Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment

16th Edition

Chapter 14

Key Concepts

Major geologic processes

Minerals, rocks, and the rock cycle

Earthquakes and volcanoes

Finding and extracting mineral resources

Non-renewable mineral resources

Geologic Processes: Structure of the Earth

Fig. 4-7 p. 60

Earth Structure animation

Features of the Crust and Upper Mantle

Fig. 16-2 p. 333

Plate Tectonics

Divergent boundary

Convergent boundary

Subduction zone

Transform fault

Refer to Fig. 16-3 p. 334 Fig. 16-5 p. 336

Tectonic plate

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 coolsas it reachesthe outer mantle

Cold densematerial fallsback throughmantle

Earth’s Major Tectonic Plates

Fig. 16-4, p. 335

Lithosphere

Asthenosphere

Oceanic ridge at a divergent plate boundary

Lithosphere

Trench Volcanic island arc

Asthenosphere

Risingmagma

Subductionzone

Trench and volcanic island arc at a convergentplate boundary

Fracture zone

Transformfault

Lithosphere

Asthenosphere

Transform fault connecting two divergent plate boundaries

External Earth Processes

Erosion

Mechanical weathering

Frost wedging

Chemical weathering

Biological weathering

Natural Hazards: Earthquakes

Features

Magnitude

Aftershocks

Primary effects

Secondary effectsFig. 16-6 p. 337

Expected Earthquake Damage

Fig. 16-7 p. 337

Canada

United States

No damage expectedMinimal damageModerate damageSevere damage

Measuring earthquakes: Earthquake waves

How earthquakes happen: Earthquake cause

Natural Hazards: Volcanic Eruptions

Fig. 16-8 p. 338

extinctvolcanoes

magmareservoir

centralvent

magmaconduit

Solidlithosphere

Upwellingmagma

Partially moltenasthenosphere

White clam

Magma

Black smoker

Sulfidedeposit

White crab

Tube worms

Whitesmoker

Minerals and Rocks

Mineral (diamond, quartz)

Rock Types

Igneous (granite, basalt)

Sedimentary (limestone, sandstone)

Metamorphic (marble, slate)

Fig. 16-9 p. 339

Igneous RockGranite, Pumice,

Basalt

Sedimentary RockShale, Sandstone,

Limestone

Metamorphic RockSlate, Quartzite,

Marble

Magma(Molten Rock)

Weathering

Erosion

Transport Deposition

Heat,Pressure

Heat,

Pressure

Rock Cycle

Igneous RockGranite,pumice,basalt

Metamorphic RockSlate, marble,quartzite

Magma(molten rock)

Heat, pressure, stress

Heat, pressure

Melting

Sedimentary RockShale, sandstone,

limestone

Deposition

Transportation

Erosion

Weathering

Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

Metallic

Non-metallic

Energy resources

Ores

Nonrenewable Mineral Resources: Categories

Identified

Undiscovered

Reserves

OtherFig. 16-10 p. 340

Finding Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

Satellite and air imagery

MagnetometersGravity differences

Radiation detectors

Seismic surveysChemical analyses

Extracting Nonrenewable Mineral Resources: Fig. 16-11 and 16-12Open-pit (surface mining)

Area strip (surface mining)Contour strip (surface mining)

Dredging (surface mining)

Room-and-pillar (subsurface mining)Longwall (subsurface mining)

Open Pit Mine

Dredging

Contour Strip Mining

Area Strip Mining

Underground Coal Mine

Ventilation shaft

Shaft

Mainshaft

Lift cage

Pumps

Coalseams

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

Extra credit assignment: Read, summarize and comment on: Mining companies make fortunes off of public land

Environmental Effects of Mining Mineral ResourcesDisruption of land surfaceSubsidenceErosion of solid mining wasteAcid mine drainageAir pollutionStorage and leakage of liquid mining

waste

Environmental Effects of Mining Mineral Resources

Fig. 16-14 p. 344

More Environmental Impacts of Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

Surface mining Subsurface mining

Overburden SpoilOpen-pitDredgingStrip mining

Room and pillarLongwall

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

Processing Mineral Resources

Ore mineral

Gangue

Tailings

Smelting Refer to Fig. 16-15 p. 344

Supplies of Mineral Resources

Economic depletion Depletion time Foreign sources

Economics

Environmental concerns

Mining the ocean Finding substitutes Fig. 16-16 p. 346

New technologies

Surface mining

Metal ore

Separationof ore fromgangue

Scattered in environment

Recycling

Discarding of product

Conversion to product

Melting metal

Smelting