Year 8 Science Mining In Australia Minerals mined in Australia - Gold - Iron ore - Lead - Nickel - Rutile - Zircon - Uranium - Zinc - Copper - Cobalt Mining Companies in Australia Mining Company – OZ Minerals Minerals mined – Copper and Gold Where they mine – Prominent Hill and Carrapateena, South Australia Uses of minerals: Gold is most commonly used in jewellery making for objects such as earrings, necklaces and rings. It is also used as a method of finance because of its high value. A small amount of gold is found in electronics (cell phones, calculators, television sets) and in dentistry (fillings, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances). Gold is also used for awards (such as trophies and medals) and in aerospace. Copper is commonly used as a method of currency (coins). Copper is also found in electrical equipment such as wiring …show more content…
This method is usually performed when minerals are found close to the surface. First of all the vegetation and topsoil are removed. This involves blasting and removing layers of soil and rock to reach the desired mineral. The removed topsoil is then used to fill up areas that have already been mined or to restore the mined area after completion. Underground Mining Unlike open cut mining, underground mining involves creating tunnels to reach minerals that are deep below the surface. These shafts and tunnels which can be dug up to hundreds of meters into the ground, are used to transport machinery needed to extract the mineral ore from rocks. Underground mining is also far more dangerous and unsafe than open cut mining because it causes huge amounts of waste earth and rock to rise to the surface, which can become toxic when it comes into contact with air or water. Mining Sustainability in Australia Throughout the past few decades, mining production has increased rapidly due to the need for minerals such as gold and