When you say strip mining do you mean digging a huge whole in the ground so it is exposed to the air? Interesting idea.
Basically, except it's underground, if that makes any sense. I try to keep the layer immediatley below ground intact for trees to grow, to sheild my mining operations, to help direct waterflow, and give me room to build windmills.
Rather, I dig a straight line across the screen half an inch (measured on screen) under the ground. Then I start strip mining.
It has the benefit of making huge holes I can divert flood water into when I'm done mining them. I can build a base in them too, if I really wanted too.