Mining Flashcards
Example mined mineral resources in South Africa
- Gold
- Platinum
- Chrome
- Coal
- Iron
- Diamonds
Benefits of South Africas mining industry
- A sustained economy
- Promoted technical expertise
Remove of take out of
Extract
Ore
Rock with a high concentration of a valuable mineral
Veins in the earth
Lines of solidified lava that have formed in cracks in other rock
Mining
The process whereby ore is removed from the earths crust
Types of mines
- Surface / opencast mines
- Tunnels / shaft mines
Ways of processing ore
- Physical extraction
- Chemical extraction
How gold is separated physically from alluvial deposits
- Gold sluicing and gold panning:
- Gold is much more dense than oher sediments
- It is able to be separated in by running water from other sendiments as it settles quicker
Alluvial deposits
Material deposited by a river
Gold panning
- Sediment is placed in a pan
- Water is added and the pan is swirled around
- The gold drops to the bottom and the swirling water and sediments are tipped out
- The gold dust and flakes can be collected from the bottom of the pan
Making a natural product more pure by removong unwanted substances
Refining
Chemical extraction of ore using solutions
- Dissolving the ore usimng a suitable chemical
- Removing the mineral from the chemical solution
Smelting
Processing ore by heating to extract the mineral in the ore
Sa scientist who studies ancient peoples
Archaeologist
An alloy
A mixture of metals
Steel
An alloy of iron and other minerals e.g. carbon
Advantages of alloys
Produce new ‘types’ of metal often with better qualities than any of the components in the alloy alone
a fuel made from coal in the same way that charcoal is made from wood
Coke
Ancient method of smelting
- A furnace is made with a source of air and a chimney
- Layers of charcoal and crushed iron ore laid inside the furnace
- A fire is lit in the furnace and air is pumped into the furnace to raise the temperature
- The entire process continues for a number of hours
The chemistry of smelting
- Iron oxide is mixed with charcoal powder (carbon)
- The oxygen in the iron oxide reacts witht the carbon to make carbon dioxide gas which escapes out the chimney
- The iron is left behind
Modern smelting process
- Coke is used instead of charcoal
- Molten iron is blasted with heated air
- The molten iron is then blasted with pure oxygen to burn the leftover carbon to only 1-2.5%
- Steel is formed and additional metals are added e.g. chrome
The constructed networks of a country, e.g. roads, electricity and water supply
Infrastructure
Something that causes pollution
A pollutant
Radioactive
Material that emits radiation energy, particles or rays which damage living tissue
Acid mine drainage
Water that is polluted with acidic chemicals draining into natural water systems
Example ways that mines directly impact the environment
- Scar the land
- Destroy natural habitats
- Pollute water and air
- Produce large amounts of waste, dust and poisonous chemicals
Huge piles of crushed rock and material stored in high piles after mining excavation and extraction.
Mine dumps
The pollutant in mine dumps causing locals to be relocated in Krugersdorp.
Radioactive waste
An example hazardous chemical used in gold processing that can be left behind in mine dumps and dissolves in water ending up in nearby streams
Cyanide
The effect of acid mine drainage on the environment
- Devastates freshwater ecosystems, killing most organisms
- Pollutes groundwater that could be used for drinking or irrigation
- The groundwater can remain hazardous for thousands of years
How mining impacts nature conservation, cultural and heritage sites.
- Mine dumps
- water pollution
- acid mine drainage
- smoke and smells
- destruction of natural vegetation
- noise pollution
