Transcript Nonrenwable Resources

NATURAL FORMATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES
Mineral Resource – is a concentration of
naturally occurring material in or on the
earth’s crust that is extracted & used at a
reasonable cost to consumers.
Common minerals: calcite, quartz, mica
Mineral Resources
1) Metallic – iron, copper, aluminum
2) Non-metallic – salt, sand
3) Energy – coal, oil, natural gas, uranium
ORES (ROCKS)
Commercially valuable minerals and rocks
are referred to as industrial minerals.
Rocks from which minerals are mined for
economic purposes are referred to as ores.
Minerals form over geologic
time (millions of years) and are
therefore classified as nonrenewable resources.
HOW DO WE FIND MINERAL DEPOS ITS?
1) Drilling deep wells and extracting core
samples
2) Aerial photos & satellite images to reveal
protruding rock formations (outcrops)
3) Radiation measure – detect uranium ore
Hydrothermal Vents Create ORES
USGS defines mineral resources
into two categories 1) identified
& 2) undiscovered
Reserves are identified as
resources from which a usable
nonrenewable mineral can be
extracted for profit.
ORES from WEATHERING
 Sedimentary Sorting (gold)
 Evaporite Deposits (salt)
 Residual Deposits (bauxite)
Overburden – layers of soil &
rock overlying a mineral
deposit & is removed during
surface mining.
WORDS
TO
SPOILS
KNOW
Subsidence – slow or rapid
sinking of part of the ground
that is not slope related.
Smelting – process in which a
desired metal is separated from
the other elements in an ore.
Waste material
Gangue
Tailings
Piles of Gangue
STRIP MINING &
MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL
 Exposure of toxic materials that will
leach into ground and surface waters
 Wildlife is exposed to toxins
 Sediment runoff
COMBUSTION
(electrical production)
STRIP MINING

Land Erosion (sediment runoff)

Emits - SO2, NOx, CO2

Acid Mine Drainage

Inorganic Mercury in Atmosphere -

Habitat Loss
Subsurface MINING

Land Collapse

Fires - fumes

Black Lung Disease

Acid Mine Drainage
methylmecury in aquatics

Ground-level ozone – smog

Respiratory Disease
• Open Pit Mines (coal, copper,
uranium, lead, gold, silver)
• Exposes waste rock like pyrite (FeS2)
which can react with water to form
sulfuric acid.
• Releases ferric ions (Fe++)
• Leaches toxic heavy metals (Al3+,
Zn2+)
• Red Staining - “Yellow Boy”
• Changes pH (can be higher or lower
as it degrades natural buffers)
• Increases conductivity and hardness
TYPICAL COAL BURNING POWER PLANTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
High CO2 emissions
(greenhouse gas)

Other emission: SO2 (acid rain);
NOx; & Mercury

Human health impact –
respiratory diseases

China largest global
consumer of coal reserves

Large disruption to land

Acid Rain

Global Climate Change
Coal Supplies 50% of our
electrical needs in the
United States
COAL GASIFICATION
Produces synthetic
natural gas by coal
liquefaction
Advantages


Large supply
Vehicle Fuel
Disadvantages

High land impact

Increased Surface Mining

High CO2 emissions

Higher cost

Lower net yield
CLEANING UP COAL!
Cleaning - Chemical/Physical
cleaning of coal prior to
combustion
Fluidized-Bed Coal Combustion
1) Removes most of the sulfur dioxide
2) Reduces emissions of NOx
3) Burns coal more efficiently and
cheaply than conventional methods
Scrubbing - injection of
limestone into gases, reaction
of carbonate with sulfur
dioxide produces calcium
sulfate (sludge)
.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT TO MINING PRACTICES & USE
Mining
Exploration; Extraction
Processing
Transportation; purification,
manufacturing
Use
transportation or transmission
to individual user,
eventual use, and discarding
Disturbed land; mining accidents;
health hazards; mine waste
dumping; oil spills and blowouts;
noise; scarring; heat; subsidence
Solid waste; radioactive waste;
air, water, & soil pollution;
noise; safety & health
hazards; heat
Noise; ugliness
thermal water pollution;
pollution of air, water, and soil;
solid and radioactive wastes;
safety and health hazards; heat
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE FROM MINING PRACTICES
Subsurface
Mine Opening
Surface Mine
Runoff of
sediment
Acid drainage from
reaction of mineral
or ore with water
Spoil banks
Leaching of toxic metals
and other compounds
from mine spoil
Percolation to
groundwater
Fig. 14.7, p. 326
Leaching may carry
acids into soil and
ground
water supplies
The ruins of Centralia Pennsylvania no longer exists on
some maps.
The story began sometime in 1961 along the outskirts of
town when trash was burned in an old open pit mine. The
fire in the open pit caught an exposed vein of coal on fire.
The coal then began to burn underground. That was in
1961. Over 40 years and 40 million dollars later the fire
still burns through old coal mines and veins following the
coal under the town and the surrounding hillsides. The
fire, smoke, fumes and toxic gases that came up though
the back yards, basements and streets of Centralia
practically ripped the town apart. Attempts to put the fires
out were unsuccessful.
IMPACT:
1962: Pop. Of 1,100 – 2,000
545 Families & Businesses
1996: Pop. Of 46
20 Families - NO businesses