverable is dependent on the enrichment factor of the ore in the area.

Once the analysis determines a given ore body is worth recovering, development begins to

create access to the ore body. The mine buildings and processing plants are built and any necessary

equipment is obtained. The operation of the mine to recover the ore begins and continues as long as the

company operating the mine finds it economical to do so. Once all the ore that the mine can produce

profitably is recovered, reclamation begins to make the land used by the mine suitable for future use.

Surface mining is done by removing (stripping) surface vegetation, dirt, and if necessary, layers

of bedrock in order to reach buried ore deposits. Techniques of surface mining include; Open-pit

mining which consists of recovery of materials from an open pit in the ground, quarrying or gatheringbuilding materials from an open pit mine, strip mining which consists of stripping surface layers off to

reveal ore/seams underneath, and mountaintop removal, commonly associated with coal mining, which

involves taking the top of a mountain off to reach ore deposits at depth. Most (but not all) placer

deposits, because of their shallowly buried nature, are mined by surface methods. Landfill mining,

finally, involves sites where landfills are excavated and processed.

PROCESSES

Mine development is a complex long-term process that starts well before a mine is built andcontinues well beyond when the mine is closed. During the exploration stage, the first step is a public

outreach or stakeholder consultation program. A mining or exploration company usually begins this

stage when it acquires or discovers a mineral project with economic potential or plans an initial work

program to test the potential of a mineral prospect.

The consultation process usually increases as the project advances to the stage where a

preliminary economic assessment (or scoping study) is completed. This study is the first time that

current economics are tied to the project. Following the preliminary findings of a scoping study, a

company will move to the pre-feasibility and feasibility stages, and may at the same time, enter the

environmental assessment and permitting process. This stage provides more specific findings about the

project's design and economics than the scoping study. Government agencies, environmental groups

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and non-governmental organizations will also carefully scrutinize any mine project that advances to this

advanced stage of environmental assessment and permitting. Mining companies must consult and

engage with a broad range of stakeholders in order to develop public understanding and support for

their projects over time, and thereby gain a "social license" to operate.

Another important early step in project design is collecting data for environmental baselinestudies because it is the cornerstone of environmental planning for any proposed mine. Data collected

from these exhaustive and rigorous studies help the company, government agencies and stakeholders

understand the state of the environment near the proposed project before it is built, including wildlife,

vegetation, air and water quality, fisheries, wetlands, and cultural resources among others. The data

also contribute information for the mine-planning process, form the basis of an environmental

assessment required by government agencies, and support the permitting process.

EQUIPMENTS

dump trucks , bulldozers , LHD dump trucks

HAZARDS

BadAir

Standing water absorbs many gases. These gases will remain in the water until disturbed

such as when a person while through it. As the gases are released, they rise behind the walker

where they remain as an unseen danger when the person retraces his steps. Another aspect of bad

air is found when exploring mine shafts. While descending into a shaft may be relatively easy,

climbing out may prove to be very dangerous. Climbing produces a level of exertion that causes a

person to breathe deeper than normal. This increases the level of noxious gases being inhaled. This

may result in dizziness, unconsciousness and possibly death. Furthermore, even if the gases prove to

be non-lethal, they may cause the victim to fall while climbing. "Bad Air" is one of a miner's greatest

fears. While most dangers are obvious, air containing poisonous gases or insufficient oxygen cannot

be detected until too late. Poisonous gases accumulate in low areas and along the floor. Walking

into these low spots causes the good air above to stir up the bad air below, producing a potentially

lethal mixture.

Falling

Mine tunnels frequently have shafts in them that are covered with boards. These timbers

may be hidden under dirt, fallen rock or other debris. The weight of a person on these old boards

might cause them to collapse without warning, sending the victim tumbling deep into the shaft.

Loose Rock

Rock degrades over time by being exposed to air and water. Loose rocks can fall at any time

and cause serious head injuries.