[1][2] It is a number or ratio that express how much waste is mined per unit of ore.
The units of a stripping ratio can vary between mine types.
It is common for the stripping ratio to be used as an indicator of economic value for an open pit mine.
A stripping ratio is commonly used as a quick method to evaluate a mine’s or a design’s value.
High stripping ratios are not desired because they are indicating that large amounts of waste must be moved to access ore.