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In placer mining
…pan was the rocker, or cradle, named for its resemblance to a child’s cradle. As it was rocked, it sifted large quantities of ore. Gravel was shoveled onto a perforated iron plate, and water was poured over it, causing finer material to drop through the perforations and onto an apron…
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surface mining

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surface mining

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Related Topics:: placer mining; strip mining; auger mining; open-pit mining; highwall mining

surface mining, method of extracting minerals near the surface of the Earth. The three most common types of surface mining are open-pit mining, strip mining, and quarrying. See also mining and coal mining.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.