Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

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Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
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Key Concepts

• Major geologic processes

• Earthquakes and volcanoes

• Minerals, rocks, and the rock cycle

• Finding and extracting mineral resources

• Non-renewable mineral resources

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Geologic Processes Structure of the Earth
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Features of the Crust and Upper Mantle
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Plate Tectonics

• Divergent boundary

• Convergent boundary

• Subduction zone

• Transform fault

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Earths Major Tectonic Plates
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External Earth Processes

• Weathering - break down of rock
• Mechanical
• Frost Wedging
• Exfoliation
• Chemical Weathering
• H2O, CO2, O2 Rock
• Biological Action
• Erosion - transport of rock

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External Earth Processes

• Agents of Erosion
• Water
• Wind
• Gravity
• Glaciers

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Natural Hazards Earthquakes

• Features

• Magnitude

• Aftershocks

• Primary effects

• Secondary effects

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Expected Earthquake Damage
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Natural Hazards Volcanic Eruptions
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Resources Minerals and Rocks

• Mineral (diamond, quartz, gold)

Rock Types

• Igneous (granite, basalt)

• Sedimentary (limestone, sandstone)

• Metamorphic (marble, slate)

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Rock Cycle
Heat, Pressure
Heat, Pressure
Igneous Rock Granite, Pumice, Basalt
Magma (Molten Rock)
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Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

• Metallic

• Non-metallic

• Energy resources

• Ores

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Nonrenewable Mineral Resources Categories

• Identified

• Undiscovered

• Reserves

• Other

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Finding Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

• Satellite and air imagery

• Radiation detectors

• Magnetometers

• Gravity differences

• Seismic surveys

• Chemical analyses

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Extracting Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

• Open-pit (surface mining)

• Dredging (surface mining)

• Area strip (surface mining)

• Contour strip (surface mining)

• Room-and-pillar (subsurface mining)

• Longwall (subsurface mining)

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Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

• Established 1977
• Mine lands must be restored to pre-mining
  conditions
• Taxes on mining companies to restore pre-1977
  sites
• Limited success due to lobbying efforts of coal
  companies

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Environmental Effects of Mining Mineral Resources

• Disruption of land surface

• Subsidence

• Erosion of solid mining waste

• Acid mine drainage

• Air pollution

• Storage leakage of liquid mine waste

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Environmental Effects of Mining Mineral Resources
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More Environmental Impacts of Nonrenewable
Mineral Resources
Surface mining
Subsurface mining

• Overburden

• Room and pillar

• Spoil

• Longwall

• Open-pit

• Dredging

Refer to Figs. 15-4 and 15-5, p. 341 and 342

• Strip mining

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Processing Mineral Resources

• Ore mineral

• Gangue

• Tailings

• Smelting

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Supplies of Mineral Resources

• Economic depletion

• Depletion time

• Foreign sources

• Environmental concerns

• Economics

• New technologies

• Mining the ocean

• Finding substitutes