Mineral resources

Question 1

What defines a mineral ore?

Answer 1

A rock containing valuable metallic minerals mined for profit

Question 2

What is the concentration factor for an ore?

Answer 2

The ratio between crustal abundance and ore concentration

Question 3

Which process leads to the accumulation of heavy minerals at the bottom of a magma chamber?

Answer 3

Gravitational settling (crystal fractionation)

Question 4

What mineral deposit type involves immiscibility of silicate and sulfide liquids?

Answer 4

Magmatic nickel-copper-cobalt deposit

Question 5

What are hydrothermal solutions in ore formation?

Answer 5

Hot, metal-rich fluids from magmatic activity

Question 6

Which New Brunswick deposit is an example of a Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposit?

Answer 6

Brunswick 12

Question 7

What is a placer deposit?

Answer 7

A deposit formed by mechanical concentration of heavy minerals by water

Question 8

What is the main ore of aluminum that forms by secondary enrichment?

Answer 8

Bauxite

Question 9

What is a rare earth element (REE) concern?

Answer 9

One country (mainly China) controls the global supply

Question 10

What is meant by “ecological debt” in resource use?

Answer 10

Earth’s resources are being consumed faster than they can regenerate