Chapter 1: Rocks, minerals and their exploitation Flashcards
Mineral
natural occurring inorganic substance with a specific chemical composition
Igneous rock
rock made during a volcanic process
Solution
formed when a solid is dissolved in a liquid
Precipitates
when a substance comes out of a solution
Sedimentary rock
a rock formed from material derived from the weathering of other rocks or the accumulation of dead plants and animals
Metamorphic rock
a rock formed from existing rocks by a combination of heat and pressure
Rock cycle
a representation of the changes between the three rock types and the processes causing them
Prospecting
a process of searching for minerals
Remote sensing
a process in which information is gathered about the earths surface from above
Geochemical
the chemical properties of rocks
Geophysical
the physical properties of rocks
Surface mining
a type of mining used when the mineral is either exposed on the surface or overlain by only small amounts of overburden
Overburden
the rock and soil overlaying an economically viable mineral deposit
Open-pit /open-cast /open-cut mining
a type of surface mining
Sub-surface mining
a type of mining used when the deposit is covered by deep layer(s) of unwanted rock
Adit
the entrance to a horizontal ( drift ) mine
Strike rate
the frequency with which attempts to find a desirable mineral are successful
Supply and demand
the relationship between how much of a commodity is needed or wanted by consumers of the product
Environmental impact assessment
a process by which the probable effects on the environment of a development are assessed and measured
Biomagnification
the process in which a concentration of a substance in living things becomes higher at progressively higher levels in a food chain
Bioremediation
a process in which living things are used to remove toxic chemicals from a natural site
