Mineral Resources

Nonrenewable Mineral Resources Earth crust = Minerals + rock Minerals –inorganic compound that occurs naturally in the earth’s crust Solid Regular internal crystalline structure. Rock – solid combination of 1 or more minerals.

Minerals are the building blocks of all rocks. If minerals make up rocks, what makes up minerals?

Minerals are made up of complex structures of elements. There are eight elements that make up most of these minerals; Oxygen, Silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium; they account for about 98% of the earths crust.

Silicates vs. Non-silicates Silicates: Most abundant minerals on earths surface Composed of Silicon and Oxygen Have a complex structure because of the way silicon and oxygen bond Non-silicates: Make up only about 8% of the earths crust Not a very complex structure

Quartz= SiO 2 Hematite= Fe 2 O 3 Halite= NaCl Tephroite- Mn 2 SiO 4

Mining What is mining?

What can be mined? Mineral Resource: Any mineral useful to humans Metallic Minerals: Iron Oxide, Gold Non-metallic mineral: Limestone, sand Fossil Fuel; Coal, Petroleum Ore: a natural material whose concentration of economically valuable minerals is high enough for the material to be mined profitably High Grade Ore; has high concentration of the mineral Low Grade Ore: smaller concentration

Mining can be done in two different ways… Surface mining Subsurface mining

Surface Mines Surface mining is used when mineral deposits are located at or near the surface of the earth. Used to remove minerals Types include open pits—used to remove large, near-surface deposits such as copper and gold surface coal mine—known as strip mining because the coal is removed in strips Quarries—open pits that are used to mine building stone, crushed rock, sand and gravel

Extracting Mineral Deposits Surface mining - shallow deposits in US extracts 90% of non-fuel minerals and rocks and 60% of the coal. Open-pit Mining Area Strip Mining

Mountaintop Removal Figure 15-14

Extracting Mineral Deposits Subsurface mining - deposits that are too deep for surface mining Requires passages be dug into earth to reach the ore

Underground Mines Generally less disruptive than surface mines Tunnels closely follow the ore body Some waste rock on the surface Shallow abandoned mines can cause collapse

Problem!!! Mining can destroy or disturb the habitats of plants and animals. Waste products from mine get into water sources—pollutes surface water and ground water.

Acid Mine Drainage

Solutions Reclamation: The process of returning land to its original condition after mining is complete Required by law since the 1970’s Reduce our need from minerals

Assignment