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BAESI: California’s Resources

BAESI: California’s Resources. Earth Materials. Earth Materials Focus Questions. Why are Earth materials important? What is a mineral ? What’s the difference between a mineral and a rock?. What is a Mineral?. A mineral is a naturally-occurring solid

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BAESI: California’s Resources

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  1. BAESI: California’s Resources Earth Materials

  2. Earth MaterialsFocus Questions • Why are Earth materials important? • What is a mineral? • What’s the difference between a mineral and a rock?

  3. What is a Mineral? A mineral is a naturally-occurring solid with a definite (but generally not fixed) chemical composition and an orderly internal arrangement of atoms (crystalline). Examples of chemical formulas for minerals: Quartz: SiO2 Pyrite: FeS2

  4. Crystalline Halite - NaCl Definite chemical composition Orderly arrangement of atoms

  5. How Many Minerals Are There?> 4,000 - but only a few are common in rocksRelative abundance of elements in Earth’s crust Silicates are mostcommon

  6. Rocks: Aggregates of Minerals http://www.geo.wvu.edu/~jtoro/geol101/minerals/Granitic_Minerals.jpg

  7. Mineral Identification • What properties can be used to identify minerals? • What do you observe?

  8. Physical properties used to identify minerals • Color • Streak • Luster • Hardness • Cleavage/fracture • Specific gravity (“heft’) • Reaction with dilute HCl (or vinegar) • Magnetism • Crystal habit or form

  9. Moh’s Scale of Hardness

  10. Examples of Cleavage

  11. FORMATION OF MINERAL DEPOSITS Source: Steve Nelson, Tulane Univ. Concentration factor: the increase in concentration of a mineral required to form an ore. Is this a constant?

  12. Types of Mineral Deposits • Hydrothermal mineral deposits form in association with magma and water Gold, cinnabar • Residual mineral deposits formed by weathering reactions at the earth’s surface. Bauxite (aluminum ore) in tropical soil • Placer deposits are sorted and distributed by flow of transporting media such as water, wind and ice; Sand and gravel; gold, diamonds • Sedimentary mineral deposits are precipitated from a solution, typically sea water (evaporites) Salt, borates • Mineral deposits form in association withmetamorphism • Graphite, garnet

  13. Mineral Resources: Overview • Metallic Minerals • Non-ferrous: Copper, Zinc, Tin, Lead, Aluminum, Titanium, Manganese, Magnesium, Mercury, Vanadium, Molybdenum, Tungsten, Silver, Gold, Platinum • Energy Resources • Fossil Fuels: Coal, Oil, Natural Gas • Uranium • Geothermal Energy • Building Stone, Sand, Gravel, Limestone • Non-metallic Minerals Sulfur, Gypsum, Coal, Barite, Salt, Clay, Feldspar, Gem Minerals, Abrasives, Borax, Lime, Magnesia, Potash, Phosphates, Silica, Fluorite, Asbestos, Mica • Metallic Minerals • Ferrous: Iron and Steel, Cobalt, Nickel

  14. Mineral Resources • Are mineral resources renewable or nonrenewable? • Why?

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  16. Mineral Resources • Metals – iron, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, cobalt, gold, silver, or platinum • Nonmetallic Minerals – sulfides, lime (calcium carbonate), sulfur, halite, clay, gypsum, or potash • Rock resources – most abundant quantity of earth resources we use • Sand, gravel, limestone, quartz-rich sand, marble, granite, and sandstone • Energy Resources • Fossil Fuels: Coal, Oil, Natural Gas • Uranium • Geothermal Energy

  17. Uses for some minerals and rocks • Hematite • Quartz • Graphite • Gypsum • Calcite • Galena

  18. Minerals Hematite: Ore of iron used to make steel; pigment Quartz (silicon dioxide) – Primary ingredient in glass Graphite: Pencil lead; lubricant Gypsum: Plaster of paris; drywall; wallboard Calcite: In toothpastes, cements, and mortars Galena: Ore of lead Rocks Obsidian - Ornamental stone, anciently used as a tool, jewelry, brain surgery scalpel blade Granite - Used in buildings Pumice - An abrasive in soaps and in emery boards. Sandstone - Used in construction Limestone - Used to manufacture cement, paper, and the packaging of chewing gum

  19. California’s Non-fuel Mineral Production, 2007

  20. Mineral Resources: Distribution • Globally, very un-even distribution • Some countries have plenty – export nations • Some countries have none – import nation • Un-even distribution: wars fought

  21. World Mineral Supply • Technology often allows more access to difficult or low grade ore deposits • Less developed nations are striving to achieve comparable standards of living as the technologically advanced countries enjoy • Future mineral-resource shortages will occur and cause international tension • Recycle • Reduce consumption rate

  22. Environmental Impacts of Mining • Air and water pollution • Occupational hazard • Underground mining • Generally hard to see where they are located Old, abandoned, and forgotten mines are still a problem • Surface Mining: Land Disturbance • Open-Pit • Strip • Spoil banks - pollution

  23. Impacts: Mineral Processing • Ore rock is ground or crushed for extraction • The fine waste material is placed in tailings • The tailings are exposed to wind and weather • Acid mine drainage • Harmful elements such as mercury, arsenic, cadmium, or uranium can leached out • The surface and subsurface water systems are too often contaminated • Chemicals used in ore extraction are toxic Example: cyanide to leach gold • Smelting ores to extract metals, often produce metal laden exhaust gas or ash, sulfur oxide and acid rain pollution

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