Open-pit mining

Open-pit mining, also known as open-cast or open-cut mining and in larger contexts mega-mining,^[1] is a surface mining technique that extracts rock or minerals from the earth using a pit, sometimes known as a borrow pit.^{[citation needed]}

Open-pit mines are used when deposits of commercially useful ore or rocks are found near the surface where the overburden is relatively thin. In contrast, deeper mineral deposits can be reached using underground mining.^[2]

Open-pit mining is considered one of the most dangerous sectors in the industrial world.^{[citation needed]} It causes significant effects to miners' health, as well as damage to the ecological land and water. Open-pit mining causes changes to vegetation, soil, and bedrock, which ultimately contributes to changes in surface hydrology, groundwater levels, and flow paths.^[5] Additionally, open-pit produces harmful pollutants depending on the type of mineral being mined, and the type of mining process being used.