Most of the manmade components that are used in construction and infrastructure rely on a mix of materials such as fiberglass, aggregate, and minerals. The latter of these — minerals — are often an integral material due to the importance of mineral bonding.

Minerals facilitate the chemical bonding process that makes materials such as concrete, brick, and cement composites suitable for use in structures that will be subject to long-term strain. Harvesting the minerals that are essential to these structures can be done in several ways, but one of the most common methods is a process called surface mining. What is surface mining? What tools are required for surface mining applications? Read on to find the answers to these questions.

Surface mining is most commonly done in areas throughout western mountain states and the Midwest, including Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Tennessee. There are five different kinds of surface mining often done in these areas — strip mining, open-pit mining, mountaintop removal, dredging, and highwall mining. Each of these methods entails a different set of variables and thus requires a different surface speed calculator. This calculator can be used to determine the difference between a mining mechanism and the surface it is operating upon.

Why is this important? All forms of surface mining require precise measurements of surface speed and tension in order to excavate minerals. This excavation is typically done by using an automated process with massive mining machinery, but the machines must be programmed using the correct surface speed in order to achieve the right lacing pattern. The lacing pattern refers to the cutting action achieved by the arrangement of bits on the mining machine’s drum. It determines the output of the machine, so it’s important to achieve the correct calculation before attempting a specific application.

In any surface mining operation, determining the surface speed and lacing pattern isn’t just a matter of precision. It’s also a matter of efficiency. Mining speeds can range from 8 fragments per minute to 25 fragments per minute, and a more precise surface speed calculation will help you achieve a higher FPM ratio. This is also important because more efficient mining practices help to optimize the output of mining machinery while minimizing the wear and tear it sustains. It simply makes operations run more effectively, and thus calculator engineering is an important aspect of mining.

Precision in calculations is imperative, too, because it is integral to the cutting force that’s applied to the mine surface. Incorrect calculations can result in maladjusted cutting speed calibrations, and in turn, this can cause a loss of efficiency in the operation of machinery. In a worst-case-scenario, it could compromise the mining operation entirely by miscalculating the volume and grade of a mineral resource. Luckily, you can avoid these outcomes by investing in the right mining tools and ensuring that you perform all calculations with the utmost of precision.