chapter 17: minerals

Question 1

tantulum

Answer 1

element number 73 on the Periodic Table of the Elements, used in cellphones and other technologies..

Question 2

mineral

Answer 2

naturally occurring solid chemical element or inorganic compound with a crystal structure, a specific chemical composition, and distinct physical properties

Question 3

rock

Answer 3

solid aggregation of minerals

Question 4

what are the five groups of minerals that compose 90% of the earth’s crust?

Answer 4

feldspars, pyroxenes, amphiboles, micas, quartz

Question 5

gangue

Answer 5

= waste rock and minerals that are not valuable

Question 6

metal

Answer 6

= type of chemical element that typically is shiny, opaque, and malleable, and conduct heat and electricity

Question 7

ore

Answer 7

a rock in which valuable
minerals have been concentrated by geological processes,
and from which we can extract metals and other useful
mineral resources

Question 8

what country has the best safety record in mining?

Answer 8

canada

Question 9

alloy

Answer 9

a metal is mixed with another metal or nonmetal substance. ex. steel is an alloy of carbon and iron

Question 10

what is smelting

Answer 10

= heating ore beyond its melting point then combining it with other metals or chemicals,
for the purpose of extracting base metal or ore from gangue

Question 11

what are tailings

Answer 11

the remnants that are left over after metals have been extracted from ores, can pollute soil and water

Question 12

what is asbestos? whats wrong with it?

Answer 12

fibrous mineral. cancer and lung problems associated with brown asbestos(amphibole)

Question 13

strip mining

Answer 13

= layers of soil and rock are removed to expose the resource (think of STAIRS)

Question 14

subsurface mining

Answer 14

shafts are excavated deep into the ground,
and networks of tunnels are dug or blasted out to follow
deposits of the mineral (think of ELEVATORS and TUNNELS

Question 15

solution mining

Answer 15

a narrow hole is drilled deep into the
ground to reach the mineral deposit&raquo_space;> liquid is injected down the hole to leach the resource from the surrounding rock»>mineral dissolves in the liquid&raquo_space; solution is sucked out&raquo_space;> mineral is extracted from the liquid

Question 16

leachate

Answer 16

sulfuric acid runoff

Question 17

acid drainage

Answer 17

sulfide minerals form sulfuric acid and flow into waterways, can make stream water toxic

Question 18

what does it mean for a fluid to be effluent?

Answer 18

contaminated

Question 19

what is the berkely pit?

Answer 19

a former pit copper mine in the US, with toxic acidic waters.

Question 20

what is open pit mining? when is it used?

Answer 20

digging massive holes and removing the desired ore,

along with waste rock that surrounds the ore. used when a mineral is spread widely throughout a rock formation./

Question 21

what is a quarry?

Answer 21

= open pits for clay, gravel, sand, stone

Question 22

placer mining

Answer 22

uses running water to separate lightweight mud and gravel from heavier minerals of value

Question 23

manganese nodules

Answer 23

= small, ball-shaped ores scattered across the ocean floor which contain many minerals

Question 24

what is a reserve?(mining)

Answer 24

the portion of a resource that is economically and legally mineable using current technologie

Question 25

where does 80% of our lead come from?

Answer 25

recycled batteries

Question 26

what is reclamation?

Answer 26

to restore the site to a condition
similar to its pre-mining condition, but more commonly
the goal is simply to remove hazards

Question 27

kimberlite

Answer 27

an igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds.