Impacts of Mining
As more accessible ores are mined to depletion, |
Minning operations must access lower grade ore |
Accessing lower grade ore |
requires increased resources, increased waste and pollution |
Mineral Resource |
naturally occurring material from earth's crust extracted and processed into useful products + materials at affordable cost |
Ore |
accumulation of minerals from economically valuable materials can be extracted |
Metals |
Conduct electricity + heat energy (Cu, Ni, Al, Au) |
Reserve |
Known quantity of resource |
Global Energy Consumption
Global energy uses per capita |
has been steadily increasing and will continue to do so. |
Energy |
Joules |
What affects the rate at which energy is used? |
Availibility, affordability. environmental impacts. |
The US uses |
5x more energy per capita than any other country. |
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Mining Techniques
Strip |
Removes strips of soil and rock to expose ore (Coal + sand) Remove material, extract resource, return waste |
Open-pit |
Pit with ore extrended horizontally and vertically beneath surfact (Copper, Mica) |
Mountaintop |
Remove entire mountaintop with explosives, remove tailings to lower ground, often near water |
Placer |
Precious medals and stones in river (gold, diamonds) |
Subsurface |
Deep deposits removed through the use of tunnels |
Industrializaton
As countries move from 3rd world to 1st world countries, |
the energy needs increase |
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Mineral Use
Advantages |
Income, revenue, employment |
Disadvantages |
energy use, land degration, water degration, land, water and air pollution |
Mining Legislation
General Mining Act |
Encouraged mineral exploration out west |
Surface Mining control and Reclamation Act |
Land must be minimally disturbed during coal mining and then must be reclaimed |
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