APES: Chapter Notes
Chapter 15: Geologic Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCg81A6kwg0 Overview!
*15-1 Nature and Formation of Mineral
Resources
A mineral resource is a concentration of
naturally occurring material in or on the
earth’s crust that can be extracted and
processed at an affordable cost.
Mineral resources form over millions to
billions of years due to geological processes
and, as a result, are essentially nonrenewable.
There are over 100 mineral resources and
can be classified as
1- metallic mineral resources (iron,
copper, silver)
2- nonmetallic mineral resources (salt,
clay, phosphates)
1
3- energy resources (coal, oil, natural
gas, uranium)
Ore is defined as rock containing
enough metallic mineral to be mined
profitably.
Ores can form when
2
1: molten rock (magma) seeps into gaps
in the crust.
2: More commonly superheated
seawater dissolves minerals from rock
forming metal-bearing solutions which then
cool forming hydrothermal (water-heat)
ore deposits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ1HIBIIJU0 (oil)
Estimates of the supply of a mineral
resource refer to how much has been
identified and can be extracted profitably
(reserves).
15-2 Finding and Removing Mineral
Resources
Numerous techniques are used to locate
mineral resources including:
a. aerial photographs and satellite
images
b. radiation measuring equipment or
magnetometers on airplanes
c. drilling and extracting core samples
3
d. seismic surveys
(geophysicist)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWtymRNbqaE
e. chemical analysis
(Chemical Geologists)
Once found there are several mining
techniques used to remove deposits
including surface mining (shallow
deposits) and sub-surface (deep).
Mountain Top Removal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5RcbPZXUZo
4
Overburden (soil and rock) covers a
deposit and is known as spoil once it is
removed and discarded. A process called
smelting is used to remove the mineral
resource from the rock in which it has
formed.
5
MINI HW #1: Review Questions Page 377 #’s: 3, 4, 5
**15-4 Supplies of Mineral Resources
Mineral resources become economically
depleted when it costs more to find,
extract, and process the remaining ore than
it is worth.
Depletion times are difficult to measure
but are commonly stated as the depletion
time (how long a given reserve will last at
current consumption rates).
6
Depletion times can be influenced by
reuse, recycling, reduced consumption,
improved technology, economic forces, and
the discovery of new deposits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3-HAuAoGHE (oil consumption currently)
15-5 Evaluating Energy Resources
The sun supplies 99% of the energy
used to heat the earth. Indirect forms of
solar energy include wind, hydropower
(rising and falling water), and biomass.
Commercial energy (the other 1%) comes
from extracting mineral resources (mostly
fossil fuels).
Coal: decreasing world-wide due to its
polluting effects and effects on climate.
Oil: usage continue to climb (1%/year)
because of abundance, low price (that does
not include environmental damage).
Oil recovery
http://www.hippocampus.org/AP%20Environmental%20Science
7
Natural Gas: usage climbing (2%/year)
because of abundance and it is the cleanest
and least climate disrupting of the fossil
fuels.
Fracking! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uti2niW2BRA
As you watch this video please write down
how the process works!
Nuclear Power: leveled off since 1989.
President Obama has recently provided
economic incentive to help build new
nuclear power plants.
8
Biomass: coal and wood used in
developing countries
Net energy is the total amount of energy
available from an energy source minus the
energy needed to find, extract, process, and
transport it.
The net energy ratio measures the
useful energy produced to the useful energy
needed to produce it. (see Fig. 15-17; pg
354)
15-9 Nuclear Power
In fission reactors neutrons are used to
split atoms of uranium-235 or plutonium239 to release heat. The heat is then used
to produce steam which is used to spin a
turbine producing electricity.
In the 1950’s it was predicted 1,800
nuclear plants would supply 21% of the
9
world’s commercial energy. (2001: 436
reactors produced 6%).
No nuclear power plants have been built
in the US since 1978 and only 103 are in
operation today.
Reasons for the failure of Nuclear Power:
1- construction cost overruns
2- stricter government regulation
3- higher operating costs
4- poor management
5- public concerns
There are also concerns about terrorist
attacks and questions concerning how to
dispose of radioactive nuclear wastes.
10
Fusion reactors attempt to generate heat
by joining atoms of hydrogen together.
At the moment the technology is still in
the development stage and it may be 20100 years before a working fusion plant is
built.
Nuclear power
http://www.hippocampus.org/AP%20Environment
al%20Science
Yucca Mountain- While watching this video please
list 3 pros and 3 cons for using Yucca Mountain as a
Nuclear waste disposal site.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uguE4Y4KxY0
Mini Hw #2: Review Questions Page 377 #’s: 7, 9, 17, 18, 26
11
APES: Chapter Notes
Chapter 15: Geologic Resources
15-1 Nature and Formation Of Mineral Resources
What is a mineral resource?
Why are mineral resources essentially non-renewable?
There are over 100 mineral resources and can be classified as
123What is an ore?
Briefly describe the two common ways ores are formed:
12-
Define hydrothermal ore:
12
Define mineral reserve:
15-2 Finding and Removing Mineral Resources
Numerous techniques are used to locate mineral resources including:
12345List several surface mining techniques.
Use your book to briefly describe three sub-surface (deep) techniques.
What is Overburden?
What is spoil?
What is smelting used to do?
15- 4 Supplies of Mineral Resources
What does it mean to say a resource is economically depleted?
What is the reserve-to-production ratio?
List six factors that can influence depletion times:
12313
45615-5 Evaluating Energy Resources
The sun supplies 99% of the energy used to heat the earth.
What are some indirect forms of solar energy?
123Commercial energy (the other 1%) comes from extracting mineral resources
(mostly fossil fuels).
Handout Comparing Fuel Resources
Coal: decreasing world-wide due to its polluting effects and effects on climate.
Oil: usage continue to climb (1%/year) because of abundance, low price (that
does not include environmental damage).
Natural Gas: usage climbing (2%/year) because of abundance and it is the
cleanest and least climate disrupting of the fossil fuels.
Nuclear Power: leveled off since 1989.
Biomass: coal and wood used in developing countries
Energy Use in the United States: Graph Analysis
What is Net energy?
What does net energy ratio measure?
15-9 Nuclear Power
Describe the basic working of a fission reactor:
How do the predictions made in the 1950’s concerning the future of nuclear
power match with the reality of 2001?
14
How many nuclear power plants have been built in the US since 1978?
How many nuclear power plants are in operation today in the US.
Reasons for the failure of Nuclear Power:
12345What other concerns exist?
What is the fundamental difference between fusion and fission reactors?
At the moment the technology is still in the development stage and it may be 20-100
years before a working fusion plant is built.
15
APES: Chapter Notes
Chapter 15: Geologic Resources
15-1 Nature and Formation Of Mineral Resources
A mineral resource is a concentration of naturally occurring material in or on
the earth’s crust that can be extracted and processed at an affordable cost.
Mineral resources form over millions to billions of years due to geological
processes and as a result are essentially non-renewable.
There are over 100 mineral resources and can be classified as
4- metallic mineral resources (iron, copper, silver)
5- nonmetallic mineral resources (salt, clay, phosphates)
6- energy resources (coal, oil, natural gas, uranium)
Ore is defined as rock containing enough metallic mineral to be mined profitably.
Ores can form when molten rock (magma) seeps into gaps in the crust.
More commonly superheated seawater dissolves minerals from rock forming
metal-bearing solutions which then cool forming hydrothermal (water-heat) ore
deposits. Estimates of the supply of a mineral resource refer to how much has been
identified and can be extracted profitably (reserves).
15-2 Finding and Removing Mineral Resources
Numerous techniques are used to locate mineral resources including:
a- aerial photographs and satellite images
b- radiation measuring equipment or magnetometers on airplanes
c- drilling and extracting core samples
d- seismic surveys
16
e- chemical analysis
Once found there are several mining techniques used to remove deposits
including surface mining (shallow deposits) and sub-surface (deep).
Overburden (soil and rock) covers a deposit and is known as spoil once it is
removed and discarded. A process called smelting is used to remove the mineral
resource from the rock in which it has formed.
Handout on Different types of Surface Mining
15- 4 Supplies of Mineral Resources
Mineral resources become economically depleted when it costs more to find,
extract, and process the remaining ore than it is worth.
Depletion times are difficult to measure but are commonly stated as the reserveto-production ratio (how long a given reserve will last at current consumption rates).
Depletion times can be influenced by reuse, recycling, reduced consumption,
improved technology, economic forces, and the discovery of new deposits.
15-5 Evaluating Energy Resources
The sun supplies 99% of the energy used to heat the earth. Indirect forms of
solar energy include wind, hydropower (rising and falling water), and biomass.
Commercial energy (the other 1%) comes from extracting mineral resources
(mostly fossil fuels).
Coal: decreasing world-wide due to its polluting effects and effects on climate.
Oil: usage continue to climb (1%/year) because of abundance, low price (that
does not include environmental damage).
Natural Gas: usage climbing (2%/year) because of abundance and it is the
cleanest and least climate disrupting of the fossil fuels.
Nuclear Power: leveled off since 1989.
Biomass: coal and wood used in developing countries
Energy Use in the United States: Graph Analysis
Net energy is the total amount of energy available from an energy source minus
the energy needed to find, extract, process, and transport it. The net energy ratio
measures the useful energy produced to the useful energy needed to produce it.
15-9 Nuclear Power
17
In fission reactors neutrons are used to split atoms of uranium-235 or
plutonium-239 to release heat. The heat is then used to produce steam which is used
to spine a turbine which produces electricity.
In the 1950’s it was predicted 1,800 nuclear plants would supply 21% of the
world’s commercial energy. (2001: 436 reactors produced 6%).
No nuclear power plants have been built in the US since 1978 and only 103 are
in operation today.
Reasons for the failure of Nuclear Power:
1- construction cost overruns
2- stricter government regulation
3- higher operating costs
4- poor management
5- public concerns
There are also concerns about terrorist attacks and questions concerning how to
dispose of radioactive nuclear wastes.
Fusion reactors attempt to generate heat by joining atoms of hydrogen together.
At the moment the technology is still in the development stage and it may be 20-100
years before a working fusion plant is built.
18
APES: Classroom Activity
A Summary of Major Fuels
Name ____________________________
Grade ____ /10
Directions: Use your textbooks to complete the following chart and then answer the
questions that follow.
Resource
Oil
Natural Gas
What is it?
What are its
different forms?
Where are the
reserves located?
How long are
reserves expected
to last?
Three
advantages
Three
disadvantages
19
Coal
Nuclear Energy
continue on back
Section 15-6
1- Why are producers typically only able to get about 35% of the oil out of an oil
deposit?
2- What are petrochemicals?
Petrochemical are the raw materials in the production of what industrial
products?
3- Examine figure 15-25. As far as global warming is concerned why is natural gas
preferred over the burning of coal?
Page 367: What happened to Nuclear Power?
4- According to energy analysts and economists, what are the major reasons for the
failure of nuclear power to grow as projected?
20