Mountaintop removal mining (MTR), also known as mountaintop mining (MTM), is a form of surface mining that involves the mining of the summit of a mountain. Coal seams are extracted from a mountain by removing the land, or overburden, above the seams. Explosives are used to remove up to 400 vertical feet (120 m) of mountain to expose underlying coal seams. Excess rock and soil is dumped into nearby valleys. Less expensive to execute and requiring fewer employees.

Highwall mining

Highwall mining is a method that involves mining the vertical face of an old querry.

QUARRY

Quarry is an open surface excavation for the extraction of building materials.

Placer mining

Placer mining is the process of separating gold from other deposits using water. The deposit float in water and wash away. Heavy pieces of gold sink.

Dredging

Dredging is the excavation of materials from under a body of water such as a lake, river or ocean.

Hydraulicking

Hydraulicking is the process of separating material form rocks and gravel by using high pressure water.

Borehole mining

Borehole mining is the process of extracting material through a long, vertical shaft. The process uses water, either at high pressure to remove deposits from surrounding material, or as a solvent.

leaching

Leaching is the separation and removal soluble constituents from earth when water flows naturally through it.