A Brief Idea About Large Scale Mining and Small Scale Mining

Simply the removal or extraction of minerals and metals from earth is mining. Some of the items commonly mined are tantalum, manganese, tin, copper, aluminum ore, nickel, iron ore, silver, diamonds, and gold. It is worth knowing that not only but the government along with the mining companies prospers and also collects huge revenues and mining is a money-spinning business.

It is common knowledge that minerals and metals are in great demand and very valuable commodities. It is to be noted that of low-cost stainless steel manganese is a key component and can be used for materials handling. By removing greenish hues it is also used to de-color glass. Tantalum is used in lap-tops, cell phones, and pagers. To make pipes, cookware, etc. copper and tin. Diamonds and silver are used to make jewellery.

Two categories of Mining are there - Small Scale mining and Large Scale mining. By big companies using many employees and a huge labour force large scale mining is usually undertaken. Until the mineral or metal is completely excavated the company mines at large sites and continues the operations. By a relatively small group of wandering men small scale mining is done.

They think will yield gold or any other valuable metal or mineral and they travel together and identify sites. In places such as Central Africa, Guyana, Suriname, and among other places small scale mining occurs. Some researchers believe that small scale mining plants are more in numbers than the large scale plants.

There is no denying as mining is one of the chief causes of deforestation that both large scale and small scale mining are generally very destructive to the environment. To make the ground completely bare for mining operations Trees, plants and all vegetation are cleared and burned. To extract the metals and minerals from the soil large scale mining also involves using huge bulldozers and excavators.

Further, they use chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, or methyl-mercury to amalgamate the extractions. Into rivers, streams, bays, and oceans these poisonous chemicals are quite often discharged. This contaminates all living organisms for their main source of livelihood are badly affected within the water body and the people who depend on the fish and other sea creatures.