strip-mine

1. To mine (ore) from a strip mine.
2. To subject to strip mining: strip-mined the land.

To engage in strip mining.

Removing a mineral deposit from the earth after first removing the layer of earth above it.

• Strip mining, the cheapest method of mining, is also the most controversial, because it jeopardizes the environment, and because strip-mined land is either expensive or impossible to reclaim.

The removal of the overburden to expose and extract mineral deposits by the use of excavators and drag lines. Permission for strip mining is often granted only if the company replaces the overburden when mining is complete.

For more information on strip mining, visit Britannica.com.

Removing a mineral deposit from the Earth after first removing the layer of earth above it.