What is mining and how is it done?

Mining is the process of extracting valuable minerals and other geological materials from the earth’s surface. Mining is done by first locating a deposit of metal-bearing ore, then creating access to that deposit and lastly extracting the ore which may be further processed to extract the valuable commodity. The methods used in mining depend on the type of ore or mineral being targeted and can include open-pit mining, surface mining, underground mining, and solution mining. Depending on the nature of the ore body and the desired output, different mechanical and chemical processes will be used.