to surface mine
1
6.0
- phrasal verb
- /ˈsɜrfɪs maɪn/
- Specialized
:
minar a cielo abierto
- After clearing the land, they started to surface mine for coal and other minerals.
Examples
-
The company plans to surface mine the area to access valuable mineral resources.
-
We observed how they surface mine by removing the topsoil and rock layers first.
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For example, one issue asked, "How sure are you that you are for or against surface mining?"
Academic text (2003) -
I also suspect the issues with surface mining and the dangers/expense of deep mining could be another factor.
Blog text (32) -
In addition, several Norwegians worked to promote sustainable lifestyles and Third World equity, and several Kentuckians worked to regulate surface mining.
Academic text (1999) -
Coal prices have declined for a number of reasons, including (1) a shift in the geologic location of coal production, (2) a shift to surface mining and to larger mines, and (3) technology improvements.
Academic text (1999) -
A surface mining operation has deformed a mountain between Jenkins and Pikeville in Pike County, KY.
Blog text (10) -
The amount of thorium present in surface mining coal waste is enormous and would provide all the power human society needs for thousands of years, without resorting to any special mining for thorium or the use of any other form of energy recovery.
Blog text (32) -
Our leaders made voluminous threats and spit fire about 16 strip mining permits that were denied because they would allow surface mining that endangered valleys and streams.
Blog text (10) -
Forty amendments would stop the enforcement of water quality standards, abolish rules to protect streams from surface mining, reduce the budget to acquire and protect pristine forestland, as well as funding to operate national parks.
Blog text (30)
Synonyms
21
4.0
To take metals or minerals from the ground by digging
To remove the top layer of ground to get minerals like coal
To remove large areas of earth and rock to get minerals near the surface
How Internal
- Specialized
- Specialized
3
8.1
6
6.3
- Specialized
1
6.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from 'surface' (the exposed top layer) + 'mine' (to extract ore), indicating extraction carried out at the surface rather than underground. This compositional pattern is common and has clear cross‑linguistic equivalents (e.g., 'open‑pit' / 'a cielo abierto'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Surface mine comes from the simple image of workers taking away the top soil and rock so they can reach the ore: they are digging a mine right at the surface, not under the ground. That's why it means 'to extract minerals by removing earth and rock from the surface'.