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Have you ever been to Australia where iron ore is less than 1 meter below ground?
by xchaotic 8y ago
Have you ever been to Australia where iron ore is less than 1 meter below ground?
- pm90 8y agoIs that really true?
- roenxi 8y agoAccurate to within an order of magnitude. The Pilbara has a number of mines that are perhaps more accurately described as ditches. Source: Mining Engineer, been to the Pilbara. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel-iron_deposits#Economic_importance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel-iron_deposits#Economic... - the 'little or no need for drilling and blasting' suggests <20m deep to me. There certainly is iron on the surface, the Pilbara Banded Iron formations can be something like 300m thick or something silly - I'd be surprised if it didn't outcrop. The issue is more which parts are most economic to mine, which is a question of depth vs grade.
- ineedasername 8y agoAustralia is rich in many minerals. Nonetheless, I'm willing to bet that people sending the metal to a truck to bring to a foundry is still cheaper than mining with all of its environmental impacts. Also, this: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/metal-recycling-where-australia-stands https://www.sbs.com.au/news/metal-recycling-where-australia-...