1.That is, mining is ponzi?
Mining is a sector where minerals are dug up or coins created; it is neither a ponzi nor not a ponzi in itself.
2. Wikipedia claims a lot of absurd things. For example, that the plots on the moon are sold.
Nearly as absurd as your imaginary difference between HYIPs and Ponzis. The term "HYIP" was invented by the scam industry to make their "too good to be true" inventions sound legitimate. A legitimate investment scheme is a provably legitimate investment scheme, irrespective of yield.
Use authoritative sources:
There are two types of HYIPs (or High Yield Investment Programs), others have to do with banking or investment in some offshore trading company with shady rules and cryptic technicalities, and these are the ones you will want to avoid. The other kind is the transparent kind that involves investment in shares, gold, futures or other local, understandable and verifiable trading setup.
Take your own advice.
Your "authoritative source" quote is
dredged up from a site called streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/
3 .You are not oriented at all in elementary concepts.
Obviously the only person who knows anything about anything is you.
Cryptodevil's feedback was and is accurate in my opinion and I would be surprised if he is convinced by your scammer hair splitting to remove it.
You'll be happy to read that I won't burden you and your pointless thread any further with my uninformed comments.