Seismic exploration requires a series of explosive charges to detemine underlying geology.
In open-cut and strip mines, draglines and large mobile equipment are used in prestripping, topsoil and overburden removal and extraction. Blasting is often used to remove material which is too hard for ripping. In underground mines, drilling, boring, blasting and excavating are used in the extraction process. Hard rock quarries and open pit ore mines generally use blasting or mobile equipment to remove material. Mineral sands and gravels are generally extracted by means of draglining or by bucket, cutter suction or trailer suction dredge.