1. The extraction of valuable minerals from geothermal fluids: By the way of geothermal mining solid homogeneous inorganic matter, like market-grade silica, can be obtained from a geothermal brine.
2. The process of purposely transporting geothermal energy from beneath the Earth's surface: Geothermal mining can be useful for human utilization, for example for the building of a well and pipeline system to bring heated water to a power plant.