Strategies To Secure Future Mineral Supplies

Question 1

Why do new technologies need tk be invented for mineral extraction

Answer 1

As we need tk find and extract new deposits including low grade and less accessible deposits

Question 2

What is remote sensing

Answer 2

Looking for minerals from a distance

Question 3

How can remote sensing be done

Answer 3

Better satellites that carry better sensors for more detailed images

Question 4

How does remote sensing work

Answer 4

Light waves are sent to the surface and different minerals reflect the light in different ways

Question 5

How can better field equipment help

Answer 5

Testing cab be done more accurately and quickly

Question 6

How does depth improve mineral extraction

Answer 6

Minerals that were inaccessible can now be exploited

Question 7

What is the exploration of low grade ores

Answer 7

Looking for minerals of a lower grade

Question 8

How do we normally get mineral out of rock

Answer 8

Smelting the ore done at high temperatures = costly

Question 9

What is bioleaching

Answer 9

Mining that extracts valuable metals from low grade ore with the help of microorganisms like bacteria or Archaea

Question 10

What bacteria are used for bio mining

Answer 10

Acidiphilic (love acid)

Question 11

What are acidicphilic bacteria used to extract

Answer 11

Gold
Copper
Zinc
Lead

Question 12

How is the solution from bio leaching separated

Answer 12

Electrolysis

Question 13

What are the benefits Of bio mining

Answer 13

Less energy used
No sulphur dioxide used (environmental harmful)

Question 14

Why are low concentrations not a problem for bacteria

Answer 14

Ignore the waste that surrounds the metals

Question 15

What can be the extraction yield of bio mining

Answer 15

90% in some cases

Question 16

What is phyto mining

Answer 16

The use of plants to abrob metals from the soil

Question 17

What is the process of phytomining

Answer 17

Plant absorb metal
Plant is harvested then burned to produce ash containing metal
Acid added to ash to produce a metal leachate
Metal obtained by electrolysis

Question 18

Why isnt phyto mining currently viable

Answer 18

Large scale harvesting is currenlty mire costly than current mining techniques

Question 19

What is leachate collection

Answer 19

Leachate from spoil heaps collected for any dissolved metal ions

Question 20

Is leachate collection currently used

Answer 20

No as supply isnt low enough to be needed

Question 21

How is concentration of leachate increased

Answer 21

Re-ciruclating through the spoil

Question 22

How are the ions extracted from the leachate

Answer 22

Electrolysis

Question 23

What is cradle to cradle design

Answer 23

Describes the potentially infinite corculation of minerals and nutrients
Something can be re-used

Question 24

What are the benefits of recycling

Answer 24

Conservation of resources
Reduced energy use
Reduced impact from extraction and processing
Reduced waste disposal

Question 25

Is all recycling old used products

Answer 25

No- industrial waste like metal trimmingsand discarded part of manufacturing

Question 26

What is the problem with recycling

Answer 26

Not always cheaper as time consuming

Question 27

Why is identification of minerals a problem

Answer 27

Metals or mineral are mixed time consuming and difficult to identify

Question 28

How many different types of plastic are there

Answer 28

More than 50

Question 29

Why is seperation a problem

Answer 29

When resource is identified it needs tk be seperated with alloya this may not be possible

Question 30

How is quality affected by recycling

Answer 30

The more a resource is recyled the worse it gets becomes fragile

Question 31

How is recycling environmentally damaging

Answer 31

More trips for collection and after seperation

Question 32

Why is contamination a problem when recycling

Answer 32

Can be hazadous and may be un-recyclable

Question 33

What is one of the biggest problems with recycling

Answer 33

Lack of consumer cooperation