Science - Rocks and Minerals

Question 1

What is the difference between rocks and minerals

Answer 1

A mineral is a naturally occurring substance.
Rocks are generally made up of two of more minerals, mixed together.

Question 2

What are the 6 tests used to classify minerals?

Answer 2

Colour
Lustre
Hardness
Magnetic
Conductivity
Streak

Question 3

What is the most distinctive property of amethyst?

Answer 3

Purple colour
No cleavage fractures

Question 4

What is the most distinctive property of calcite?

Answer 4

Flat
Glassy cleavage surfaces
Effervesces with hydrocholoric acid

Question 5

What is the most distinctive property of quartz?

Answer 5

Glassy lustre and hardness
No cleavage

Question 6

What is the most distinctive property of magnetite?

Answer 6

Magnetic

Question 7

What is the most distinctive property of hematite?

Answer 7

Reddish-brown streak

Question 8

What is the most distinctive property of chalcopyrite?

Answer 8

Conductive

Question 9

What is the most distinctive property of gypsum

Answer 9

Soft but not as soft as talc
Good cleavage but not visible
May look powdery

Question 10

What are the five stages of the mining process?

Answer 10

1. Looking for minerals
2. Evaluating a mineral discovery
3. Building a mine
4. Mining and processing minerals
5. Closing the mine and reclaiming the land

Question 11

What do geologists use when they are looking for a good place to find minerals?

Answer 11

• Satellite images of the Earth
• Airplanes or helicopters to measure things like magnetism in the land
• Maps

Question 12

What is another name for “Looking for minerals”?

Answer 12

Mineral exploration

Question 13

What does a company have to do before they can explore an area?

Answer 13

They need to get exclusive rights to use the land

Question 14

What is it called when a company gets exclusive rights to use some land?

Answer 14

Staking a claim

Question 15

What do geologists do before they start drilling the land?

Answer 15

• They do field work to identify different rocks
• They collect rock and soil samples to study in their laboratories

Question 16

Why do geologists drill the land before they start mining?

Answer 16

• They take out long, thin cylinders of rock called cores
• They study them to find out now much valuable minerals they contain

Question 17

What do companies do during the “Evaluating a mineral discovery” stage of the mining process?

Answer 17

They determine whether they will be able to make enough money to justify setting up a mine

Question 18

What are the 2 types of mine?

Answer 18

• Surface or open pit mine
• Underground mine

Question 19

How do you make a surface or open-pit mine?

Answer 19

You use huge diggers to scrape away the surface material and then you blast the solid rock with explosives to reach the minerals underneath

Question 20

How do you make an underground mine?

Answer 20

You dig tunnels into the earth to reach the minerals

Question 21

What happens during the “Mining and processing materials” stage of the mining process?

Answer 21

• Miners use drills and explosives to break up the rock
• They use large scoops and machines to move the rock to the processing plant
• Processing separates out the valuable minerals from the waste
• Some minerals are smelted into pure metal
• The mining company has to clean up the leftovers

Question 22

What do you call the leftover materials that a company has to clean up at the end of the processing?

Answer 22

Tailings

Question 23

What are tailings?

Answer 23

Rock fragments, dust and chemicals that are no longer needed

Question 24

Why is it important to clean up the tailings?

Answer 24

To ensure they don’t pollute the air or water

Question 25

How is a mine closed?

Answer 25

The mining company has to
- Reclaim the land
- Remove the buildings
- Make sure the mine waste doesn’t harm the environment
- Make any pits or tunnels safe
- Replant the land with grass and trees

Question 26

What does it mean to reclaim the land?

Answer 26

Making it safe, usable, and a natural part of the surrounding environment

Question 27

What do mining companies have to do to protect the environment?

Answer 27

• During the mining process, they need to conduct tests on the soil, water, wildlife and vegetation

Question 28

What do mining companies have to do to connect with communities?

Answer 28

They need to contact the local communities to:
- Learn about the area
- Explain mining plans
- Answer their questions
- Let them know about any work opportunities