South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy is acknowledged
as the provider of this resource.
This resource contains a diagram representing an underground
uranium mine and an animation of mine equipment being used to
drill holes. The diagram is a cross-sectional view of the
mine showing drill holes and stope. Students can click the
lever on a device to create an explosion in the mine causing
blasted rock to fall into the mine’s stope.
- Provides a graphical illustration of an underground
uranium mine including perspective on its size and structure.
- Includes information about the steps involved in the
creation of an underground mine such as the drilling of
holes, stope creation, rock blasting, and the removal of the
- Mining underground may involve the creation of stopes, or
large open spaces, as represented in this resource.
Underground mining is the method of mining used when the ore
being sought is well below the Earth’s surface. An
alternative to underground mining is open-cut mining, which
is possible when the ore is close to the surface.
- All mines require ventilation and uranium mines are
particularly well-ventilated to ensure exposure to radiation
- Students evaluate the physical structure and components
that make up an underground mine.
- Students identify some important steps involved in
creating an underground mine.
- Students identify terms used to describe some important
mining structures and processes such as ‘stope’, ‘raisebore
hole’, and ‘draw points’.
Science Understanding: Earth and Space Sciences