Chapter 19

Question 1

Renewable Resources:

Answer 1

Replenished over short time spans meaningful to humans.

Question 2

Non-renewable resources

Answer 2

Being formed today, but very slowly. Once extracted they will not be replenished on the human timescale.

Question 3

Processes that make resources that are both renewable and non-renewable (2)

Answer 3

Groundwater/geothermal energy, recycling of metals

Question 4

Resources

Answer 4

Useful materials necessary for human life and civilization.

Question 5

Sub-economic/conditional resources

Answer 5

Resources that have been discovered but are not currently economic. (EX: low grade minerals)

Question 6

Hypothetical/Speculative Resources

Answer 6

Resources that haven’t been discovered, but estimated to exist based on statistical analyses.

Question 7

Reserves

Answer 7

Part of a geological resource which has been found and can be recovered economically with existing technology.

Question 8

Cumulative reserves

Answer 8

Reserves that include the quantity of already used resources.

Question 9

Metallic mineral deposits

Answer 9

Useful metals present in the Earth with low average concentrations and non-uniform distribution. Extraction focuses on locations where geological processes have increased the concentration.

Question 10

Crustal gold concentration

Answer 10

0.005 g/ton (ppm)

Question 11

Orogenic gold deposit concentration

Answer 11

10 g/ton (ppm)

Question 12

Ore

Answer 12

Rock in which a metal occurs at a high enough concentration compared to the average composition. Such that it may be economically mined. This is not applied to non-metallic materials.

Question 13

Concentration factor

Answer 13

(concentration of metal in ore) / (concentration of metal in average crust)

Question 14

Magmatic mineral deposit

Answer 14

Metal concentration takes place at the same time as the formation and emplacement of magma. Can be categorized by density and immiscibility.

Question 15

Cumulate deposits (3)

Answer 15

Heavy minerals sink to bottom of a magma body due to gravitational settling. (EX: chrome, iron, platinum)

Question 16

Nickel and Copper in magmatic deposits (1)

Answer 16

Found in mantle melts and liquid iron sulfide. This forms concentrations of sulfide minerals (EX: pyrrhotite, with intergrown pentlandite and chalcopyrite).

Question 17

Hydrothermal deposits

Answer 17

The accumulation of minerals in fractures and cavities resulting from the circulation of hot waters in the Earth’s crust.

Question 18

Vein (lode) deposits (4)

Answer 18

Igneous geothermal deposits formed in fractures along which hydrothermal fluids flow, with widths that vary from cm to m. (EX: Gold, silver, copper and zinc sulfides)

Question 19

Disseminated deposits (4)

Answer 19

Igneous geothermal deposits formed around magma bodies as fluids are expelled from cooling magma beneath a stratovolcano. Distributed within the rock volume and forms stockwork of microscopic veinlets in rocks with a porphyritic texture.
(EX: Porphyry copper deposits, molybdenum, gold and silver)

Question 20

Porphyry copper deposits (3)

Answer 20

Formed in subduction zones as water is expelled from magma as it crystallizes.
If a volcano dies naturally, the deposit is preserved, once eroded, the deposit is exposed at the surface. (EX: Cu, Au, Mo)

Question 21

Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) Deposits (5)

Answer 21

Formed at black smokers at mid-ocean ridges. Metals are leached from ocean crust by hydrothermal circulation and deposited in mounds on seafloor. (EX: copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold)

Question 22

Sedimentary Exhalative deposit (SEDEX) (1)

Answer 22

Sedimentary adjacent rift environments
(EX: Sullivan Mine, Kimberley, BC)

Question 23

Hosted Stratiform Deposits:

Answer 23

Sedimentary adjacent ancient rift basins with sulfides in the pore space of shale.

Question 24

Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) Deposit (1)

Answer 24

Compaction of shales releases fluids, minerals grow in cavities in limestone. (EX: Pine Point, NWT)

Question 25

Banded Iron Formation (BIF)

Answer 25

Hydrothermal sedimentary, alternating layers of haematite and chert formed as oceans were oxygenated by photosynthesizing bacteria. 60% global iron reserves and most present mineral.

Question 26

Sedimentary (placer) (1)

Answer 26

Deposited on river meanders (point banks). (EX: panning for gold)

Question 27

Metallic Mineral Deposits and Weathering

Answer 27

Weathering redistributes minerals, or removes non-mineral material to raise concentration.

Question 28

Example of secondary enrichment by weathering

Answer 28

Bauxite is a sedimentary rock and the principle ore for aluminum

Question 29

Non-Metallic Mineral Resources

Answer 29

Earth materials that are not fuels and not processed to yield metals.

Question 30

Examples of Non-Metallic Mineral Resources

Answer 30

1. aggregate, stone, gypsum for construction
2. Industrial minerals: diamonds, clays, carbonates, evaporates, phosphates, sulfur, silica for glass making
3. Sulfur, Halite/rock salt, Potash (fertilizer)

Question 31

Base metals (5)

Answer 31

Iron, Copper, Nickel, Zinc, Lead

Question 32

Precious metals (4)

Answer 32

Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium

Question 33

Critical minerals

Answer 33

Minerals that have few or no substitutes, import reliance, geopolitical risk, and regional concentration of production. They are in increased global demand and needed to support important manufacturing sectors.

Question 34

Canadian Critical minerals (10)

Answer 34

Potash, niobium, uranium, titanium, aluminum, platinum, carbon, nickel, tin, zinc