Natural Resources
OF OUR WORLD
MAJOR CONCEPTS
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Natural Resources are materials found in the
environment that are useful to humans.
Some natural resources are renewable (can be
replaced if managed properly).
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Some natural resources are nonrenewable (cannot be
replaced).
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Living Resources (plants and animals)
Fossil Fuels (coal, natural gas, petroleum)
Some natural resources are used to produce energy.
The World: Natural Resources
Mineral & Other Resources
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Tin
Nickel
Tungsten
Uranium
Bauxite
Phosphate
Diamond
Iron
Coal
Natural Gas
Petroleum
Cobalt
Timber
Graphite
Clay
Salt
Zinc
Hematite
Water
Soil
Fish
Manganese
Stone, Sand,
& Gravel
Soda Ash
Limestone
Platinum
Alternate Energy Resources
Geothermal
Biomass
Tidal
Hydroelectric
Solar
Wind
Atomic
Gold
Gold is used in dentistry and medicine; in jewelry and
arts; in coins and medals; for scientific and electronic
instruments.
 South Africa has about half of the world’s resources.
Significant quantities are also present in the U.S.,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, and Russia.
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Stone, Sand, & Gravel
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Stone, Sand, and Gravel are used
to make roads; buildings; bridges;
landscaping; and numerous
chemical uses.
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A Quarry is an open pit mine from
which the stone, gravel and sand
are extracted. They exist around
the world.
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Silver
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Silver is used in photography, chemistry, jewelry; in
electronics; as currency; mirrors; batteries; silver
plating; table cutlery; dental, medical, and scientific
equipment.
Silver is mined in 56 countries. The largest silver
reserves are found in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Peru,
and the former Soviet Union. Nevada produces over
30% of the U.S. silver.
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Copper
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Copper is used in electric cables and wires,
switches, plumbing, heating; roofing and building
construction; chemical and pharmaceutical
machinery; alloy metals (brass, bronze, etc.).
The leading producer is Chile, followed by the
U.S., Russia, Canada, Zambia, and Democratic
Republic of Congo.
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Lead
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Lead is used in batteries, gasoline additives and tanks, and
solders, seals or bearings; in electrical and electronic
applications; TV tubes, TV glass, construction, communications,
and protective coatings; in ballast or weights; ceramics or crystal
glass; tubes or containers, or wire; X-ray and gamma radiation
shielding; soundproofing material in construction industry; and
ammunition.
The U.S. is the world’s largest producer and consumer of lead
metal. Other major mine producers include Australia, Canada,
and Russia
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Tin
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Tin is used by itself, or in combination with other
elements for a wide variety of useful alloys (metals). Tin
is most commonly alloyed with copper to make bronze.
Tin-plated steel containers are widely used for food
preservation (cans of food)
China is the leading producer of tin. Other major
producers are Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Australia, Malaysia
and Russia.
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Nickel
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Nickel is used to make stainless steel; and plays key role
in the chemical and aerospace industries.
Leading producers include Australia, Canada, Norway
and Russia. Largest reserves are found in Cuba, New
Caledonia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
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Tungsten
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Tungsten is used in metalworking; construction and electrical
machinery and equipment; in transportation equipment; as
filament in light bulbs; as a carbide in drilling equipment; in
heat and radiation shielding; textile dyes, enamels, paints, and
for coloring glass.
Major producers are China, Korea, and Russia. Large reserves
are also found in the U.S., Bolivia, Canada, and Germany.
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Uranium
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Uranium is used as a fuel in the nuclear power industry. It generates the
heat in nuclear power reactors. Depleted uranium is also used as a
shielding material in some containers used to store and transport
radioactive materials; used as the fissile explosive material to produce
nuclear weapons.
Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia are the top three producers and
together account for 63% of world uranium production. Other important
uranium producing countries are Namibia, Russia, Niger, Uzbekistan, and
the United States.
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Bauxite
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Bauxite is the main source of aluminum. Aluminum is used in
the United States in packaging (31%), transportation (22%), and
building(19%).
Guinea and Australia have 46 percent of the world’s reserves.
Other countries with major reserves include Brazil, Jamaica, and
India.
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Phosphates
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Phosphate Rock is used to make fertilizers to grow food; animal feed
supplements.
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Phosphates are found in the United States and Europe. The small island
nation of Nauru and its neighbor Banaba Island, which used to have massive
phosphate deposits of the best quality, have been mined excessively. Rock
phosphate can also be found in Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Navassa Island,
Tunisia, Togo and Jordan.
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Diamond
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Diamonds are used to make jewelry and cutting and grinding tools. Other
specialized applications include use as semiconductors and electrical
insulators.
Roughly 49% of diamonds originate from central and southern Africa,
although significant sources of the mineral have been discovered in
Canada, India, Russia, Brazil, and Australia.
Revolutionary groups have taken control of diamond mines, using
proceeds from diamond sales to finance their operations. Diamonds sold
through this process are known as conflict diamonds or blood diamonds.
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Iron
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Iron is used to manufacture steels of various types. Powdered iron: used in
magnets and auto parts; Radioactive iron: used in medicine. Iron blue: used in
paints, printing inks; plastics; cosmetics (eye shadow); artist colors; laundry
blue; paper dyeing; fertilizer ingredient; baked enamel finishes for autos and
appliances; industrial finishes. Black iron oxide: used as pigment; in polishing
compounds; metallurgy; medicine; magnetic inks; in ferrites for electronics
industry.
Major producers of iron ore include Australia, Brazil, China, and Russia
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Coal
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Coal, a fossil fuel, is the largest source of energy
for the generation of electricity worldwide.
China, India, and the United States are large
producers of coal.
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Natural Gas
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Natural gas can be used as a fuel supplied
to homes where it is used for such
purposes as cooking in natural gas-powered
ranges and ovens, natural gas-heated
clothes dryers, heating furnaces, and water
heaters.
The world's largest proven gas reserves are
located in Russia, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
and United Arab Emirates.
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Petroleum
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Petroleum, or crude oil, is recovered mostly through oil drilling.
It is made into consumer petrol (gasoline), kerosene, asphalt for
our roads, plastics, and medicines.
The top five producers of petroleum are Saudi Arabia (OPEC),
Russia, United States, Iran (OPEC), and China.
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Cobalt
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Cobalt used in jet engines; chemicals (paint driers); permanent
magnets; and for cutting tools.
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Cobalt producing countries include Democratic Republic of
Congo, Zambia, Canada, Cuba, and Russia.
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Timber
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Timber is used for construction of homes and
furniture. Its wood pulp for paper production.
The lumbering industry is worldwide and found
where coniferous and deciduous forests are
located.
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Graphite
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Graphite is used pencils, where it is commonly
called lead. Graphite is an electrical conductor;
therefore, it is useful in arc lamp electrodes.
Major exporters are: China, India, Brazil, North
Korea, and Canada.
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Clay
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Clay is used to make floor & wall tile;
dinnerware; kitty litter; bricks & cement; and
paper.
Different types of clay are found all over the
world
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Salt
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Salt, also known as Halite, is used in human and animal diet, food seasoning
and food preservation; used to prepare sodium hydroxide, used in ceramic
glazes; curing of hides; mineral waters; soap manufacture; home water
softeners; highway de-icing; photography; herbicide; fire extinguishing;
nuclear reactors; mouthwash; medicine; in scientific equipment for optical
parts.
It is mined primarily in Europe and Canada.
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Zinc
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Zinc is used as protective coating on steel; as an allying metal with copper to
make brass, and as chemical compounds in rubber and paints; automotive
parts; electrical fuses; dry cell batteries; chemicals; roof gutters; cable
wrappings; organ pipes; in pennies; ship hulls. Zinc oxide: in medicine.
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Zinc is mined in over 50 countries with Canada the leading producer,
followed by Russia, Australia, Peru, and China. In the U.S. mine production
mostly comes from Tennessee, Missouri, New York and Alaska.
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Hematite
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Hematite is used in blush makeup and polish because
of its red color. Also it is used for ore of iron for steel
tools, vehicles, nails and bolts and bridges.
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Hematite is typically found in places where there has
been standing water or mineral hot springs, such as
those in Yellowstone National Park in the United
States.
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Water
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Water is used to help all the plants on earth live. It is used in chemical reactions and is
used in many manufacturing processes. Water resources are sources of water that are
useful or potentially useful to humans. Uses of water include agricultural, industrial,
household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually all of these human uses
require fresh water.
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97% of water on the Earth is salt water, and only 3% is fresh water of which slightly
over two thirds is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. The remaining unfrozen
freshwater is mainly found as groundwater, with only a small fraction present above
ground or in the air.
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Fresh water is a renewable resource, yet the world's supply of clean, fresh water is
steadily decreasing. Water demand already exceeds supply in many parts of the world
and as the world population continues to rise, so too does the water demand.
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Soil
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Soil is made up of air, water, minerals and organic material and is one of the
most important natural resources on earth. Most life on earth depends on soil
as a direct or indirect source of food. Plants and animals get their nutrients
from the soil and it is home to many different forms of life.
Soil comes in a variety of forms and takes many years to develop, however it
can be destroyed very easily. LOAM contain more nutrients and humus.
Loam is gritty, moist, and retain water easily.
Light green areas show
where the best soil
is found:
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Fish
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Fish are natural resources because we humans use them for
many things. Some of those things are fish oil, food, fish glue,
and many other things.
The fishing industry is worldwide and is depleting this natural
resource.
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Manganese
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Manganese is used to make iron and steel.
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South Africa and Russia have over 70% of the
world’s reserves.
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Platinum
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It is used to make jewelry, wire, electrical
contacts and laboratory equipment.
Platinum can be found in deposits of goldbearing sands, primarily those found in the Ural
mountains, Columbia and the western United
States.
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Soda Ash
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used in glass containers; in fiberglass and
specialty glass; also used in production of flat
glass; in liquid detergents; in medicine; as a food
additive; photography; cleaning compounds; pH
control
Mined in Argentina, Australia, Austria, United
States (Wyoming and California)
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Limestone
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Limestone the most versatile and widely used rock in the
earth's crust. Most is crushed and used as concrete. It is a
source of lime, the chief raw ingredient in cement; a
fertilizer and soil conditioner; used in paints and plastics;
toothpaste, medicines, and commonly used as a livestock
feed as a source of calcium. It can also be used in
construction.
Lime stone is found in North America, Europe, and also in
some parts of Canada.
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Geothermal
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Geothermal energy taps into the natural heat within the Earth. At certain points around
the globe, the Earth's heat combines with water. Familiar examples of the Earth's heat
combining with water are the geysers at Yellowstone.
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PROS: Once produced, geothermal energy is nearly completely non-polluting.
Geothermal power plants are relatively inexpensive to operate. The energy is technically
renewable and can be used as direct power source. These power plants are
environmentally-friendly and leave few carbon footprints. Fossil fuels are not needed to
bring geothermal power plants online
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CONS: Technology only makes geothermal energy available from certain regions on the
planet. Initial drilling costs are expensive and the process is complex. Although the
Earth's heat is ever-present, current or future geothermal sites may not be continuous
sources of heat. Hot rocks must be managed well or the water can cool the rocks. While
some consider geothermal energy the most cost-efficient and non-polluting, there is as
yet no guarantee that possible sites will provide desired quantities
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Biomass
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Biomass refers to any live or recently dead organic material that can be converted into
a fuel. Biomass includes a range of organic products, including ethanol, but it is more
broad and has more options than ethanol alone. The organic matter used as biomass
can come from a variety of sources such as sugar cane, eucalyptus, palm oil and even
algae.
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PROS: They are renewable and easily attainable, and the process to make them into
usable fuel is not a complex one.
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Cons: As with all fuels, they do give off pollution when used, but typically not as much
as gasoline. A severe drawback of biomass use is the devastation of forested areas
associated with improperly managed biomass production. If legislation is not in place
to protect natural areas, endangered habitats, such as the Amazon Rainforest, would
be at risk of being exploited for their biomass capabilities and they could be destroyed.
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Tidal
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Tidal energy is generated by undersea turbines placed across estuary mouths where
tidal motion is at its strongest. As the oceans tides move in and out, the turbines are
moved creating energy.
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PROS: Tidal energy is a clean, non-polluting, renewable and relatively simple energy
source making it a valuable technology when compared with fossil fuels. However, it is
expensive to produce.
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CONS: Tidal energy production is limited because of the small number of
environmentally viable sites and the relatively high associated costs.
Tidal motion is caused by the moon's gravitational pull and is therefore reliable,
occurring twice every day. However, this limits its energy-generating potential to these
two daily periods and makes it useable only as secondary energy source.
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Atomic
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Atoms make up every object in the universe. Energy is stored inside each atom.
Atomic Energy, sometimes called Nuclear Energy, is releasing the atoms energy so we
can use it. This is done by splitting or combining atoms.
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PROS: One of the biggest benefits of nuclear energy is that it can produce electricity
when the Earth's supply of coal and oil runs out. Also, nuclear power plants require
less energy to operate than fossil fuel plants and do not produce air pollution. That is
steam coming out of the stacks.
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CONS: There are disadvantages to the production of nuclear energy. For instance, the
U.S. and other countries have nuclear weapons (bombs), which are capable of killing
every person on Earth. In addition, nuclear power plants run the risk of a meltdown,
which is when fission gets out of control and radioactive materials leech out into the
atmosphere causing death and disfigurement in plant and animal life, including
humans.
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Hydroelectric
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Hydro power has been used since the earliest of times, with waterwheels being used to grind wheat since the
time of the ancient Greeks. Hydroelectric power is the use of water to create energy. The water from large
rivers or waterfalls is used, but large man-made dams can produce the water flow necessary for power. The
flow of the water moves the turbines and generates electricity. The more water flow and volume, the more
electricity produced.
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PRO: With a steady source of flowing water, such as the Niagara Falls, hydroelectric power is a renewable
source of energy, meaning its source of power will never run out. This is because water systems are naturally
replenished by rainfall, which in turn comes from sea and fresh water evaporated by the sun. Because
hydroelectric power does not need fuel, it is unaffected by global factors such as oil costs, and causes little to
no pollution. Also, since the river is flowing, Hydroelectricity can be constantly generated, and plants can reach
full output quickly. Also, because the flow of water is generally predictable, hydroelectric power plants are
often highly automated, with low labor demands. Hydroelectric plants are more durable than most other power
plants, and some have lasted up to 50 or 100 years.
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CONS: Power plants must be built next to a source of water, and finding a suitable site is often difficult. Even
if a suitable site is found, hydroelectric projects can adversely affect neighboring ecosystems. Power plants can
often change the environments of rivers downstream, and man-made dams can reduce fish populations. Also,
building a dam has a high initial cost, though some of this cost can be shared by other industries since dams
have uses outside of hydroelectricity, such as irrigation and flood control.
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Wind
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The main form of wind-generated power is by wind turbines, once called "windmills."
Wind turbines convert kinetic energy into mechanical power that can drive generators,
water pumps or other devices that require electrical power.
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PROS: Wind-generated energy is renewable and non-polluting. Wind turbines do not
produce radioactive waste as do most ways of generating electricity. When the wind
blows, wind power is a possible and proven technology. Access to wind is free.
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CONS: Wind energy has some disadvantages. Energy can be generated only when the
wind blows. Backup power is expensive and must be replaced every few years. Wind
turbines can be damaged in thunderstorms. There is a noise factor that increases when
winds are low. Birds fly into wind turbines. Studies often are required about bird
migration paths before new wind turbines can be installed.
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Solar
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Solar thermal energy is energy collected from the sun and used to generate heat. This
heat is usually concentrated using mirrors, then used in heating water. The water is
heated until it turns into steam used to turn turbines, generating electricity.
Pros: Since solar energy is completely renewable, there is no strain on the Earth's
resources and fossil fuels to power and heat your home. Solar energy doesn't give off any
air pollution or harmful by-products after the manufacturing process of the solar panels.
Solar energy is quiet and unobtrusive as it powers your home. It is easily maintained and
monitored. Since there are no moving parts to worry about, the system can last a long
time.
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CONS: Solar energy has a high cost of installation. Depending on the size of your
system, your cost can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Next up, solar panels can
take up a lot of space and may always be in view depending upon where they need to
placed in order to collect the greatest amount of sunshine. Solar energy can only be
collected during the daylight hours, and pollution or an overcast day can reduce that by
even more.
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