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Canada is the third largest producer of
minerals.
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Canada is the worlds largest exporter of
minerals.


Only the United States and Russia produce more.
We export 80% of the minerals we produce.
Canada earns roughly $83 billion annually
from its mineral resources.

A mineral is a naturally occurring, pure, nonliving substance found in the rocks of the earth.


There are many minerals that have no economic value,
but some are hugely valuable.
All minerals are divided into three distinct
groups:

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
Fossil Fuels
Metallic Minerals
Non-Metallic/Industrial Minerals
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

A fossil fuel (non-renewable resource) is any mineral
that can be burned to create energy.
Fossils fuels are given this name due to the fact that
they were formed by dead plants and animals being
compressed and heated over millions of years.
There are three different fossil fuels the world uses.

Natural gas: is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture
consisting primarily of methane.

Crude oil: naturally occurring liquid composed mostly of
hydrogen and carbon. Fuel for cars, boats, etc. It is also used for
asphalt for roads, lubricants for machines, plastics for toys,
bottles, and computers.

Coal: is a rock that burns (a solid hydrocarbon), Production of
electricity and/or heat, and is also used for industrial purposes
such as refining metals.

Metallic minerals are minerals that when refined form the
group of materials we know as metals.
1. Some of these metals are mined for their beauty and rareness.
These are known as precious metals.


gold, silver, bronze, platinum and so on.
2. Secondly, metals are mined for their strength such as iron.
3. Finally, other metals are mined for their unique properties.

Copper, for example, is mined for its unique quality of being an
excellent conductor or electricity
Metallic Minerals: Cobalt, copper, gold, iron, nickel, uranium, zinc
Silver
Iron
Gold
Copper
(wires good conductor for electricity)



Often non-metallic minerals are also referred to as industrial
minerals.
Non-metallic minerals are a more difficult type of mineral to
define.
Are often described in terms of what they are not.




Are all things that are mined that are not metallic minerals or fossil fuels.
These are minerals that are not metallic but possess other useful
qualities.
Each of these minerals has a unique quality that makes them
useful.
This group of minerals includes:

gravel, sand, gypsum, potash, soapstone, salt, asbestos and diamonds.
Potash
(fertilizer)
(Eskimo art)
Soapstone
Gravel
(Fire Proof)
Asbestos
1. Nickel
2. Natural Gas
3. Potash
4. Sand
5. Gold
6. Oil
7. Gravel
8. Copper
a. Electric Wire
b. Glass & Ceramics
c. Electronic Contacts
d. Fertilizer
e. Cement
f. Stainless steel
g. Heat in your home
h. Plastic cd case
1. Nickel
2. Natural Gas
3. Potash
4. Sand
5. Gold
c. Stainless steel
g. Heat in your homes
d. Fertilizer
b. Glass and Ceramics
c. Electronic Contacts
(usb cables, good conductor of electricity)
6. Oil
7. Gravel
8. Copper
h. Plastic cd case
e. Cement
a. Electric Wire



Look at the map on Page 319 of your textbook.
Jot down on your resource map what type of
mineral is mined in each province/territory.
Create some sort of legend.

There are three major types of mining that are
commonly used:
Strip Mining
 Open Pit mining
 Underground mining


Which type of mine is used depends on the
location of the mineral deposits.

Get into small groups.

Use the text book. Pages 324 & 325

Find description and come up with pros and
cons of each type of mining.

Is used to extract minerals, such as coal and oil sands,
that are located in horizontal layers near the surface.
1. Overburden (trees, earth, rock) is removed.
2. Blasting may be necessary for some mineral deposits.
3. Material is loaded onto trucks or conveyor belts by
shovels or draglines.
4. Material is taken to storage area for shipment to market
or processing.

Pros




Quicker
Cheaper
Strip mining areas can be filled in to its natural state,
but the process can take up to 30 years
Cons

The large impact of surface mining on the
topography, vegetation, and water resources has
made it highly controversial.

Is used to extract minerals that are located near the
surface but that may extend deep into the earth.
1. Overburden is removed.
2. Holes are drilled 10-15m deep and filled with
explosives. The rock is blasted apart.
3. Ore is loaded into large trucks (which may carry 90
to 250 tonnes) by huge shovels.
4. Ore can now be taken to a storage site near the mill.
 Examples:
 Adams Mine – abandoned mine in Kirkland
Lake Ont.
 Sherman Mine – abandoned iron mine in
Temagami, Ont.
 Colomac Mine – gold mine in Northwest
Territories.
 Pros
 Easier extraction
 Open-pit mines are chosen when deposits of
valuable minerals are found beneath the
surface and where there overburden
(overlaying rock or earth) is relatively thin.
 Safer working conditions
 Cave-ins are virtually eliminated as risks;
and build-up of toxic gases, which can cause
sudden explosions or contribute to chronic
illnesses, does not occur.
 Cons
 Environmental Contamination
 negative impact on the surrounding environment and
ecosystems. The removal of the overburden destroys the
pre-existing landscape and contributes to erosion.
 Human health risks
 Tailing ponds are large contained bodies of waste water
left behind after mineral extraction and treatment.
Contaminated water sits in these ponds, This can result
in the contaminants leeching into the soil or local surface
and ground water systems.
Super pit Gold mine
Sherman Mine

Is used to extract mineral ores located deep in the
earth.
1. Miners take an elevator (cage) from the headframe
down to the working area (stope).
2. Holes are drilled in the rock face at the stope and filled
with explosives.
3. The explosive is set off by an electric charge. The rock is
blasted apart.
4. After the blast, miners test the walls and ceiling. Rock
bolts or timber supports are used to prop up week
areas.
5. Blasted rock is called “muck.” Front-end
loaders or small trains remove the much to a
central underground location. The muck is
dropped down a large hole (ore pass) to the
crusher.
6. The muck is crushed and loaded onto a hoist,
called a skip. The skip lifts the ore to the
surface.
7. Ore is taken to a storage site near the mill.

Pros
 It allows minerals to be extracted from deep
underground.
 It doesn't create a mess like open cut or surface mining.
 Does not affect the physical environment as much as
surface mining.

Cons
 Costly
 Unsafe working conditions.
 Cave-ins, build-up of toxic gases, which can cause
sudden explosions or contribute to chronic illnesses.

Pollution from tailings ponds

Once minerals are mined, they are taken to a smelting factory in
order to be separated into its purest form.

Due to the fact that not all of the material mined is useful, much of
it needs to be disposed of.

This waste is called tailings and are composed of water, chemicals
and rock particles.

Tailings are poisonous and are dumped into tailings ponds that
prevent the dangerous chemicals from seeping into lakes and
rivers.

Unfortunately, many animals cannot tell the difference between
tailings ponds and regular ponds and will often land in them.

This is extremely detrimental to an animals health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83DpVk
-uN00

Negative Impact on the Environment

The smelting and refining process in the mining industry is
responsible for harmful emissions that find their way into the
air and nearby lakes and rivers and can also cause acid rain.

There have been several restrictions placed on these factories in
an attempt to cut emissions.

Unfortunately, these restrictions tend to decrease the
production of the plant.

Companies need to be as environmentally friendly as possible
while still being competitive in a world market.

Six of the biggest ten polluters in North America are smelters
and refineries in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba.

The largest producer of sulphur dioxide is in Sudbury Ont.

Abandoned Mines

What happens to the land once a mine is closed?

Even after mines are closed they can still continue to pollute the
area nearby.

Governments now require mining companies to plan what will
be done with the mine after it is closed.

Many mines are filled with gravel or water and are used for
recreation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynwoYVHx5O8&feature
=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=acti
ve
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Mining Towns

Mining towns are completely dependent on the mines for their
existence.

Once a mine closes, the town will have a very difficult time
surviving unless they find another economic opportunity.


This can be very disruptive to peoples lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byxVwec_IaI
Mineral Deposits in Other Countries

Developing countries do not have nearly as many environmental
restrictions as Canada.
 Ex. Pollution control, only certain amount of pollution aloud or get
fined.

For this reason the other countries can sell their minerals for
cheaper and threaten the Canadian market.

Part of operating costs go to being environmentally safe, and other
countries don’t follow as close


Choose 3 of 5 threats, brainstorm two
individuals who might have an opinion on the
issue.
Write down what their perspective might be.


Choose one of the perspectives you have just
written about. You must write from that
persons perspective.
You may choose to write in one of the
following forms:
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
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
Letter
Diary
Speech
Proposal
Make sure that you are using the information
we have already learned in your response.
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
Use the 5 factors that influence the location of
industry in order to make an educated decision on
where you are going to open your new
manufacturing plant.
Your new plant must be dedicated to the production
of one of the following products:
Wooden Canoe Paddle
Leather Purse
Gold Necklace
Kleenex