The process of taking out minerals from rocks buried under the earth’s surface is called mining. Mining can be classified into Open-cast mining and shaft mining.

Open-cast mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. Open-pit mines are used when deposits of commercially useful minerals or rock are found near the surface.

Shaft mining refers to the method of sinking a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom. The shafts have to be made to reach mineral deposits that lie at great depths.