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Geology A2 > A2 Economic Deposits, Extraction and Processing > Flashcards

A2 Economic Deposits, Extraction and Processing Flashcards

1
Q

Ore

A

the rock containing valuable metal(s) that is economic to mine.

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2
Q

Resource

A

a useful and valuable natural material.

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3
Q

Mineral resources

A

can be metallic and non- metallic or industrial minerals.

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4
Q

Reserves

A

the amount of the resource that can be extracted at a profit using existing technology.

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5
Q

Ore deposit

A

an accumulation of metal that may be economic to mine.

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6
Q

Average crustal abundance

A

describes the amount of metal in ‘average’ continental crust.

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7
Q

Concentration factor

A

the amount by which the metal is concentrated to make an ore deposit.

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8
Q

Ore mineral

A

a mineral containing valuable metal(s).

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9
Q

Gangue mineral

A

a low-value waste mineral.

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10
Q

Grade

A

refers to the concentration of valuable mineral within an ore.

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11
Q

Cut-off grade

A

the grade below which it is uneconomical to mine.

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12
Q

Secondary enrichment

A

occurs when metals are leached from within surface rocks and precipitated just below the water table.

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13
Q

Chemical weathering

A

the in situ breakdown of rocks at the Earth’s surface due to chemical reactions.

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14
Q

Leaching

A

where ions are dissolved from rocks and carried downwards in solution.

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15
Q

Gossan

A

an insoluble cap of iron oxides at the surface of a mineral vein.

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16
Q

Oxidising

A

describes oxygen-rich conditions, allowing elements to combine with oxygen to form oxides.

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17
Q

Reducing

A

describes oxygen-poor, anoxic conditions.

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18
Q

Enriched deposit

A

a zone of high-grade ore just below the water table, formed by secondary enrichment.

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19
Q

Porphyry

A

a large igneous intrusion with a porphyritic texture.

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20
Q

Dredging

A

where material is scraped or sucked from the river or sea bed.

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21
Q

Hydraulic mining

A

the use of high-pressure water jets to dislodge material.

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22
Q

Geophysical anomaly

A

a departure from the normal value and may be positive or negative.

23
Q

Geochemical anomaly

A

a concentration of a metal above its normal background value.

24
Q

Dispersion

A

occurs when small amounts of metals are spread out around the ore deposit by the surface processes of weathering, erosion and transport.

25
Q

Catastrophic dilution

A

occurs where tributaries meet and water and sediment from other sources are added.

26
Q

Geographical Information System (GIS)

A

a computer application used to store, view and analyse spatial information, especially maps.

27
Q

Sustainability

A

using a resource so that it is not depleted or harmful to the environment, supporting a long-term balance in ecological and other systems.

28
Q

Non-renewable resources

A

do not renew themselves at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction within a human lifetime.

29
Q

Open cast

A

extraction is mining from surface quarries.

30
Q

Shafts

A

vertical openings to an underground mine.

31
Q

Stope

A

the void left when the ore has been extracted from an underground mine.

32
Q

Flotation tailings

A

the waste rock fragments which do not attach to bubbles in the froth flotation process.

33
Q

Leachate

A

the liquid that drains or leaches from a landfill site.

34
Q

Pollution plumes

A

are zones of contamination, usually into an aquifer or water source. This can be from various sources, including leachate from landfill sites.

35
Q

Transuranic elements

A

have atomic numbers greater than 92, the atomic number of uranium. These are unstable and decay radioactively into daughter elements.

36
Q

Carbon sequestration

A

a process where CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and held in an alternative form, either solid or liquid.

37
Q

Open cast mining

A

also called open pit mining, surface mining technique, common technique, cheap, large volumes of material quickly, massive habitat destruction

38
Q

Stope mining

A

vertical or diagonal shaft, horizontal stopes (voids) directly into the ore body. Sometimes require roof supports depending on rock strength. More specialized equipment required, ventilation, water pumping. Far less habitat destruction that open cast.

39
Q

Longwall retreat mining

A

Ore body/coal seam exposed. A circular cutting tool, shearer, moves along the face. Ore material deposited onto a conveyer. Machinery and roof supports move forward towards the face. Area behind the supports is allowed to collapse.

40
Q

Kriging technique

A

A geostatistical computer model that creates a 3D block model of the deposit based on probabilities

41
Q

Downhole logging

A

Drilled borehole. Cameras and/or instruments collect geophysical data and samples for geochemical analysis.

42
Q

Geophysical survey techniques

A

Gravimetry, Magnetic, Electromagnetic, Resistivity

43
Q

Geochemical survey techniques

A

Stream sediments, Water, Soil, Vegetation

44
Q

Life cycle of a mine - 5 steps

A
45
Q

in situ leaching

A
46
Q

heap leaching

A
47
Q

froth flotation

A
48
Q

Formation of acid mine drainage

A
49
Q

Reducing AMD at source

A
50
Q

AMD diversion

A
51
Q

AMD active treatment

A
52
Q

AMD passive treatment

A
53
Q

Smelting of iron ore

A

Geology A2 (15 decks)

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