What is one purpose of surface mining?

Surface mining is primarily conducted to extract minerals that are located near the earth's surface. This method is advantageous as it allows for the efficient removal of overburden, or non-valuable material, to expose and extract the minerals underneath. This process is typically used for various resources such as coal, copper, and gold, which can often be found in relatively shallow deposits.

By removing the minerals located closer to the surface, surface mining reduces the costs associated with deeper mining techniques, such as drilling and blasting. Additionally, this method can be more environmentally manageable compared to deep underground mining, as it minimizes the risk of mine collapses and allows for easier access to equipment and personnel.

The other options do not accurately describe the primary purpose of surface mining. Accessing minerals deep underground relates more to underground mining techniques, while creating underground tunnels and building reinforcement structures does not pertain to the mineral extraction goals of surface mining.