Book excerpt: The go-to resource for professionals in the mining industry. The SME Mining Reference Handbook was the first concise reference published in the mining field and it quickly became the industry standard. It sits on almost every mining engineer’s desk or bookshelf with worn pages, tabs to find most used equations, and personal notes. It has been the unequaled single reference and the first source of information for countless engineers. This second edition of the SME Mining Reference Handbook builds on that success. With an enhanced presentation, new and updated information is represented in a concise, well-organized guide of important data for everyday use by engineers and other professionals engaged in mining, exploration, mineral processing, and environmental compliance and reclamation. With its exhaustive trove of charts, graphs, tables, equations, and guidelines, the handbook is the essential technical reference for mobile mining professionals. With its exhaustive trove of charts, graphs, tables, equations, and guidelines, the handbook is the essential technical reference for mobile mining professionals.