There are certain minerals that we, as humans, need to use, or have become accustomed to using.
We need coal for our power plants, and lots of it. We need sulfur for manufacturing processes.
We need iron ore for steel, and the other heavy metals used to make steel more useful. These include
Chromium, Tungsten, Carbide, Molybdenum, Vanadium, and others. Aluminum is the one of the most widely
used metals today, and Silicon is important for your game boys, calculators, cell phones, CD players and
computers to work. Petroleum is currently essential for our way of life.
So, the issue is not IF we need minerals, but HOW to extract them so as to do as little damage to the
environment as possible.
Imagine that you are the project manager responsible for extracting _________________________________
for industrial use.
1. What method of extraction will you use to obtain your mineral and explain in detail why you chose this
method of extraction.
2. What Environmental concerns will you have to deal with? Remember, your job is to extract the mineral
or fuel with the greatest possible profit.
3. How will you deal with the waste produced by your extraction?
4. Where will you get the energy necessary for your operation and extraction from?
5. How will you put the land back to “normal” when you are finished?
There are certain minerals that we, as humans, need to use, or have become accustomed to using.
We need coal for our power plants, and lots of it. We need sulfur for manufacturing processes.
We need iron ore for steel, and the other heavy metals used to make steel more useful. These include
Chromium, Tungsten, Carbide, Molybdenum, Vanadium, and others. Aluminum is the one of the most widely
used metals today, and Silicon is important for your game boys, calculators, cell phones, CD players and
computers to work. Petroleum is currently essential for our way of life.
So, the issue is not IF we need minerals, but HOW to extract them so as to do as little damage to the
environment as possible.
Imagine that you are the project manager responsible for extracting _________________________________
for industrial use.
6. What method of extraction will you use to obtain your mineral and explain in detail why you chose this
method of extraction.
7. What Environmental concerns will you have to deal with? Remember, your job is to extract the mineral
or fuel with the greatest possible profit.
8. How will you deal with the waste produced by your extraction?
9. Where will you get the energy necessary for your operation and extraction from?
10. How will you put the land back to “normal” when you are finished?