14. Mining Benefits and Hazards Flashcards
Where was major copper production?
Chile
How much of the world’s copper does Chile produce
1/3 of the world’s
What companies operate copper in chile, name all 3.
- BHP Billiton
- Anglo American
- Japan’s Sumitomo Corp
where is copper demand the highest?
China
Which country provides equipment of copper mining?
German machinery
What else does Chile use copper for?
To make bed rails, sink, stethoscope in hospital
Why does Chile use copper in hospitals?
Has anti-bacterial properties
How many percent of bacterial spread did it decrease?
40% reduction
Why does copper have anti-bacterial properties?
Copper ions interact with bacteria membranes
Metabolism of bacteria is disturbed
Then bacteria dies
Which company makes copper hospital equipment?
BioHealth
Where in Chile is the active copper mine?
Los Pelambres
How big is Los pelambres?
It’s 5th largest in Chile
What are some names of the mines
- Los pelambres
- Chuquicamata mine
- Escondida mine
- El Teniente mine
Where is Rio Tinto borates?
In Boron, California
What are some jobs at US borax mine?
- Stem professionals
- Mill wrights
- quality advisor
- Shipping teams
- COmmerical team outside Boron
- Janitor
- Business planner
What is extracted at US borax mine?
Borates are refined
What is the environment like at US borax mine amonst people?
High interaction
What are rare minerals found in China?
Cerium
Yttrium
Lanthanum
Neodymium
what do rare minerals operate?
Bombs and batteries and tv screens and camera screens and car batteries and baseball bats and alloys of missiles
(high tech items)
which country dominates in rare earth minerals?
China
which country does China threaten with its rare minerals?
America
which industry is the largest consumer of rare minerals?
Glass industry
what do rare earth minerals do to US
Give stronger military advantage
how much reserve of rare earth minerals does China hold?
35%
What was China’s percent of rare earth metal production in 2018?
70%
how many percent does US consume of rare metals from China
80%
how much did US buy it for
160 Million dollars
what are US tariffs exempt on
rare metals from china
how much has neodymium prices soared?
by 20%
what is neodymium for
speakers and magnets
how much has dysprosium prices soared?
10%
what is dysprosium used for?
Lasers
where is america trying to find alternatives to china’s rare minerals?
Mountain pass mine
Where is mountain pass mine
California
What other company is joining rare mineral trade
Lynas from Australia
which mineral is unsure if its viable
Appalachian coal ash, extract from there
Outside of China, where else is America eyeing
Congo
how many rare earth metals are there?
17
where are rare earth metals usually found
earth’s crust
what are rare earth mineral characteristics?
Dispersed, hard to mine, high melting and boiling points, reactive to other metals
how many rare earth mineral are used in phone
up to 16
where was before leading source of rare earths?
California mountain pass mine
where does australian lynas have factory
Malaysia
What types of rare earths do lynas process
Light ones, china has heavy
why is the extraction process of rare earths hard?
Toxic wastewater, and radioactive residue
Where is tantalum mined in?
Congo
what are 4 conflict minerals in COngo
Tungsten
Tantalum
Gold
Tin
What does Tungsten do
Make phone vibrate
what does tantalum do
stores electricity for its battery
what does gold do
coat its wire
what does tin do
solders circuit board
what can you do to stand with congo
buy conflict-free products
what do congo extraction of resources called
conflict minerals
what does money from conflict minerals do to Congo
Military armed groups profiting
Fuels violence of gangs
abducting children
raping to create fear
what is coltan
conflict mineral
