Materials Science World Congress

Mining and Metallurgy is an essential industry, that involves the extraction and purification of mineral resources and metals and serves a wide and strategic sector like construction, manufacturing, and technology among others. Mining and metallurgy are important processes of extraction that enable industries to obtain raw materials for the development and growth of their technologies.

Mining refers to the systematic extraction of minerals from the Earth, which can be categorized into two main types: Conventional and mechanized mining, as well as open cast or opencast mining and shaft mining or tunneling. Surface mining is the extraction of minerals located at the surface of the earth where the earth's cover consists of soil and rocks while underground mining is the extraction of minerals which are situated deep within the earth through the process of creating trending or rocket. Both techniques have their merits and demerits depending on the site, type of mineral, and the impact on the environment.

Deliberate extraction is followed by metallurgical processes to mobilize the valuable metals from its ores. It includes methods that involve crushing, grinding and concentration, smelting, and refining of the metal. Subprocesses within hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy make metal extraction feasible for gold, copper, and aluminum, among others.

There is growing interest in sustainable practices within the mining and metallurgical industry because of problems such as environmental and resource degradation, and social issues. There is thus the need for certain principles that focus on sustainability including aspects like reducing waste, lowering emissions, and reclaiming mined-out land.

Automation, remote sensing, and data analysis, which are some of the spectacular areas embracing technological advancement in the mining industry means making operations safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. Such advancement is preparing the mining industries to deliver better results to support the growing population and the ever-changing economy.