Love connecting writer and actors to mine (4-4)

'mine' is the definition.
(mining minerals from the surface)

'love connecting writer and actors' is the wordplay.
'love' becomes 'o' (love means zero in tennis).
'connecting writer' becomes 'pen' (something which writes. I am not sure about the 'connecting' bit.).
'and' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'actors' becomes 'cast' (group of actors).
'o'+'pen'+'cast'='OPEN-CAST'

'to' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?