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Mining removes rocks and minerals that contain useful metals from the Earth’s crust. Image: G. Plumlee, USGS Metals-2-1 Many mines are large surface excavations. Image: Kennecott Utah Copper Co. Metals-2-2 Some mines are underground. Image: US Bureau of Mines Metals-2-3 Drilling cuts holes in metal-bearing rock where explosives can be placed. Metals-2-1 Explosions - or blasts - break metalbearing rock into blocks and fragments. Image: US Bureau of Mines Metals-2-5 Metal-bearing rock broken by blasting is hauled to a crusher. Image: US Bureau of Mines Metals-2-6 Crushed metal-bearing rock - most pieces smaller than a baseball - is ready for processing that removes metals. Image: Kennecott Utah Copper Co. Metals-2-7 All mines eventually deplete their valuable metal-bearing rock and close. Image: Kennecott Utah Copper Co. Metals-2-8