Explain, with examples, the two important methods of mining.

Mining means extraction of useful minerals. Two important methods of mining are given below:

1. Opencast mining — This is a type of surface mining that is carried out when minerals occur close to the surface. The top layer of the rock and soil is stripped, and the mineral deposit is mined by strip-mining or the open pit method. Manganese, copper and bauxite are mined mostly by this method.
2. Shaft mining — This is a type of underground mining carried out on a large scale, usually for minerals such as coal, which lie at great depths below the ground. Coal mines are dug deep into the earth and a long vertical tunnel or shaft is dug to bring out the minerals to the surface. Miners go deeper into the underground in pulleys to extract the mineral and bring it to the surface.