Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of strip mines vs. underground mines?

Answer 1

Advantages of the strip mining:

1. More effeicient compared to the underground mining.

2. Cheaper than the underground mining as tunnels are not dug.

3. Safer than the udeground mining.

Disadvantages of the strip mining:

1. Harful for human health. Can cause cancer.

2. Harmful for the environment. Loss of biodiversity because of the destruction of forests.

3. Noise pollution and dust problem.

Advantages of the underground mining:

1. Less destruction of the forest.

2. Land aquisition is small as most of the work is done underground.

3. No destruction of the soil

4. No noise and dust problem for the people living nearby the area.

Disadvantages of the undeground mining:

1. Dangerous for the miners.

2. As the working area is limited, high mechanisation is limited. You can not put bigger machine like in surface Mining.

3.Long gestation period. It took very long time to develop an UG mine before it give full production.

4. Generally very high wage cost and labour intensive. As the productivity is limited.

5. High cost of the operations.