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PSEM-VC-06.
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MINING ENGINEERING I

INSTRUCTION: Select the correct answer for each of the following questions. Mark only one answer for each
item by shading the box corresponding to the letter of your choice on the answer sheet provided. STRICTLY NO
ERASURES ALLOWED.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The Kingking copper deposit of Benguet Corp in Maco, Compostela Valley is known to contain mostly
oxide copper minerals, hence most beneficial for leaching processes. If the total copper content is 0.80 %
Cu while the total acid soluble content is 0.30 % Cu in the form of predominantly cuprite, what is the
copper content recoverable by conventional flotation and assuming no sulfidization is applied to the ore?
A. 0.50 % Cu D. 0.70 % Cu
B. 0.40 % Cu E. 0.30 % Cu
C. 0.60 % Cu

2. In open pit mine planning, which of the following refers to the tonnage of waste needed to be stripped to
expose a ton of ore?
A. strip ratio D. blending ratio
B. waste factor E. mining development
C. mine head

3. In the Philippines, nickel is mined commercially from which of the following?

A. ferrogenous silicates
B. primary nickel-copper sulfides
C. dessiminated porphyry copper
D. nickeliferous laterite deposits
E. epithermal deposits

4. Which of the following exploration methods is best and widely used in establishing the area, depth and
thickness of mineralization? It is also used to gather data for ore reserves estimation and technical
information essential in mine planning and designs.
A. geostatistical analyses D. induced polarization
B. core drilling E. geochemistry
C. geophysics

5. What do you call an explosive component that is used to provide oxygen in detonation?
A. booster D. blasting agent
B. oxidizer E. slurry
C. sensitizer

6. Which of the following is the most important quality specification of coal?

A. heating value D. moisture content
B. chlorine content E. sulfur content
C. granulation

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MINING ENGINEERING I

7. Which of the following refers to the type of deposit that is formed by deposition of mineralized solution
into fractures or fissures in the earth’s crust?
A. vein type deposit D. porphyry type deposit
B. placer type deposit E. lode type deposit
C. type kuroko deposit
8. Square set stoping is most applicable in which of the following ore deposits?
A. low grade porphyry copper deposits
B. low grade gold ore veins but with highly competent foot and hanging walls
C. none of these
D. shallow occurring and sub-surface ore deposits
E. very thin but high grade gold veins

9. In mine planning, what do you call the angle at which loose rock materials do not slide when stored on a
stockpile?
A. angle of repose D. angle of draw
B. retardation angle E. stocking angle
C. bearing angle

10. What kind of explosives contains saturated aqueous solutions of salts, suspended solids and sensitizers
that are finely dispersed through an oil medium?
A. water gel explosives
B. emulsion explosives
C. gelatin dynamite
D. ammonium nitrate in fuel oil
E. nitroglycerine

11. When blasting in underground coal mines, which of the following explosives is recommended?
A.ammonia dynamite explosives
B.slurry explosives
C.permissible explosives
D.semi-gelatin explosives
E.straight dynamite

12. In a conventional mine haulage using mine cars and locomotives, what do you call the timber materials
that are used as footings of mine rails and at the same time as spreaders for consistent spacing of mine
rails?
A. post ties D. track ties
B. frog ties E. rail ties
C. sill ties

13. Which of the following is not related to mineral resources development?

A. PD 463 D. RA 8981
B. RA 7076 E. RA 7942
C. none of these

14. It refers to the gaseous product of mine fires or an explosion of coal dust which contains mainly of CO,
CO2, water vapor, oxygen, hydrogen and hydrocarbons.
A. black damp D. waste dump
B. after damp E. smoke
C. fire damp

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MINING ENGINEERING I

15. A quartz vein deposit was recently discovered in an existing gold mine. The vein deposit was first intercepted by a
diamond drill at elevation 850 meters. A second diamond drill also intercepted the same gold vein at a lower
 3

elevation of 820 meters but 30 meters further to the west. If the fold bearing deposit maintains a uniform thickness
throughout, what is the dip of the vein?
A. 60 degrees D. 50 degrees
B. 45 degrees E. 35 degrees
C. 40 degrees

16. In mineral prospecting, which of the following metals exhibit an anomalous color of red?
A. iron D. silver
B. chromium E. arsenic
C. mercury

17. Which of the following does not belong in the group?

A. drilling dust D. sludge
B. drill cuttings E. drill bit
C. drill core

18. Which of the following refers to a horizontal or nearly horizontal underground passage that is open to the surface on
both ends?
A. adit D. tunnel
B. drift E. winze
C. crosscut

19. Which of the following geophysical exploration methods is the most applicable in establishing the depth, thickness
and lateral extents of mineral deposits that are deep seated?
A. trenching
B. aerial magnetometer survey
C. test pitting
D. diamond drilling
E. trenching

20. Which of the following refers to the formation where the orebody or mineralization is enclosed?
A. country rock or host rock
B. dacite
C. bedrock
D. quartz vein
E. andesite

21. Which of the following natural materials posses the best elastic properties?
A. limestone D. clay
B. gypsum E. dacite
C. diorite

22. Which of the following refers to the Fire Safety Code of the Philippines?
A. PD 7076 D. PD 4274
B. PD 1561 E. PD 1899
C. PD 1185

23. The copper produced by PASAR is exported in which of the following forms?
A. ferro-copper D. copper anode
B. mangano-copper E. silico-copper
C. copper cathode

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MINING ENGINEERING I

24. Under the New Mining Code, what is the maximum area covered by a small scale mining permit?
A. 50 hectares D. 30 hectares
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B. 20 hectares E. 40 hectares
C. 81 hectares

25. Coal extracted by Semirara Coal Corp in Semirara Island is the primary feed of which of the following
industrial plants?
A. Republic Cement Corp., Bulacan
B. Phil.Sinter Plant, Misamis Oriental
C. Calaca Power Plant, Batangas
D. Masinloc Thermal Plant, Zambales
E. National Steel cop, Iligan City

26. The measure of coal quality is expressed in terms of what?

A. BTU D. moisture content
B. Chlorine content E. carbon content
C. specific gravity

27. In underground mine development, which of the following is driven purposely to gain access to an area by
by-passing certain areas, structures or installations
A. tunnel D. crosscut
B. drift E. counterdrive
C. doghole

28. Which of the following laws on mineral resources development gave birth to the designation of mining
claims by meridional blocks?
A. Mineral Resources Development Decree of 1975
B. Mining Engineering Law of the Philippines
C. Magna Carta for Small Scale Miners
D. Small Scale Mining Act

29. What do you call that underground mining method where the broken ore is temporarily left in the stope?
This serves as support where the miners stand on in drilling the stope back for the next round of blast.
The previously broken ore is drawn out before the blast is initiated to allow room for the new blasted
material.
A. glory hole D. blockcaving
B. square set stoping E. gophering
C. shrinkage stoping

30. The chromite concentrate exports of Heritage Resources and Mining Corporation to China in 2005 was
known to contain 48 % Cr2O3 and 25 % magnetite. What is the calculated Cr:Fe ratio of the concentrate
exports?
A. 3.23:1 D. 5.23:1
B. 2.23:1 E. 4.23:1
C. 1.23:1

31. In interpreting geologic maps, limestone is always characterized by which of the following?
A. karst topography
B. gently rolling topography
C. high reliefs
D. wetlands
E. overhangs

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MINING ENGINEERING I

32. Which of the following refers to a natural post left behind for the purpose of providing supports between two or
more underground headings or stopes?
 5

A. muckpile D. gob
B. pillar E. back
C. crown

33. In underground timbering, what do you call those main members that directly support the caps?
A. girt D. sills
B. side laggings E. top laggings
C. posts

34. Which of the following physical properties of rocks refers to the ratio between the volume of voids or open space
inside a rock mass and the total volume of said rock mass or material?
A. permeability D. specific gravity
B. expansion ratio E. bond work index
C. porosity

35. In open pit mining, what do you call the ratio of the weight of explosives needed to effectively break a ton of ore or
waste material?
A. strip ratio D. waste to ore ratio
B. explosive strength E. powder factor
C. blast ratio

36. Which of the following refers to the type of blasting where damage to the remaining or surrounding rocks is
minimized?
A. all of these D. perimeter blasting
B. line blasting E. cushion blasting
C. smooth blasting

37. What do you call the underground drilling pattern where cut holes are drilled parallel to each other but not loaded
with explosives charge and to serve as free face?
A. v-cut D. under cut
B. over cut E. burnt cut
C. fan cut

38. Which of the following blasting agents and accessories are allowed for use in very wet underground coal mines?
A. semi-gelatin explosives
B. straight gelatin explosives
C. permissible explosives
D. high density slurry explosives
E. ammonia dynamite

39. Which of the following orebodies are best mined by sub-level caving?
A. orebodies that are low grade but shallow seated
B. orebodies that pinch and swell
C. orebodies that are heavily fractured
D. poddyform orebodies
E. orebodies that are deep seated, have well defined waste and ore boundaries and with competent walls.

40. Which of the following refers to the mining of higher grade portions of an orebody before mining the lower grades
until a breakeven limit is reached?
A. quartering
B. high grading
C. coning

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MINING ENGINEERING I

D. splitting
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E. stage mining or grade pitting

41. Which of the following refers to the maximum slope at which a heap of loose material can stand without sliding?
A. angle of draw D. angle of repose
B. gradient slope E. working slope
C. drainage angle

42. Which of the following refers to the minimum grade by which a material can be economically mined and processed
at specified metal prices and pre-determined operating costs?
A. mill head D. under cut
B. mine over cut E. burnt cut
C. fan cut

43. Ferrochrome alloys are the end products of smelting which of the following minerals?
A. metallurgical grade chromite
B. magnetite concentrates
C. chemical grade chromite
D. copper concentrates
E. refactory grade chromite

44. A cod which burns at definite speed and is commonly used to initiate a plain or simple donator or blasting cap is
called?
A. igniter cord D. gun cotton
B. detonating cord E. signal cap
C. safety fuse

45. In open pit or quarrying operations, what do you call the drill cuttings or fine rock materials that are used to backfill
the remaining height of a blasthole after it is loaded with explosives?
A. slurry height D. water free column
B. stemming height E. drill pattern
C. total explosives charge

46. Class B mines shall have at least which of the following:

A. 1 part time safety inspector and a deputy inspector
B. 1 full time safety inspector
C. 1 full time safety engineer and 1 full time safety inspector
D. 1 full time safety director only
E. 1 part time safety engineer and 1 full time safety inspector

47. Nava is a local term that refers to which of the following kinds of materials?
A. gob D. waste
B. tailings E. ore
C. muloc

48. Which of the following sampling methods is most applicable in sampling of vein type deposits?
A. channel sampling D. random sampling
B. auger sampling E. grab sampling
C. coning and quartering

49. Which of the following does not belong to the group?

A. water pumping C. gravity drainage
B. brattice D. drain tunnel

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MINING ENGINEERING I

50. Indirect tensile strength is also called what?

A. Brazilian disc test D. work index test
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B. tri-axial test E. ring test

C. rapture test

51. Prior to the shut down of its open pit mining operations, Maricalum Mining Cop which used to be the second
largest open pit mines in the Visaya Region, was using the following haulage system for disposal of its mine
waste?
A. gravity haulage system
B. screw type conveying system
C. truck haulage plus conventional conveyor belt system
D. mechanical pumping system
E. aerial tramway system

52. A stratum of coal or coal bed is called?

A. carbonization D. coal measure
B. peat E. coal seam
C. coke

53. In mine safety, which of the following refers to an accident where the injured is able to report to work on the next
day following the accident?
A. lost time accident D. accident index
B. frequency accident E. severity accident
C. non-lost time accident

54. An old silver mine was recently valuated for possible re-opening. The feasibility study showed the following
projected net cashflows:

Oreyear 1 P 3.0 million

Oreyear 2 P 3.0 million
Oreyear 3 P 3.5 million
Oreyear 4 P 3.0 million
Oreyear 5 P 2.5 million

If the project construction cost is P 10.0 million funded at the cost of money of 12.0 % per annum, what is the Net
Present Value (NPV) of the mine?
A. P 1.000 million D. P 0.600 million
B. P 0.800 million E. P 0.500 million
C. P 0.900 million

55. Which of the following refers to the combination of gold and mercury?
A. cathode D. leachate
B. precipitate E. anode
C. amalgam

56. What do you call the air that is produced by fires or explosions of gas or dust where carbon dioxide is an important
constituent?
A. black dump D. waste dump
B. after dump E. fire dump
C. white dump

57. What is the type secondary blasting where rock boulders are first drilled then blasted?
A. bootlegging D. drop balling
B. master shooting E. blockholing
C. mudcapping

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MINING ENGINEERING I

58. In slope stability assessment, which of the following physical properties of rocks refers to the maximum
slope at which any loose material comes to rest when poured or dumped in a pile?
A. angle of repose D. gradient slope
B. angle of draw E. dynamic slope angle
C. static slope angle

59. Aerial magnetometer surveys are best applicable in prospecting which of the following mineral deposits?
A. coal deposits D. iron deposits
B. calcite deposits E. silica deposits
C. limestone

60. Which of the following is the economic mineral of antimony?

A. stibnite D. chrysocolla
B. pyrolusite E. psilomelane
C. ilminite

61. The iron sulfide concentrates of Philippine Pyrite Corporation when it operated the Bagacay Mine
contained 27 % pyrite. What is the sulfur content of the concentrate assuming it contained no other
sulfide minerals other than pyrite?
A. 12.43 % D. 14.43 %
B. 15.43 % E. 13.43 %
C. 11.43 %

62. Which of the following is the product of electlytic defining at PASAR?

A. copper cathodes D. silico copper
B. ferro copper E. copper anodes
C. mangano copper

63. Heritage Resources and Mining Corp. reported to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in its Affidavit of
Annual Work Obligations (AAWO) for the year 2005 the following mineral reserves of its Homonhon
Chromite Mine Project in the province of Eastern Samar as follows:

Positive ore reserves 100 million MT at 55 % Cr2o3

Probable ore reserves 300 million MT at 45 % Cr2o3
Possible ore reserves 300 million MT at 40 % Cr2o3

Based on the traditional and conventional valuation method, calculate the total ore reserves of Heritage’s
Homonhon Chromite Project.
A. 100 million at 55 % C203
B. 300 million at 46 % C203
C. 400 million at 46 % C203
D. 500 million at 65 % C203
E. 700 million at 44 % C203

64. Marcopper Mining Corp.developed the San Antonio dessiminated porphyry copper deposit in Sta. Cruz
Marinduque. But the company suspended operations shortly before the deposit was fully developed for
open pit mining. What was the reason Marcopper shut down its operations?
A. Interference by the Catholic Church
B. Spillage of tailings which caused massive environmental damage to major drainage systems and
nearby sea.
C. Inefficient delivery of basic services by LGU and DENR agencies
D. Labor strike
E. Interference by anti-mining NGOs

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MINING ENGINEERING I
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65. In making a feasibility study to develop a mineral deposit, whi8ch of the following is considered most important?
A. availability of mineable ore reserve
B. availability of cheap power
C. mine management
D. equipment availability
E. availability of skilled manpower

66. In underground development, which of the following refers to the roof of an underground heading or stope?
A. beast D. back
B. roofbolt E. crown
C. pillar

67. Rocks can virtually withstand unlimited load provided that?

A. artificial support is installed
B. it is initially rock bolted
C. enough confining pressure is provided
D. the load is applied slowly
E. a long period of loading time is allowed

68. Which of the following is an ideal gradient for a drain tunnel?

A. 3.00 % D. 1.50 %
B. 0.30 % E. 5.00 %
C. 0.15 %

69. In mapping and interpretation, rivers, creeks or streams usually are surface impressions of which of the following?
A. anticlines D. synclines
B. heavy erosion E. placer deposition
C. faults

70. Which of the following does not belong to the group?

A. downcast D. dome
B. air curtain E. syncline
C. orepass

71. In interpreting topomaps, overlapping topographic contours represent which of the following surface formation?
A. anticlines D. dome
B. basin E. synclines
C. overhang

72. The failure of an explosive charge to explode when expected is called which of the following?
A. hangfire D. misfire
B. bootleg E. explosion
C. spitfire

73. Geochemical prospecting is used to trace metals usually contained in?

A. waste dump samples
B. air samples
C. flora samples
D. water or steam sediment samples
E. oil samples0

74. In underground timbering, what do you call that part that is used to tighten spaces between timbers to eliminate
sliding or movement between timber and tunnel walls?
A. girt D. wedge
B. splice E. cap
C. sill

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MINING ENGINEERING I SET A

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75. Which of the following mine timbering components does not belong to the group?
A. track ties D. side laggings
B. girt E. post
C. cap

76. Induced polarization method or IP is best applicable in locating sulfide minerals in which of the following
areas?
A. areas not yet disturbed by any form of development
B. areas that have been used as waste dumps or open pit mines
C. housing areas under site development
D. areas undergoing mine development activities
E. open pit areas undergoing pit stripping

77. Total deliveries of copper concentrates to PASAR during first quarter 2005 was 25,000 DMT. The
concentrates contained the following minerals:

Chalcopyrite 30 %
Bornite 12 %
Chalcocite 18 %
Pyrite 121 %

If the price of copper metal is 80 US cents per pound, what is the total value of the copper concentrate
deliveries before deducting smelter charges?
A. USD 121.3 million D. USD 7.3 million
B. USD 9.3 million E. USD 10.3 million
C. USD 8.3 million

78. Which of the following capacities produces the highest level of profits irregardless of tonnage?
A. optimum capacity
B. maximum throughout
C. optimum waste to ore ratio
D. break-even capacity
E. critical strip ratio

79. Which of the following are required when applying for a Blaster Foreman’s License with the PNP?
A.PRC Registration Card as Mine or Quarry Foreman
B.All of these
C.NBI clearance taken during last six (6) months
D.Indorsement by the Phil. Society of Mining Engineers
E.Resume of mining and or quarrying experiences and certificate of employment

80. Which of the following mine methods does not belong to the group?
A. blockcaving D. quarrying
B. shrinkage E. resuing
C. square set stoping

81. In underground trackless mining, what is that opening driven downwards from the surface towards the
orebody and later used as either main access or haulageway?
A. decline D. tunnel
B. winze E. shaft
C. incline

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MINING ENGINEERING I
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82. In planning and designing open pit mines, the need to optimize pit limits is for which of the following objectives
and purposes?
A. determine the total manpower required
B. calculate the total blasting requirements of the mine until depletion of ore reserves
C. establish the best workable bench height given the available mining equipment at hand
D. establish the optimum drainage applicable
E. determine the total mineable reserves, ore grade and stripping ratio that result to the highest net present value of
the deposit

83. It refers to any mining operations that are artisinal in nature, surface or shallow underground and without using any
sophisticated mining methods and equipment.
A. blockcaving D. small scale mining
B. bucketwheel excavator E. longwall mining
C. stoping

84. The exploration method highly applicable in locating and determining the thickness of clay or gravel is called what?
A. resistivity D. gravity
B. telluric E. polarity
C. magnetic

85. Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. w2as once the fifth largest copper mine in the whole world.
Which of the following mining methods were used by Atlas in mining its porphyry copper deposit in Cebu?
A. open pit
B. room and pillar
C. combined open pit and blockcaving
D. blockcaving
E. small scale mining

86. The term duration of Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) under the New Mining Act of 1995 is how
long?
A. 1 year renewable for like period
B. 10 years renewable for like periods
C. 2 years renewable for like periods
D. 15 years renewable for like periods
E. 25 years renewable for like periods

87. Which of the following local terms refers to waste materials in a mine?
A. nava D. moluk
B. undersize E. oversize
C. muck

88. The common host rocks of dessiminated porphyry copper deposits usually have 30 % swell factors when blasted. If
the specific gravity of these host rocks is 2.5, what would be their resulting material density in loose per cu.m.?
A. 8.33 D. 32.53
B. 0.75 E. 2.83
C. 1.92

89. Which of the following local refers to those materials collected at the collar of a blasthole, sampled for assay
analysis and later used as stemming during blasting?
A. sludge D. drill stabilizer
B. drill dust E. drill core
C. drill cuttings

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90. What do call the bottom of a bedded or vein deposit?

A. crown D. back
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B. hanging wall E. sump

C. foot wall

91. In underground mine ventilation, which of the following refers to the artificial doors installed purposely to divert
the flow of fresh air into the underground workings?
A. chute covers D. automatic doors
B. bulkheads E. sliding doors
C. brattices

92. In diamond drilling, the very fine and slimey samples collected are called what?
A. blasthole cones D. chip samples
B. drill cuttings E. core samples
C. sludge samples

93. Which of the following refers to a waste material overlying a mineral deposit?
A. hanging wall D. host rock
B. foot wall E. capping
C. gossan

94. Which of the following common refers to a steeply rod shaped mineral deposit?
A. porphyry deposit D. placer deposit
B. epithermal deposit E. seam deposit
C. lode deposit

95. It is a geologic process where near surface rocks or deposits are altered through chemical action of water, plants and
bacteria and the mechanical action of temperature.
A. metamorphosis D. natural deposition
B. weathering E. landslide
C. sedimentation

96. What year was RA 7942 enacted into law?

A. 1975 D. 1955
B. 1985 E. 1995
C. 1965

97. Under the Mining Act of 1995, what is the minimum amount that a mining proponent should establish and maintain
in a government depository bank for the purpose of financing the cost of mine rehabilitation in case said proponent
fails to comply with its obligations concerning environmental protection?
A. P10 million of 1% of its approved EPEP whichever is lower
B. P10 million of 10% of its approved EPEP whichever is lower
C. P 5 million of 10% of its approved EPEP whichever is lower
D. P20 million of 5% of its approved EPEP whichever is lower
E. The amount equivalent to its annual excise tax

98. Limestone formations, whether folder or heavily faulted, are what type of rocks?
A. sedimentary rocks
B. volcanic in origin
C. deposited by man and machines
D. igneous rocks
E. vein type deposits mineable by underground

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MINING ENGINEERING I

99. In designing open pits, the boundary that allows maximum stripping and still produces an ore grade that guarantees
breakeven economic condition is called what?
A. work index D. pit slope
B. final pit limit E. strip ratio
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C. optimum bench height

100. Which of the following refers to a mine working that is driven downwards from an existing mine heading?
A. drain tunnel D. winze
B. chute E. counterdrive
C. raise

101. Which of the following refers to a locality where 50 or more transient local miners are extracting more than 5 tons of
gold ore per day?
A. gold rush area D. FTAA
B. open cast E. MPSA
C. open pit

102. Which of the following Administrative Orders refers to the Revised Mine Safety Rules and Regulations which was
named “MINES SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS”. It was signed on December 2000 by the DENR
Secretary.
A. The MGB Green Book
B. DENR AO No. 2000-98
C. The IR of the New Mining Act
D. Mines AO No. 51
E. DENR AO No. 57

103. In open pit bench blasting, what do you call that portion of a drill hole that is intentionally drilled beyond the bench
flood elevation in order to prevent hard toes?
A. sub-grade D. stemming grade
B. collar grade E. phreatic grade
C. secondary hole grade

104. Which of the following is the main reason why most Provincial Mining Regulatory Boards (PMRB) are unable to
establish certain areas in their respective provinces as Minahang Bayan or People’s Mining Areas?
A. lack of government funds for exploration of said areas
B. lack of political will to implement the law
C. almost all the mineral lands in their respective provinces are already covered by prior mining rights and that
permitees are not willing to religuish their rights unless expired
D. military presence in the area
E. insurgency problems

105. A gold vein was intercepted by diamond drilling at Level 300 meters. The same gold vein was again intercepted by
another diamond drill hole at Level 470 meters but 30 meters further to the west. If the vein maintains a consistent
thickness and grade throughout, what is the dip of the vein?
A. 40 degrees west D. 50 degrees west
B. 45 degrees west E. 35 degrees west
C. 60 degrees west

106. Which of the following are considered deterrents in evaluating the quality of coal?
A. clay content D. moisture content
B. chlorine content E. sulfur content
C. all of these

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107. What is the mining method where high pressure stream of water is directed against a bank of place deposit in order to
undercut and cave it?
A. sluicing D. hydraulicking
B. placer mining E. solution mining
C. acqueous extraction
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108. Which of the following entities is responsible of implementing the provision of RA 7076 particularly the promotion,
development and regulation of small scale mining?
A. EMB D. CENRO
B. MGB E. PENRO
C. PMRB

109. Which of the following are considered deterrents in evaluating the quality of coal?
A. clay content D. moisture content
B. chlorine content E. sulfur content
C. all of these

110. In coal mining, which of the following refers to the spalling or collapse of the coal face due to stress concentration at
the face caused by goaf hang ups and existence of joints near and parallel to the face?
A. coal bump D. heave
B. face break E. face structure
C. cave-in

111. Leather tanning agents are one of the many end uses of which of the following economic minerals?
A. bentonite D. nickel laterite
B. feldspar E. silicious clay
C. chemical grade chromite

112. Which of the following physical properties of rocks refers to the ratio of voids or open spaces within a material
versus the total volume of the said material?
A. expansion ratio D. specific gravity
B. porosity E. hollow factor
C. permeability

113. Which of the following embodies the guidelines in the issuance of special permits for pebble picking along beaches?
A. Batas Pambansa Blg. 264
B. DAO No. 27, Series nof 1992
C. Batas Pambansa Blg. 265
D. DAO No. 28, Series of 1992
E. RA 4274

114. Which of the following blasting or firing sequences is most applicable in ore production in open stopes or sublevel
stoping?
A. ring firing D. benching
B. flatbacking E. dogholing
C. breasting

115. What is the main drainage system of Maricalum Mining at its Sipalay Mine?
A. gravity drainage D. drain tunnel
B. airlifting system E. mechanical pumping
C. breasting

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116. Coal produced by Semirara Coal Corp may not be used in cement plants or other power plants due to which of the
following reasons?
A. arsenic content D. low BTU quality
B. too much moisture E. mercury content
C. low tonnage capacity
 15

117. Which of the following formations refers to a material or a group of materials overlying a known mineral deposit?
A. capping D. hanging wall
B. intrusive E. host rock
C. country rock

118. Foundry castings are only one of the many uses of which of the establishing the lateral and vertical extents of deep
seated mineral deposits?
A. refractory grade chromite
B. metallurgic grade chromite
C. silica
D. ceramics grade chromite
E. chemical grade chromite

119. Which of the following exploration methods is best applicable in establishing the lateral and vertical extents of deep
seated mineral deposits?
A. test pitting D. diamond drilling
B. induced polarization E. dogholing
C. trenching

120. Manila Mining Corp., until it stopped operation in Placer, Surigao Del Norte, was the country’s largest open pit gold
mine. Why did it stopped operations?
A. heavy debts with contractors
B. all of these
C. collapsed pit walls
D. interference of local government units
E. depleted ore reserves

121. It is the level of production tonnage at which total revenues equal total expenditures.
A. breakeven stripping ratio
B. maximized tonnage
C. optimum tonnage
D. tonnage factor
E. breakeven tonnage

122. It is referred to as a high velocity decomposition and exothermic reaction accompanied by a liberation of vast
amounts of energy and high temperature gases at excessively high pressure
A. explosion D. deflagration
B. blast E. volcano eruption
C. detonation

123. Which of the following mines is mining or had been mining a different mineral from the rest?
A. Benguet Corp. at Masinloc, Zambales
B. United Paragon at Paracale, Camarines Norte
C. Philex Gold Philippines at Bulawan, Negros
D. Base Metals at Masar, Compostela Valley
E. Itogon-Suyoc Mines at Itogon, Benguet

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124. Open pit mines used to be designed with the objective of highest mining recovery and maximum utilization
of mineral resources. But recent developments in mine design let to the evolution planning techniques that
optimize, rather than maximize, the utilization of mineral resources thereby resulting to best economic
conditions at known functions of time. Which of the following optimization techniques has become very
 16

popular and is used as basis in almost all computerized pit optimization techniques all over the world
including subsequent variations and modifications to suit local and/or regional conditions?
A. Lerch-Grossman-Casido Rotating Cone Algorithm
B. Lerch-Grossman Algorithm
C. Lerch-Casido Polygon Algorithm
D. Casido and Casido Optimization Algorithm
E. Grossman-Casido Graphical Algorithm

125. In mine planning, what do you call the factor used in converting the volume of a material into weight or
tonnage?
A. swell factor D. tonnage factor
B. shrinkage coefficient E. expansion ratio
C. rock quality index

126. Which of the following is commonly referred to as laughing gas in an underground mine?
A. hydrogen sulfide D. rockgas
B. carbon dioxide E. methane
C. nitrogen dioxide

127. The main factor that limits ANFO as a universal explosives agent is?
A. does not have sufficient power
B. lacks water resistance
C. fills up blastholes completely
D. requires very large and expensive primers

128. It is refers to the removal of overburden into expose an orebody and the likewise the removal of waste
within the limits of an open pit.
A. pit optimization D. ore blocking
B. kriging E. stripping
C. stoping

129. The brownish and often rusty outcrop of an iron ore or other limonitic deposits is called what?
A. aggregate D. gossan
B. gob E. outcrop
C. window

130. Which of the following technical data refers to the ratio of the volume of a material in its solid state as
compared to its volume when broken?
A. ore reserve D. volume/weight ratio
B. tonnage factor E. power factor
C. swell factor

131. Muloc is a local term that is used to refer to which of the following kinds of masterials?
A. ore D. copper cathode
B. waste E. dore
C. gold bar

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132. In timbering of very loose grounds underground, what do you call that member that is used to separate and
maintain space between the footings of posts to prevent the same from collapsing against its other?
A. wedge D. girt
B. sill E. cap
 17

C. lagging

133. Which of the following laws refers to the Magna Carta for Small Scale Miners?
A. RA totc D. RA 4274
B. RA 8289 E. PD 1899
C. RA 7942

134. Wood preservatives are end products of which of the following?

A. copper cathodes D. metallurgical chromite
B. refractory chromite E. chemical grade chromite
C. copper ingots

135. Government rationalized the extraction of gold ores from the Diwalwal gold rush area in Compostela
Valley for safety, environmental and social reasons. The area is now under supervision by which of the
following government agencies?
A. Phil. National Police
B. Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB)
C. Phil. Army
D. Dept. of Labor and Employment
E. Natural Resources development Corp (NRDC) in cooperation with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(MGB)

136. Taganito Mining produces and exports direct shipping nickel ores from its nickel mine in Surigao del
Norte. Which of the following is its mining method?
A. open pit mining D. small scale mining
B. underground mining E. hydraulicking
C. glory hole

137. Which of the following is not the effect of blasting?

A. hard toe D. cracking
B. weathering E. backbreak
C. vibration propagation

138. In open pit bench blasting, the horizontal distance between blastholes in multiple design is called what?
A. blasthole size
B. pattern size
C. free face
D. sub-grade
E. effective blasthole pattern

139. What kind of explosives contain saturated aqueous solutions of oxidizing salts, suspended solids and
sensitizers that are finely dispersed through an oil medium
A. ammonium nitrate in fuel oil
B. water oil gel explosives
C. gelatin dynamite
D. nitroglycerine
E. emulsion explosives

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MINING ENGINEERING I

140. Which of the following does not belong to the group?

A. oreshoot C. paystreak
B. bonanza D. mulok
 18

141. In designing open pits, which of the following refers to the arithmetic of searching the optimum limit of an open pit
mine considering the maximum profits that can be generated given the grade of the material and tonnage of waste
that can be stripped economically?
A. rotating cone technique
B. tonnage optimization
C. graphical design technique
D. Lerch-grossman algorithm
E. Mine grade optimization

142. In a typical mining cycle, which of the following activities is initiated fourth?
A. blasting D. crushing
B. loading E. hauling
C. drilling

143. What of the following minerals exhibits a yellow, brown or red color anomaly at its outcrop?
A. limestone D. arsenic sulfide
B. antimony sulfide E. manganese oxide
C. iron sulfide

144. Which of the following refers to the arithmetic of establishing the optimum outline of an open pit given its grades
and costs of exploitation?
A. Lerch-Grossman Algorithm
B. double bench medium term planning
C. 3-dimensional pit design
D. Bench to bench planning
E. 2-dimensional graphical pit design

145. Which of the following refers to an underground mine opening where fresh air is injected with air thru mechanical
means such as ventilation blowers of fans?
A. air tunnel D. venturi
B. upcast E. downcast
C. shaft

146. What is a detonation agent whose speed is faster than the speed of sound?
A. low explosives D. none of these
B. slurry E. blasting agent
C. high explosives

147. A drill pattern (round) used in underground headings with no available free faces is called what?
A. sub-grade D. bench blast
B. burnt cut E. shock blast
C. pre-splitting

148. Which of the following gold recovery processes is commonly and popular used by small scale miners?
A. heap leaching and CIL
B. counter-current decantation or CCD
C. amalgamation and CIL
D. CIP and CIL
E. Amalgamation and retorting

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MINING ENGINEERING I

149. Which of the following economic minerals is used as retarder in the manufacture of Portland cement?
A. bauxite D. gypsum
B. ilminite E. enargite
C. chalcocite
 19

150. The drainage system of Maricalum Mining Corp. at its open pit copper mine in Sipalay, Negros Oriental is so
expensive that the company must extract higher grade ores at high cut-off grade to recover expenses. What is this
expensive drainage system?
A. combined drain tunnel and pumping
B. siphoning
C. gravity drainage
D. bailing
E. mechanical pumping

151. Which of the following mine hauling systems is currently being used by Philex Mining at its Padcal Mine in Tuba,
Benguet?
A. Skip hoisting D. cable belt conveyor
B. Glory hole E. gravity ore pass network
C. Mine car tram haulage

152. Which of the moisture is not a deterrent in the quality of coal?

A. moisture D. sulfur
B. all of these E. chlorine
C. BTU content

153. Which of the following refers to the minimum grade (cut-off) by which a material may be extracted zero profit and at
the same time maximizing utilization of the mineral resource?
A. krigging grade D. break-even cut-off grade
B. sampling grade E. optimum cut-off grade
C. digging grade

154. It is the system of preserving diamond drill core samples for future references but at the same time provide adequate
samples for geologic interpretation and for the purpose of establishing the grade of mineral or minerals contained
therein?
A. total core assaying D. total core storage
B. core polishing E. thin sectioning
C. core splitting

155. Which of the following sampling methods is most applicable and reliable in sampling of vein type deposits?
A. channel sampling D. grab sampling
B. random sampling E. inquartation
C. cone and quartering

156. In tunnel blasting, which of the following holes of a drill round or pattern are used to throw the blasted muck away
from the face? These holes are usually initiated the last among all the holes.
A. lifters D. cut holes
B. top holes E. trimmers
C. relievers

157. Which of the following underground mining methods is most applicable in driving raises or orepasses through very
loose ground?
A. chinaman chutes D. raise borers
B. alimak raising E. cribbing
C. square set raising

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MINING ENGINEERING I

158. What do you call a saturated solution or gel that contains suspended solids, water, oxidizing salts, fuel components
and a number of sensitizers?
A. water gel explosive D. nitroglycerine
B. NAFO E. gelatin dynamite
C. Emulsion explosive
 20

159. Artomic absorption (AA) is a fast, cheap and very common method of detecting which of the following metals?
A. diamond D. platinum
B. copper E. titanium
C. vanadium

160. Which of the following occupational diseases may result from excessive inhalation of asbestos?
A. salivation D. tuberculosis
B. silicosis E. anthracosis
C. asbestosis

161. Which of the following does not belong in the set?

A. block holing D. mudcapping
B. primary blasting E. hard toe blasting
C. plaster shooting

162. When was PD 463 otherwise known as the Mineral Resources development decree signed into a decree?
A. 1995 D. 1955
B. 1985 E. 1975
C. 1965

163. What do call the cord that is used to sequentially ignite safely fuses in a round of blast?
A. detonating cord D. fuse lighter
B. secondary safety fuse E. trunkline
C. igniter cod

164. Which of the following is the product of smelting metallurgical grade chromite?
A. dichomite D. ferromanganese
B. paint pigment E. ferrosilicon
C. ferrochrome

165. It refers to the systematic and methodical process of combining two or more materials of variable specifications to
produce a uniform mass of desired quality or parameters, more or less:
A. salting D. coning and quartering
B. dilution E. sampling
C. blending

166. Initial reconnaissance exploration is usually conducted on what?

A. old and abandoned waste dumps
B. city centers
C. old ore stockpiles
D. existing mines
E. drainage system and tributaries

167. In tunnel blasting where multiple drill holes called drill patterns are used, what do you call the drill holes that serve
as free face and are therefore not charged with explosives?
A. relievers D. top holes
B. lifters E. trimmers
C. cut holes

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MINING ENGINEERING I

168. Which of the following refers to the systematic winning of coal by boring or excavating an opening into the coal
seam beneath the overburden?
A. auger method D. bucket wheel excavator
B. hydraulicking E. open cast
C. dredging
 21

169. In bench drilling, which of the following refers to that extra depth of hole that is drilled beyond the projected bench
floor below? The purpose of this is to prevent the occurrence of hard toes.
A. depth to diameter ratio D. length to diameter ratio
B. safety berm E. optimum depth
C. sub-grade

170. Which of the following mineral deposits is a common source of aluminium?

A. tenantite D. aluminite
B. cerrisite E. bauxite
C. ilminite

171. Which of the following grade prediction techniques allows the lowest margin of error in estimation?
A. distance weighing
B. inverse distance weighing
C. conventional or geometric methods
D. geostatistical methods
E. classical statistics

172. In order to maintain a workable geometry in open pit mines, what do you call the ratio of waste tonnage that must be
moved to produce one ton of ore?
A. waste to ore ratio D. repose ratio
B. excavation ratio E. digging ratio
C. blast ratio

173. Which of the following mining laws mandates the establishment of Minahang Bayan in the province?
A. RA 8981 D. RA 4274
B. RA 7942 E. PD 463
C. RA 7076

174. A type of exploder which provides delay firing intervals at pre-determined duration. It has a manually or
mechanically rotated switch that directs electrical energy to each detonator circuit as the rotation arm passes over the
appropriate contact.
A. sequential type of exploder
B. squirrel type of exploder
C. capacitor type of exploder
D. generator type of exploder
E. all of these

175. In diamond drilling, which of the following devices is used to locate and recover detached o lost drill bits at the
bottom of a drill hole?
A. fishing device D. wireline
B. bit splitter E. sludge collector
C. core barrel

176. Which of the following types of explosives is best applicable in blasting blastholes containing water?
A. permissible D. ANFO
B. slurry E. dynamite
C. ANFO with dymanite

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177. Shrinkage stoping is best applied to which of the following types of deposits?
A. all of these
B. strong orebodies with weak walls
 22

C. strong orebodies with strong walls that require none nor minimal support only
D. weak orebodies with weak walls that require massive timbering
E. incompetent deposits

178. Which of the following refers to the application of high pressure stream of water against a placer bank to undercut or
cave it?
A. solution mining D. aqueous extraction
B. hydraulicking E. in-situ leaching
C. sluicing

179. In planning or designing open pit mines, what do you call the arithmetic of searching the optimum limit of an open
pit with emphasis on best profits that can be generated given the grade of the material and the tonnage of waste that
may be stripped economically.
A. C.
B. D. graphical method

180. In open pit mine planning, which of the following refers to the angle between a horizontal line and a line connecting
the crestlines?
A. bench slope D. toe slope
B. crest slope E. sub-slope
C. pit slope

181. Mine with at least 150 underground workers and not less that 250 surface mine employees are under that
classification of mines?
A. big scale mine D. small scale mine
B. Class B mine E. Class A mine
C. Class C mine

182. The operating parameters of a new open pit mine in Nueva Vizcaya which is scheduled for development under the
MPSA system are established by the mines’s Mine Planning Department as follows:

-Annual ore tonnage 120,440,000 MT

-Strip ratio 0.77:1
-Material specific gravity 2.75
-Designed bench height 12.50 meters
-Sub-grade 2.50 meters
-Drill pattern 10 x 10 meters
-Drill penetration rate 110.0 meters per shift
-Drilling days per year 348 days
-Drilling shifts per day 3 shifts
-Drill utilization 65 %
-Time efficiency 50 minutes per 60 minutes

As the newly designed Drilling and Blasting Superintendent, how many units roray drills (excluding spares) will you
need to sustain total broken much requirements of the open pit? Consider the theoretically computed fraction unit as
one (1) unit.
A. 3 drills D. 6 drills
B. 2 drills E. 5 drills
C. 4 drills

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MINING ENGINEERING I

183. In designing an underground mining method, which of the following operating parameters must be considered?
A. ore reserve and grade of deposit
 23

B. depth of deposit
C. availability of support supply
D. all of these
E. price of metal commodity

184. In designing a stoping method, which of the following parameters should be considered most important?
A. availability of support materials
B. tonnage of ore to be extracted
C. all of these
D. grade of the orebody
E. strength of orebody and country rocks

185. Which of the following physical properties of rocks refers to the weight of said rocks in an equivalent volume of
water measured at sea level?
A. specific gravity D. porosity
B. bond work index E. coefficient of expansion
C. tonnage factor

186. The commercial nickel deposit currently being mined in the Philippines is?
A. vein type D. porphyry type
B. dessiminated type E. lateritic type
C. bauxite type

187. In open pit planning and design, which of the following refers to the vertical distance between the toeline and the
height of a bench?
A. bench angle D. bench face
B. bench grade E. bench height
C. bench slope

188. What do you call the percentage increase in the volume occupied by a given mass of solid material after it has been
blasted or broken?
A. powder factor
B. rock quality designation (RQD)
C. rock stress coefficient (RSC)
D. porosity
E. swell factor

189. Which of the following parameters characterizes refractory grade chromite?

A. low sulfur content
B. high heating value2
C. low Cr2O3 and low SiO2
D. high Cr2O3 and high Cr:Fe ratio
E. low Cr2O3 and high Cr2O3+Al2O3

190. The air reticulation system of an underground mine undergoing development has the following daily compressed air
data for its pneumatic equipment:

Tank 1 12,000 cu.m. 60 psi

Tank 2 10,000 cu.m. 50 psi
Tank 3 15,000 cu.m. 70 psi
Tank 4 15,000 cu.m. 77 psi
Tank 5 12,000 cu.m. 75 psi

What average pneumatic pressure is available assuming there are no leaks along the full length of the underground
pipelines? Express your answer

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MINING ENGINEERING I
 24

in bars rounded to the nearest pressure.

A. 8.00 bars pressure D. 6.00 bars pressure
B. 7.00 bars pressure E. 5.00 bars pressure
C. 4.00 bars pressure

191. What do you call the surface opening of an underground excavation?

A. raise D. shaft
B. adit E. portal
C. level

192. In underground mine development, what do you call a vertical or nearly vertical opening that is driven downwards
from one level to another level below?
A. drift D. winze
B. crosscut E. doghole
C. counterdrive

193. The practice of Mining Engineering in the Philippines is egulated under which of the following laws?
A. PD 1899 D. PD 463
B. RA 4274 E. RA 7942
C. RA 7076

194. Which of the following is a manganese mineral with high silica content?
A. garnierite D. mangasite
B. pyrolusite E. cinnabar
C. psilomelane

195. In open pit operations, which of the following refers to the composite grade of ore for a particular period based on
blasthole assays at given parameters for blending
A. mill head D. blasthole grade
B. bench ore grade E. cut-off grade
C. mine head

196. Philex Gold Philippines, Inc., until last year, was the biggest gold mine in the Visayas particularly in Region 6. What
was the mining method of the company prior to its shutting down operations in 2002?
A. open pit mining
B. blockcaving
C. small scale mining
D. combined open pit and blockcaving
E. cut and fill stoping

197. In diamond drilling exploration, which of the following refers to the facility where drill cores are stored in sequence
according to depths where they were extracted?
A. sample splitter D. core barrel
B. fishing device E. core boxes
C. drill pipe

198. It is a remainder or part of a shothole found after a blast has been fired?
A. bootleg D. misfire
B. splitting point E. minefire
C. hangfire

199. When a massive rock mass is faulted, what do you call the portion that is downthrown?
A. plug D. syncline
B. foot wall E. anticline
C. hanging wall