Tom’s company has been contracted to excavate uranium ore with minimal ground disruption. what process should his company use?
1)open surface mining
2)in situ leaching
3)hydraulic fracturing
4)deep well excavation

The correct answer is option 2, that is, in situ leaching.

Explanation:

The in-situ recovery also known as in-situ leaching or solution mining is a process of mining, which is generally used to obtain minerals like uranium and copper via boreholes drilled into a deposit. The in-situ leach functions by dissolving the minerals taking place in a solid state artificially. The procedure at the start requires the drilling of holes into the deposit of ore. After that, the leaching solution is inserted into the deposit where it comes in contact with the ore. The solution comprising the ore in the dissolved state is then pumped to the surface and is then processed.

geologic time scale (for gradpoint) =)