Geology and Geology and Nonrenewable MineralsNonrenewable Minerals
Chapter 12Chapter 12
Key ConceptsKey Concepts
Major geologic processesMajor geologic processes
Rocks and the rock cycleRocks and the rock cycle
Finding and extracting mineral resourcesFinding and extracting mineral resources
Environmental effects of miningEnvironmental effects of mining
Enough nonrenewable resources for the future?Enough nonrenewable resources for the future?
General Mining Law of 1872General Mining Law of 1872
Original purpose of the lawOriginal purpose of the law
Impact on US public landsImpact on US public lands
Benefits to mining companiesBenefits to mining companies
Costs to the publicCosts to the public
Environmental issuesEnvironmental issues
Laws in other countriesLaws in other countries
Fig. 12-1, p. 269
Internal Geologic ProcessesInternal Geologic Processes What is geology?What is geology? - the study dynamic processes occurring on the - the study dynamic processes occurring on the
Earth’s surface and in it’s interior.Earth’s surface and in it’s interior.
Earth’s internal structureEarth’s internal structure• CoreCore - solid inner part, surrounded by a liquid core of - solid inner part, surrounded by a liquid core of
semisolid material. semisolid material.• MantleMantle - surrounds the core. Solid rock over the - surrounds the core. Solid rock over the asthenosphersasthenosphers..
• CrustsCrusts (continental and oceanic) (continental and oceanic)
Plate tectonics - convection cells cause about 15 Plate tectonics - convection cells cause about 15 plates to move across the earth’s surface.plates to move across the earth’s surface.
Atmosphere
Biosphere
CrustLower mantle
AsthenosphereUpper mantle
Continentalcrust
Oceaniccrust
Lithosphere Vegetationand animals
Soil
Rock
Crust (soiland rock)
Atmosphere(air)
Biosphere(living and dead
organisms)Lithosphere
(crust, top of upper mantle)
Hydrosphere(water)
Core
Mantle
Fig. 3-5, p. 38
General Structure of the EarthGeneral Structure of the Earth
Fig. 12-2, p. 271
Oceanic crust(lithosphere)
Abyssalhills Abyssal
floorOceanic
ridgeTrench
Volcanoes
Folded mountain belt
Craton
Mantle (lithosphere)
Mantle (asthenosphere)
Ab
ys
sa
l p
lain
Continental crust(lithosphere)
Mantle(lithosphere)
Continentalrise
Continentalslope
Continentalshelf
Abyssal plain
Abyssalfloor
Earth’s Crust and Upper Mantle Earth’s Crust and Upper Mantle
Fig. 12-3, p. 272
Tectonicplate
Collision between two continents
Oceanic tectonicplate
Spreading center Oceanic tectonic
plateOcean trench
Plate movement Plate movement
Continentalcrust
Subductionzone
Oceaniccrust
Oceaniccrust
Continentalcrust
Mantle
Innercore
Hot outercore
Two plates movetowards each other.One is subductedback into the mantleon falling convectioncurrent.
Mantleconvectioncell
Hot materialrisingthroughthe mantle
Material cools as it reachesthe outer mantle
Cold densematerial fallsback throughmantle
Plate TectonicsPlate Tectonics
Inner core
Plate TectonicsPlate Tectonics
Tectonic platesTectonic plates
Lithosphere - outer most part of the mantelLithosphere - outer most part of the mantel
Plate tectonics and biological evolutionPlate tectonics and biological evolution - Populations became isolated and speciation - Populations became isolated and speciation
occurred.occurred.
Fig. 12-4, p. 273
EURASIAN PLATEEURASIAN PLATE
CHINACHINASUBPLATESUBPLATE
PHILIPPINEPHILIPPINEPLATEPLATE
INDIAN-AUSTRLIAN INDIAN-AUSTRLIAN PLATEPLATE
PACIFICPACIFICPLATEPLATE
JUAN DEJUAN DEFUCA PLATEFUCA PLATE
NORTHNORTHAMERICANAMERICAN
PLATEPLATE
SOUTHSOUTHAMERICANAMERICAN
PLATEPLATE
ANATOLIANANATOLIAN PLATEPLATE
ARABIANARABIAN PLATEPLATE
SOMALIANSOMALIAN SUBPLATESUBPLATE
ANTARCTIC PLATEANTARCTIC PLATE
Convergent plate boundaries Divergent boundaries
Earth’s Major Tectonic PlatesEarth’s Major Tectonic Plates
AFRICANAFRICAN PLATEPLATE
NAZCANAZCA PLATEPLATE
CARIBBEANCARIBBEAN PLATEPLATE
Transform faults
Types of Plate Types of Plate BoundariesBoundaries
DivergentDivergent Move apartMove apart ConvergentConvergent Pushed togetherPushed together TransformTransform Grind past one Grind past one
another another
Fig. 12-5, p. 274
Fig. 12-5a, p. 274
Lithosphere
AsthenosphereOceanic ridge at a divergent plate boundary
Types of Plate BoundariesTypes of Plate Boundaries
Fig. 12-5b, p. 274
Lithosphere
Trench Volcanic island arc
Asthenosphere
Risingmagma
Subductionzone
Trench and volcanic island arc at a convergent plate boundary
Types of Plate BoundariesTypes of Plate Boundaries
Transform fault connecting two divergent plate boundaries
Fig. 12-5c, p. 274
Fracture zone
Transformfault
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Types of Plate BoundariesTypes of Plate Boundaries
External Earth ProcessesExternal Earth Processes
ErosionErosion - material is dissolved, loosened, or worn away- material is dissolved, loosened, or worn away
Physical (mechanical) weathering: frost wedgingPhysical (mechanical) weathering: frost wedging
Chemical weatheringChemical weathering
Biological weatheringBiological weathering
Question of the DayQuestion of the Day
As the Tsunami crest approaches shore, As the Tsunami crest approaches shore, the wave height _________, the velocity the wave height _________, the velocity __________, and the period _____.__________, and the period _____.
Choices: DecreasesChoices: Decreases
IncreasesIncreases
Remains constant Remains constant
Fig. 12-6, p. 275
Igneous RockGranite,pumice,basalt
Metamorphic RockSlate, marble, gneissquartzite
Magma(molten rock)
Heat, pressure, stress
Heat, pressure
Melting
Sedimentary Rock
sandstone, limestone
Deposition
TransportationErosion
Weathering
The Rock CycleThe Rock Cycle
Cooling
Mineral ResourcesMineral Resources
Generally nonrenewableGenerally nonrenewable
Metallic, nonmetallic, and energy resourcesMetallic, nonmetallic, and energy resources
OresOres - rock containing enough of one or more - rock containing enough of one or more metallic minerals to be mined profitably.metallic minerals to be mined profitably.
Categories of Mineral ResourcesCategories of Mineral Resources
IdentifiedIdentified
UndiscoveredUndiscovered
ReservesReserves
OtherOther
Fig. 12-7, p. 276
Finding Mineral ResourcesFinding Mineral Resources
Aerial and satellite imagesAerial and satellite images
Radiation detectorsRadiation detectors
MagnetometersMagnetometers
GravimetersGravimeters
Seismic surveysSeismic surveys
Chemical analysesChemical analyses
Extracting Mineral DepositsExtracting Mineral Deposits
Surface miningSurface mining
Subsurface miningSubsurface mining
Overburden - soil and rockOverburden - soil and rock
Spoils - discarded overburden or Spoils - discarded overburden or waste materialwaste material
Mining MethodsMining Methods Open-pit (surface mining) Bingham UtahOpen-pit (surface mining) Bingham Utah
Area strip mining (surface)Area strip mining (surface)
Contour strip mining (surface)Contour strip mining (surface)
Mountaintop removal (surface)Mountaintop removal (surface)
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977
Subsurface miningSubsurface mining
Hazards and environmental tradeoffs of subsurface miningHazards and environmental tradeoffs of subsurface mining
Open-pit MineOpen-pit Mine
Fig. 12-8, p. 277
Spoil from an Unrestored Area Spoil from an Unrestored Area Strip MineStrip Mine
Fig. 12-9, p. 277
HighwallCoal seamOverburden
Coal seam
PitBench
Undisturbed Land
Overburden
Spoil Banks
Contour Strip MiningContour Strip Mining
Fig. 12-10, p. 277
Mountaintop MiningMountaintop Mining
Fig. 12-11, p. 278
Environmental Effects of Environmental Effects of Using Mineral ResourcesUsing Mineral Resources
Disrupting the land surfaceDisrupting the land surface
SubsidenceSubsidence
Toxic mining wasteToxic mining waste
Acid mine drainageAcid mine drainage
Air pollutionAir pollution
Toxic holding pondsToxic holding ponds
Steps Environmental Effects
Exploration, extraction
MiningDisturbed land; mining accidents; health hazards; mine waste dumping;oil spills and blowouts; noise; ugliness; heat
Solid wastes; radioactive material; air, water, and soil pollution; noise; safety and health hazards; ugliness; heat
Processing
Transportation, purifi-cation, manufacturing
Use
transportation or trans-mission to individual user,eventual use, and discarding
Noise; ugliness; thermal water pollution; pollution of air, water, and soil;solid and radioactive wastes; safety and health hazards; heat
Fig. 12-12, p. 279
Environmental Effects of Mineral UseEnvironmental Effects of Mineral UseNatural Capital Degredation
Extracting, Processing, and Using Nonrenewable Mineral and Energy Resources
Processing of Mineral ResourcesProcessing of Mineral Resources
Ore mineral - the desired metalOre mineral - the desired metal Gangue - (“gang”) the waste materialGangue - (“gang”) the waste material
Tailings - piles of waste produced by Tailings - piles of waste produced by processingprocessing
Smelting - separates the metal from other Smelting - separates the metal from other elements in the ore mineralelements in the ore mineral
ProductsProducts Disposal or recyclingDisposal or recycling
Surface mining
Metal ore
Separationof ore fromgangue
Recycling
Discarding of product(Scattered in environ-ment)
Conversion to product
Melting metal
Smelting
Fig. 12-13, p. 279
Typical Life Cycle of a Metal Typical Life Cycle of a Metal ResourceResource
Reuse
Environmental Limits to Environmental Limits to Resource ExtractionResource Extraction
Environmental damage: a major mining problem Environmental damage: a major mining problem which will limit their availability, not exhaustion of which will limit their availability, not exhaustion of suppliessupplies
Ore grade - higher-grade ores exploited firstOre grade - higher-grade ores exploited first
Including environmental costs in productsIncluding environmental costs in products
Supplies of Mineral ResourcesSupplies of Mineral Resources Available supply and how rapidly it is usedAvailable supply and how rapidly it is used
Minerals become “Economically depletion” not “totally depleted”Minerals become “Economically depletion” not “totally depleted”
Five choices after depletionFive choices after depletion
• Recycle or reuseRecycle or reuse• Waste lessWaste less• Use lessUse less• Find a substituteFind a substitute• Do withoutDo without
Depletion time is how long it takes to use 80% of the reservesDepletion time is how long it takes to use 80% of the reserves
Economics determines what part of the known supply is extracted Economics determines what part of the known supply is extracted and usedand used
Finding alternativesFinding alternatives
Fig. 12-14, p. 280
Present Depletiontime A
Depletiontime B
Depletiontime C
Time
Pro
du
ctio
n
C
B
A
Recycle, reuse, reduceconsumption; increasereserves by improvedmining technology,higher prices, andnew discoveries
Recycle; increase reservesby improved miningtechnology, higher prices,and new discoveries
Mine, use, throw away;no new discoveries;rising prices
Depletion Curves for a Depletion Curves for a Nonrenewable ResourceNonrenewable Resource
Economics and Supplies of Economics and Supplies of Nonrenewable ResourcesNonrenewable Resources
Roll of economics in miningRoll of economics in mining
Standard economic theory = supply and demandStandard economic theory = supply and demand
Limited free market in developed countriesLimited free market in developed countries
Government subsidies of miningGovernment subsidies of mining
1872 US General Mining Law1872 US General Mining Law
Economic problems of developing new minesEconomic problems of developing new mines
http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.phphttp://www.storyofstuff.com/index.php
Mining Lower-grade OresMining Lower-grade Ores
New extraction technologies are neededNew extraction technologies are needed
Factors that limit mining lower-grade oresFactors that limit mining lower-grade ores
• CostsCosts
• Supplies of freshwaterSupplies of freshwater
• Environmental impactsEnvironmental impacts
Biomining: microorganisms and Biomining: microorganisms and in-situin-situ mining mining
Nanotechnology RevolutionNanotechnology Revolution
NanotechnologyNanotechnology
BuckyballsBuckyballs
Molecular economyMolecular economy
Possible achievements of nanotechnologyPossible achievements of nanotechnology
Possible environmental and health threatsPossible environmental and health threats
Likely need for guidelines and regulationsLikely need for guidelines and regulations
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Ocean MiningOcean Mining
Ore deposits in the oceanOre deposits in the ocean
Minerals from seawaterMinerals from seawater
Minerals in ocean sedimentsMinerals in ocean sediments
Hydrothermal depositsHydrothermal deposits
Manganese-rich nodulesManganese-rich nodules
Mining issues in international watersMining issues in international waters
Environmental issuesEnvironmental issues
Fig. 12-15, p. 283
Magma
Black smoker
Sulfidedeposit
White crab
Tube worms
Whitesmoker
White clam
Hydrothermal Ore Deposits on Hydrothermal Ore Deposits on the Ocean Floorthe Ocean Floor
Finding Substitutes for Scarce Finding Substitutes for Scarce Mineral ResourcesMineral Resources
Materials revolutionMaterials revolution
Ceramic substitutesCeramic substitutes
High-strength plastics and compositesHigh-strength plastics and composites
Finding some substitutes may be impossibleFinding some substitutes may be impossible
Some substitutes are inferiorSome substitutes are inferior
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