Briefly describe the extraction of minerals?

Question: Briefly describe the extraction of minerals?

The extraction of minerals is the process of obtaining useful minerals from the Earth's crust or seas. Minerals are inorganic substances that have a specific chemical composition and physical properties. There are different methods of extraction depending on the type, location, and value of the mineral deposit. Some of the common methods are:

- Underground mining: This involves drilling and blasting deep under the Earth's surface to access high-grade metallic ores or other minerals that are too deep or too difficult to mine by surface methods.

- Surface mining: This involves removing the overlying soil and rock to expose and extract minerals that are close to the surface or have a low value. This method is also used for some industrial minerals such as sand, gravel, and clay.

- Placer mining: This involves washing and sluicing sediments in rivers, beaches, or ancient streams to concentrate and recover heavy minerals such as gold, diamonds, or titanium.

The extracted minerals are then processed and refined to produce metal or mineral products that are used for various purposes in society.