0 used to describe a place where minerals, especially coal, are taken from the surface of the ground rather than from passages dug under it, or relating to this way of getting minerals: --
opencast mine/mining
We have heard a great deal about opencast coal mining recently and a lot about the attitude of the mineworkers' union.
I myself have seen places where opencast operations have taken place and the land afterwards restored.
The wages would not have been there but for the profits made in opencast mining.
It is sometimes claimed that opencast mining is bad for agriculture because of the effect upon the land.
Much has been said about opencast coal mining.
But to do away with opencast mining is to get rid of one of the cheaper forms of getting coal.
There will be a reduction of 4 million tons in opencast, and about 7 million tons in deepmined, output.
There are now 40,000 acres of good land being used for opencast mining.
