minerals Flashcards
What are the different types of copper?
Ores
part -refined
Refined
Recycling (meets 40% of worlds demand)
How is the demand for copper changing?
Growing demand (electric vehicles (9x in 9 years) renewables ect. Currently in deficit which looks set to continue due to decline in supply
Why is ore extraction unstainable?
Land take (habit loss) Pollution: noise and dust water turbidity Spoil Disposal Toxic Leachates Water usage Engery input
What can be done to make ore extraction more stable ?
Restoration of mines (more and more a legal recruitment)
Island copper mine in vancouver - waste rock mines
Baffle mounds
Spray (to stop dust)
Holding laggos- settle sediment
Filter the heavy metals out using limestone
Conflict over mines using the water
Use conservation technique to reuse water
Canada reduced water use by 30%
Why is mineral ore processing unsustainable?
Extraction of copper from ore(crushed/dissolved in acid/ smelted (100C)-
stored in tailing ponds
Toxic lactates into local water sources
Energy intensive Water intensive (Pump seawater over long distances Energy use
What is a resource curse?
This is the argument that a country rich in natural resources can struggled and achieve poor levels of economic welfare
What are the issues with primary product dependency?
Don’t diversify
Volatile price fluctuations
Discorges invest in other areas of the economy
What are the issues with TNC development of Mineral ore extraction?
Profit repatriation
Unequal bargaining strengths
Lack of ownership and control over non-renewable resources
Social and environmental issues
Outline the impacts of China’s trade relationship with Africa.
Ch
Impact of primary product dependency> government measures to ensure secondary industry eg. indonesia
LICs dependence on TNCs fro development of mineral ore extraction> implementation of corporate social responsibility (international Council of Mining and Metals: UN
What are the patterns of production?
Widening gap between production and consumption
Production of ores varies
Secondary industries of smelting/refinery still based in developed countries
What are the Global patters of consumption?
Increasing
Industrialisation vs industrialization
What are the Global patterns of mineral ore trade?
Decline in late 20th century
Demand/supply (inelasticity:re
Doinated by TNCs
How does conflict affect minerals?
Give an example
Conflict resources fund/cause ongoing wars and often linked to forced/child labour
Additionally these conflicts may impact accessibility and resource price
Eg. Demographic Republic of Congo Gov vs Militia =tin; tantalum; tungsten; gold
Eg. Conflit Angola, Liberia and Sierra Leone:
How has china accumulated reserves?
Investment in Africa vs neocolonialism
support of corrupt regime
lack of provision of african worker in investment projects
Eg. Angola> Democratic Republic Benguela Railway, Zimbabwe and Zambia
How has china changed the demand for copper?
Chinese demand has driven price increase (eg. China purcheed 47% of the worlds iron ore in 2007 driving price increase by 455% 2001-08)