Which of the following methods of extraction is the most damaging to the environment?

a. surface mining

b. subsurface mining

c. placer mining

d. none of the above

The correct option is A.

Surface mining cause the most damage to the environment. This is because they cause the greatest amount of change to the land surface and to the environment in general. The process usually involves the removal of land in order to reach the minerals that are embedded underneath the surface of the earth.