109. The following constitute the mining operations referred to in subparagraphs 2 and 4 of the first paragraph of section 232.1 of the Act:(1) any activity related to the open-pit or underground extraction of ore or mine tailings, including one of the following:(a) drawing and transportation;
(b) sinking various shafts and access ramps, and any other excavation;
(c) crushing;
(d) keeping excavations dry;
(2) the processing of ore or mine tailings, excluding refining and the pelletizing of iron ore or iron concentrate but including one of the following:(a) preparation, including one of the following:i. washing;
ii. wet and dry sieving;
iii. crushing;
iv. grinding;
v. classifying;
(b) beneficiation, including one of the following:i. gravity concentration;
ii. flotation;
iii. cyanidation;
iv. magnetic separation;
v. heap leaching or in situ leaching;
(c) solid-liquid separation, including one of the following:i. settling and thickening;
ii. filtration;
iii. drying;
iv. agglomeration;
(3) the preparation of accumulation areas for the activities referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2;
(4) in the case of foundry activities, only the preparation of an accumulation area constitutes a mining operation;
(5) exploration activities listed in section 108 where they are involved in the operations referred to in this section.