Factors affecting mining activity
Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Primary Activities"
Meaning
Whether a mineral deposit is worth mining depends on two sets of factors. The physical factors are the size of the deposit, its grade (how rich the ore is in the mineral) and its mode of occurrence (how deep it lies and in what form). The economic factors are demand for the mineral, the technology available, the capital needed for roads, railways and machines, and the cost of labour and transport. These factors can change. A low-grade deposit becomes worth mining when prices rise or when better technology makes it cheaper to extract.
Example
In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, iron ore lies in huge deposits close to the surface, so it can be dug cheaply from open pits such as Mount Whaleback. Nearby ports like Port Hedland keep transport costs low for shipping the ore to China. Both kinds of factor work together here.
Don't confuse with
- Methods of mining: open-cast and underground mining are ways of taking the mineral out. The factors above decide whether mining happens at all, and the depth of the deposit decides which method is used.