1. Mining and Mineral Resources
SEV4. Students will understand and describe availability, allocation and conservation of energy and other resources

2. What is a mineral? All minerals are naturally occurring
are usually inorganic solids
have a defined chemical composition
have an orderly internal structure
have a defined set of physical properties

3. What is a mineral? (cont’d)
Single element - native mineral
gold (Au)
silver (Ag)
copper (Cu)
2 or more elements - compound
quartz – silica (silicon and oxygen)

4. The breakdown Ore minerals Gangue have economic value
profit must exceed cost of extraction and refining
Gangue
no economic value
must be removed

5. Metal? Metallic minerals Nonmetallic minerals conduct electricity
shiny
opaque (no light passes through)
Nonmetallic minerals
good insulators
shiny or dull
may allow light through

6. How do ore minerals form?
Cooling from magma
Hydrothermal solutions
Dissolve minerals
Form veins
Evaporites
Rivers and streams carry salts
Left behind when they evaporate
Occur in arid regions

7. Uses of mineral resources
Thin metals
Durable, resist corrosion
Conduct heat and electricity
Alloys
Gypsum (used in wallboard)
Gemstones
Diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, topaz

8. Answer these questions.
On page 444, answer questions 1 – 5.
Answer in complete sentences.
You will need to read.

9. Mineral exploration
Deposits have 100x to 1,000x the normal concentration of minerals
Planes observe
Gravity
Density
Radioactivity
Grade ore content (Is it worth it?)

10. Subsurface mining 50 m or more underground Room and pillar mining
Longwall mining
Solution mining

11. Longwall Mining Shearer moves along a wall
Coal falls onto conveyer belt

12. Solution Mining Soluble ores (potash, salt, sulfur)
Hot water dissolves ore
Air is bubbled through solution
Bubbles lift ore to surface

13. Surface mining Open pit mining (coal, copper) Surface coal mining
topsoil set aside
overburden removed
exposed coal removed
fill in with overburden
return topsil

14. Surface mining (cont’d)
2. Quarrying
granite
marble
sand
gravel
crushed rock (aggregates)

15. Surface mining (cont’d)
3. Solar Evaporation
Salt water in enormous, shallow ponds
Water evaporates, leaving salt crystals (halite) behind
Used in areas with little rainfall
30% of earth’s salt

16. Placer mining
Placer deposits – valuable mineral concentrated by wind or water
Dredge
Floating barge
Keeps valuable ore minerals
Leaves processed sediments

17. Smelting Crushed ore is melted at high temps
Separates impurities (flux)
flux + impurities = slag
Sulfur dioxide captured

18. Undersea mining
Largely unsuccessful
Expensive
Dangerous

19. Answer these questions.
On page 450, answer questions 1 – 6.
Answer in complete sentences.
You will need to read.

20. Regulations and Reclamation
Higher Energy Demands = more coal mines
Before mining, companies must have a plan to reclaim the land

21. Environmental Impact
Regulations are new

22. Air and Noise Pollution
Dust – moving soil, winds, blasting ore
Noise – equipment, blasting
Noise and dust can’t exit mining area in USA
Rural areas

23. Water Contamination Seepage
Sulfur  weak sulfuric acid  dissolves toxic chemicals
Acid mine drainage

24. Displacement of Wildlife
Loss of plant life  Animals leave
Dredging in aquatic systems
Reclamation attempts to make damage temporary
Avoid new ecosystems

25. Sedimentation
Rock placed in “dumps”
Erodes into rivers and streams

26. Soil degradation Soil in layers Sulfur in lower layers
Exposed to water

27. Subsidence
Build over abandoned mines
Ground sinks

28. Underground mine fires
Lightning
Forest fires
Burning trash
Flash fires

29. Regulations Clean Water Act Safe Drinking Water Act
Comprehensive Response & Liability Act
Endangered Species Act
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
Return land to original condition

30. Answer These Questions
On p. 455 answer #1-5
Answer in complete sentences.
You will need to read.