This third edition of the SME Mining Engineering Handbook reaffirms its international reputation as "the handbook of choice" for today's practicing mining engineer. It distills the body of knowledge that characterizes mining engineering as a disciplinary field and has subsequently helped to inspire and inform generations of mining professionals.Virtually all of the information is original content, representing the latest information from more than 250 internationally recognized mining industry experts.Within the handbook's 115 thought-provoking chapters are current topics relevant to today's mining professional:Analyzing how the mining and minerals industry will develop over the medium and long term?why such changes are inevitable, what this will mean in terms of challenges, and how they could be managedExplaining the mechanics associated with the multifaceted world of mine and mineral economics, from the decisions associated with how best to finance a single piece of high-value equipment to the long-term cash-flow issues associated with mine planning at a mature operationDescribing the recent and ongoing technical initiatives and engineering developments in relation to robotics, automation, acid rock drainage, block caving optimization, or process dewatering methodsExamining in detail the methods and equipment available to achieve efficient, predictable, and safe rock breakingIdentifying the salient points that dictate which is the safest, most efficient, and most versatile extraction method to employ, as well as describing in detail how each alternative is engineeredDiscussing the impacts that social and environmental issues have on mining from the pre-exploration phase to end-of-mine issues and beyond, and how to manage these two increasingly important factors to the benefit of both the mining companies and other stakeholders.