Open-pit mining involves digging huge portions of earth from the surface to extract desired minerals. The land face is scraped away through explosives and digging, creating a deeper pit until mining is complete. Open-pit mining has several levels of excavation displaying varying visuals as miners dig further. The process involves designing mining layouts, drilling, blasting, clearing blasts, digging, transporting ore, and cleaning up. While more efficient than underground mining, open-pit mining degrades the environment through destruction of habitat, dust, chemical pollution, and exposure of soil.