We can’t overstate the importance of mining in the United States. This practice is vital for harvesting precious minerals. While most of us know what mining is, plenty of things lie beneath the surface—both in its history and the modern world. Read on to discover things to know about the mining industry.
Things You Might Not Know About Mining
We all know the basics of mining. But there are probably plenty of things you don’t know that would inform you as to its diversity and technology.
- Asteroids have minerals, and believe it or not, there have been efforts to mine asteroids. Rather than being for profit, this is mostly out of curiosity. Curiosity drives science, and mining is no different.
- It’s incredibly dangerous. Mining requires a heavy set of tools and giant devices. It also requires an exceptional amount of manual labor. The modern process involves digging deep into the earth with heavy machinery, and this machinery undergoes tremendous wear and tear. From fire risks to continuous exposure to harmful chemicals, nearly 15,000 miners lose their lives every year.
- There’s a reason why most of our resources are called finite resources. They’re going to run out eventually, and current estimates show that we are running out of coal and oil deposits. Unfortunately, we rely heavily on natural resources and will need to find alternatives quickly or risk significant shortages and technological regression down the line.
- The US has the largest coal deposit in the world. While most natural resources are limited, the United States has an abundant supply; in fact, coal is currently mined in 25 states.
We hope this article has informed you of things to know about the mining industry. Humans have always counted on mining to seek out minerals, materials, and gems. What started as a form of survival eventually evolved to fund and contribute to our modern lifestyles. Gold, for example, is mined to create commonplace things like phone or video game console parts in today’s world.
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