在苏联,目前有将近75％的黑色和有色金属矿是用露天法开采的。虽然大,中、小型露天矿星罗棋布,遍及各地,但80％以上的矿物是由几十座年生产能力达3000万t的大型露天矿生产的。这些露天矿的开采深度目前已达250m,到第十二个五年计划期间将大大超过300m。正在设计新的露天矿和扩建原有的露天矿,其深度将达到700～800m, In the Soviet Union, at present, nearly 75% of the black and non-ferrous metal mines are mined in the open air. Although large, medium and small open-air mines are widely distributed throughout the world, more than 80% of the minerals are produced by dozens of large-scale open pit mines with an annual production capacity of 30 million tons. The open pit mine has now reached a depth of 250m and will significantly exceed 300m by the 12th five-year plan. In the process of designing new open-pit mines and expanding existing open-pit mines, the depth will reach 700-800 m,