![Open Pit Mining Pros Cons | Sciencing](/e69yszg/252.jpg)
Open Pit Mining Pros Cons | Sciencing
Open pit mining or strip mining is an extraction process for ore or fossil fuels that takes place at the surface of a mining site. Worldwide, 40 percent of mining occurs at the surface, according to Greenpeace International. Compared with underground mining, surface mining is much more efficient.