1. What is mining? A.

The extraction of any naturally occurring mineral substances from

the earth. B. The extraction of any naturally occurring mineral substances from the
air. C. The extraction of any naturally occurring mineral substances from the water.
Answer: A
2. Why is mining important? A. Minerals are major sources of energy as well as
materials such as fertilizers and steel. B. Minerals are major sources of energy as well
as materials such as fertilizers and wood. C. Minerals are major sources of energy as
well as materials such as fertilizers and plastic. Answer: A
3. What is the primary responsibility of a mining geologist? A. To ensure that minerals,
rocks, and gems are extracted from mines, pits, and quarries in a manner that allows
maximum profit and involves minimal problems. B. To ensure that minerals, rocks,
and gems are extracted from mines, pits, and quarries in a manner that allows
maximum profit and involves maximum problems. C. To ensure that minerals, rocks,
and gems are extracted from mines, pits, and quarries in a manner that allows
minimum profit and involves minimal problems. Answer: A
4. What is mining engineering? A. The practice of applying engineering principles to the
development, planning, operation, closure, and reclamation of mines. B. The practice
of applying engineering principles to the development, planning, operation, closure,
and reclamation of forests. C. The practice of applying engineering principles to the
development, planning, operation, closure, and reclamation of oceans. Answer: A
5. What is mining geology? A. A branch of economic geology which deals with the
application of geology in mining. B. A branch of economic geology which deals with
the application of biology in mining. C. A branch of economic geology which deals
with the application of physics in mining. Answer: A
6. What is a mining geologist? A. A professional who applies the science of geology to
mining. B. A professional who applies the science of biology to mining. C. A
professional who applies the science of physics to mining. Answer: A
7. What are nonfuel minerals? A. Minerals that can be used directly from the earth such
as stone which is a nonmetallic or industrial mineral. B. Minerals that cannot be used
directly from the earth such as stone which is a nonmetallic or industrial mineral. C.
Minerals that can be used directly from the air such as stone which is a nonmetallic
or industrial mineral. Answer: A
8. What are metallic minerals? A. Minerals that are usually combined in nature with
other materials as ores and must be treated generally with chemicals or heat to
produce the metal of interest. B. Minerals that are usually combined in nature with
other materials as ores and must be treated generally with water or air to produce
the metal of interest. C. Minerals that are usually combined in nature with other
materials as ores and must be treated generally with fire or ice to produce the metal
of interest. Answer: A
9. What is bauxite ore used for? A. It is converted to aluminum oxide which is used to
make aluminum metal via heat and additives. B. It is converted to copper oxide which
is used to make copper metal via heat and additives. C. It is converted to iron oxide
which is used to make iron metal via heat and additives. Answer: A
10. What must fuel minerals such as coal and uranium be processed using?
A.Chemicals and other treatments to produce the quality of fuel desired.
B.Water and other treatments to produce the quality of fuel desired. C.Air and
other treatments to produce the quality of fuel desired. Answer: A
11. The history of mining parallels the history of civilization. A. True B. False
Answer: A
12. The oldest known underground mine is from the New Stone Age. A. True B.
False Answer: B
13. The invention of dynamite was the most important advance in mining
technology during the nineteenth century. A. True B. False Answer: A
14. What is the direct method of discovery? A. A method of discovery that is
normally limited to surface deposits and consists of visual examination of
either the exposure (outcrop) of the deposit or the loose fragments (float) that
have weathered away from the outcrop. B. A method of discovery that is
normally limited to underground deposits and consists of drilling into the
deposit to extract samples. C. A method of discovery that is normally limited
to underwater deposits and consists of using sonar to locate mineral deposits.
Answer: A
15. What are some direct methods used by geologists to locate mineral deposits?
A. Aerial photography, geologic maps, and structural assessment of an area. B.
Drilling into the deposit to extract samples, microscopic studies of samples,
and precise mapping. C. Using sonar to locate mineral deposits, geologic
maps, and structural assessment of an area. Answer: A
16. What enables geologists to locate hidden as well as surface mineralization? A.
Precise mapping and structural analysis plus microscopic studies of samples.
B. Drilling into the deposit to extract samples. C. Using sonar to locate mineral
deposits. Answer: A
17. What is geophysics? A. The science of detecting anomalies using physical
measurements of gravitational, seismic, magnetic, electrical, and radiometric
variables of the earth. B. The science of drilling into the deposit to extract
samples. C. The science of using sonar to locate mineral deposits. Answer: A
18. What are some indirect methods used by geologists to locate mineral
deposits? A. Geophysics (detecting anomalies using physical measurements),
geochemistry (quantitative analysis of soil, rock and water samples), and
geobotany (analysis of plant growth patterns). B. Drilling into the deposit to
extract samples. C. Using sonar to locate mineral deposits. Answer: A
19. What is biogeochemistry? A. The quantitative analysis of soil, rock, and water
samples. B. The analysis of plant growth patterns. C. The measurement of
elemental content in particular plants. Answer: B
20. What is exploration? A. The examination and valuation of an ore body. B. The
determination of as accurately as possible the size and value of a mineral
deposit. C. The extraction of valuable minerals from a mineral deposit. Answer:
B
21. What are some techniques used in exploration? A. Chemical evaluation
techniques. B. Drilling. C. Both A and B. Answer: C
22. What is reserve estimation? A. The examination and valuation of an ore body.
B. The determination of as accurately as possible the size and value of a
mineral deposit. C. The extraction of valuable minerals from a mineral deposit.
Answer: A
23. What is development? A. The examination and valuation of an ore body. B.
The determination of as accurately as possible the size and value of a mineral
deposit. C. The work of opening a mineral deposit for exploitation. Answer: C
24. What are some preliminary development work required before any
development takes place? A. Acquiring water and mineral rights. B. Buying
surface lands. C. Preparing permit applications and an environmental impact
statement (EIS). D. All of the above. Answer: D
25. What are some requirements necessary for construction of mine
infrastructure? A. Transportation facilities. B. Ore handling and processing
facilities. C. Mine waste disposal facilities. D. All of the above. Answer: D
26. What is exploitation? A. The examination and valuation of an ore body. B. The
determination of as accurately as possible the size and value of a mineral
deposit. C. The actual recovery of minerals from the earth in quantity. Answer:
C
27. What determines the mining method selected for exploitation? A. The
characteristics of the mineral deposit. B. The limits imposed by safety. C.
Technology. D. Environmental concerns. E. Economics. F. All of the above.
Answer: F
28. What plays a key role in selecting the method? A. Geologic conditions. B.
Environmental concerns. C. Economics. D. All of the above. Answer: A
29. What are the four main mining methods? A. Open surface (pit). B.
Underground. C. Placer. D. In situ. E. All of the above. Answer: E
30. What is surface mining? A. The process of extraction of minerals by removal of
overburden. B. The process of dissolving the mineral resource in place then
processing it at the surface without moving rock from the ground. C. The
process of separating out valuable metals from sediments in river channels,
beach sands, or other environments. D. The process of removing surface
vegetation and layers of bedrock in order to reach buried ore deposits.
Answer: D
31. What are some mechanical excavation methods? A. Open-pit (or Open-cut or
Open-cast). B. Quarrying. C. Strip mining (flat terrain mining). D. Contour strip
(hilly terrain mining). E. All of the above. Answer: E
32. What are the conditions for shrinkage stoping mining? A. Ore strength: weak.
B. Rock strength: weak. C. Deposit shape: round. D. Deposit dip: 30 to 60. E.
Depth: >2500ft or 750m. F. Ore thickness: <2 ft or 0.6 m. G. Ore grade: low. H.
Ore uniformity: non-uniform. I. A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. J. None of the above.
Answer: J
33. What are the three categories of underground mining methods? a)
Unsupported, supported, and caving methods. b) Drift mining, slope mining,
and shaft mining. c) Room and pillar mining, narrow vein stoping, and large-
scale mechanised mining.
34. How is access to ore deposits gained in underground mining? a) By drilling
holes in the earth. b) By digging trenches in the earth. c) By tunnels or shafts.
35. What is stoping or block caving? a) A method of underground mining where
sections or blocks of rock are removed in vertical strips that leave a connected
underground cavity that is usually filled with cemented aggregate and waste
rock. b) A method of underground mining where tunnels are driven in a chess
board pattern with massive square pillars between them which are gradually
cut away as the work proceeds. c) A method of underground mining where
horizontal shafts are used to reach resources.
36. What are the primary responsibilities of a mining geologist? a) To ensure that
minerals, rocks, and gems are extracted from mines, pits, and quarries in a
manner that allows maximum profit and involves minimal problems. b) To
ensure that minerals, rocks, and gems are extracted from mines, pits, and
quarries in a manner that allows maximum profit and involves maximum
problems. c) To help the mine operation with respect to the ore body,
proportion of mixing of country rock, tracking the ore body, structural data
input, developing new levels and audits.
37. What are some general responsibilities of a mining geologist? a) Search for
new reserves; ore body re-evaluations; design, planning and operation of
mine, metallurgical plant, and exploration in immediate neighbourhood. b)
Ensure that minerals, rocks, and gems are extracted from mines, pits, and
quarries in a manner that allows maximum profit and involves minimal
problems. c) Drilling in underground mine and surface exploration; geological
mapping; ore reserve calculations; research.