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Environmental science > The lithosphere > Flashcards

The lithosphere Flashcards

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1
Q

name 2 metals that can be extracted from ores, their uses and why

A
  • uranium: nuclear fuel for power stations (atoms split apart during nuclear fission)
  • gold: jewellery/coins/electrical conductors (uncreactive, does not tarnish, rust or corrode, good conductor of electricity)
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2
Q

3 minerals that are used in construction and why

A
  • gypsum: plaster (good insulation properties, fire/impact resistant)
  • limestone: cement/railroad ballast (strong/durable, good drainage properties)
  • aggregates: concrete (strong/durable, adds dimensional and volume stability, thermal/elastic properties)
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3
Q

2 minerals that are used in industry and why:
Kaolin: used in cosmetics and coating of _____
In cosmetics: reduces production of ____. Also exfoliates and adds texture and ____ to products. In ____: improves ________ and improves ________.
Aluminium: is used in _______ as it has a high conductivity to ______ ratio.

A
  1. paper
  2. sebum
  3. density
  4. paper
  5. appearance
  6. printability
  7. electronics
  8. weight
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4
Q

is hydrothermal deposition a metamorphic, igneous or sedimentary process?

A

igneous

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5
Q

name the 4 sedimentary processes

A
  1. biological sediments
  2. alluvial deposits
  3. evaporite
  4. proterzoic marine sediments
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6
Q

in metamorphic processes, extreme _________ turns limestone into ______ and extreme _______ turns mudstone into____.

A
  1. temps
  2. marble
  3. pressure
  4. slate
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7
Q

what are the products of hydrothermal deposition? (5)

A

tin, copper, silver, gold, lead

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8
Q

what are the products of biological sediments? (4)

A

crude oil, coal, limestone, chalk

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9
Q

what is the product of evaporite?

A

halite (sodium chloride)

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10
Q

what is the product of proterzoic marine sediments?

A

iron ores (hematite/magnetite)

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11
Q

what are the products of alluvial deposit? (6)

A

gold, gravel, tin ore, diamond, sand, clay

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12
Q

what are metamorphic processes?

A

when igneous processes coupled with tectonic movements of crustal plates causes the rock to change under extreme temp or pressure

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13
Q

what is hydrothermal deposition?

A
  • when H2O from precipitation becomes hot as it reaches magma (hydrothermal fluid)
  • many minerals dissolve into hot H2O
  • this hydrothermal fluid is pressurised forcing it up through fissures in the rock away from magma
  • minerals in H2O become insoluble and crystallisation occurs (they do this in order of solubility/ order of deposition)
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14
Q

how are proterzoic marine sediments formed?

A
  • iron reacted with O2 from photosynthesis
  • forms iron oxide
  • mineral precipitation into sea (proterzoic)
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15
Q

how do alluvial deposits processes work?

A
  • minerals carried/separated using the flow of H2O
  • depends on velocity of H2O and density of minerals
  • densest materials deposited first i.e. gold
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16
Q

how are biological sediments formed?

A
  • organic matter dies

- produces concentrated deposits

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17
Q

how do evaporites work?

A
  • sea isolated i.e. a lagoon
  • evaporation occurs, and so crystallisation
  • leaves a concentrated deposits of crystallised deposits
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18
Q

what is the definition of resource?

A

is the potential material that is theoretically available to be exploited

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19
Q

what is the definition of reserve?

A

the amount of material we can currently mine what with the present tech and market prices

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20
Q

what is bigger resource or reserve?

A

resource

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21
Q

what is the definition of cut off ore grade?

A

the lowest quality/purity ore that can be mined economically at current market prices

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22
Q

what is laskey’s principle?

A

as the linear purity of a deposit decreases, there is a logarithmic increase in the amount of mineral that is included. So the ability to exploit low grade ores results in an increase in reserves.

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23
Q

what is remote sensing and what are the 3 advantages of it?

A

using a technique to gain info without direct samples.

quicker, cost effective and can access remote locations

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24
Q

name the 2 exploratory techniques which are not remote sensing and how they work

A
  • chemical analysis: using the samples and finding the chemical composition/purity of samples
  • trial drilling: digging out ore samples, only method to produce physical samples
25
Q

name the 5 remote sensing techniques

A
  • satellite surveys
  • seismic surveys
  • magnetometry
  • gravimetry
  • resistivity
26
Q

what does satellite surveys involve?

A

measuring different wavelengths of visible and IR light emitted by surface

27
Q

what does resistivity surveys involve?

A

passing electricity thru a material and measuring its resistivity i.e. igneous has the highest, sedimentary has the lowest

28
Q

what does magnetometry involve?

A

detecting magnetic rock i.e. iron

29
Q

what does gravimetry involve?

A

measuring variations in gravity caused by different density/mass i.e. igneous is most dense

30
Q

what does seismic surveys involve?

A

sending out sound waves, echoes can give info on depth, density and shape of rock

31
Q

name the 6 factors that affect mine viability

A
  • depth
  • ore purity
  • chemical composition
  • transport costs
  • economic viability
  • overburden and hydrology
32
Q

Depth:
As the depth ______ so does the ___. Sides of the mine cannot be ______ so landscaping must be done to introduce a ______ so _____ costs further. In addition, this _____ the surface H2O ______ so ______ the ______ costs.

A
  1. increases
  2. costs
  3. vertical
  4. gradient
  5. increases
  6. increases
  7. runoff
  8. increases
  9. pumping
33
Q

for ore purity what 4 things can happen if the ore grade is low?

A
  • more rock to be mined
  • more waste products
  • more energy needed
  • more pollution
34
Q

Overburden and hydrology:
the harder the overburden, the more_________, so this increases costs. This has a risk of _______ due to loss of stability. So _________ must be done to introduce a _______ this causes the ____of the mine to increase. Also higher ________ increases drainage costs.

A
  1. blasting
  2. landslides
  3. stability
  4. landscaping
  5. gradient
  6. area
  7. precipitation
35
Q

How does the chemical composition of the mineral affect mine viability?

A

the chemical form affects ease of chemical extraction

36
Q

What 3 factors affect the transport costs of mining?

A
  • distance to market
  • existing transport infrastructure
  • ease of bulk transport
37
Q

for economic viability, there must be a balance between…….

A

cost and income

38
Q

the COOG changes as _________ improves and _____ prices ________ (sale and _____)

A
  1. technology
  2. market
  3. fluctuate
  4. demand
39
Q

if the ore has a higher market value = COOG ________
if there are higher extraction costs = COOG ________
if there is improved extraction tech = COOG _______
if the ore has a lower market value = COOG _______

A
  1. decreases
  2. increases
  3. decreases
  4. increases
40
Q

name the 7 environmental impacts of mining

A
  • habitat loss
  • H2O turbidity
  • loss of amenity
  • toxic leachate
  • noise
  • dust
  • spoil disposal
41
Q

what are the 2 methods to reduce impact of habitat loss (mining)?

A
  • removing/capturing wildlife and relocating (normally unsuccessful)
  • habitat restoration/new habitats created once mining has stopped
42
Q

what is the method to reduce the impact of loss of amenity?

A

landscaping and tree planting

43
Q

what is the method to reduce the impact of dust?

A

H2O sprays make the dust particles clump together and sink to the floor

44
Q

what are the 3 methods to reduce the impact of noise?

A
  • using baffle mounds/embankments (absorb/deflect noise)
  • only blasting at set times of day
  • locating machinery inside
45
Q

what is the method to reduce the impact of turbid H2O?

A

using sedimentation lagoons, so outflow is less turbid

46
Q

what are the methods to reduce the impacts of toxic leachate?

A
  • toxic leachate drained through crushed limestone to oxidise the metals
47
Q

what are the 3 methods to reduce the impacts of spoil disposal?

A
  • landscaping the spoil heaps to make it more aesthetically pleasing and create gradients to increase stability
  • planting vegetation i.e. legumes and using fertilisers to increase fertility of soil
  • spoil heap drainage to decrease landslides also
48
Q

name the 5 ways that you can exploit low grade ores

A
  • bioleaching
  • phytomining
  • polymer adsorption
  • iron displacement
  • leachate collection
49
Q

how does bioleaching work?

A

the use of microbes such as acidophillic bacteria to extract copper, zinc, gold and lead. It dissolves the metals in the ores

50
Q

how does phytomining work?

A

plants absorb minerals ions and they are stored concentrated within the plant. The plant is then incinerated. The ash contains concentrated metals which is then dissolved in acids and separated via electrolysis

51
Q

how does leachate collection work?

A

rainwater percolating thru spoil heaps dissolves metal ions, leachate is passed thru heap again to increase concentration of ions, metals then extracted by electrolysis

52
Q

how does iron displacement work?

A

iron more reactive than copper so displace copper ions, copper is then collected

53
Q

how does polymer adsorption work?

A

metal ions dissolved in seawater and will absorb onto natural (i.e. chitin or lignin) or synthetic polymers. to extract uranium

54
Q

how does extracting rare earth minerals work?

A

chemical separation difficult and produces lots of toxic waste. Bacterial adsorption = dissolved ions become more concentrated in bacteria then washed off using acidic solution. different metals wash off at different pH’s

55
Q

what is the difference between open cast and deep mining?

A

deep mining: mining underground, reduced habitat loss on mine surface
open cast mining: mining from the surface, increases habitat loss and need larger machinery to extract overburden

56
Q

what are the 3 improvements to the exploratory techniques?

A
  • remote sensing: can detect greater range of wavelengths of IR
  • portable field equipment is smaller, lighter and energy consumption has been reduced and results immediate i.e. portable IR spectroscopy and radiation detection)
  • polymetallic nodules (manganese nodules) found on seafloor, no drilling necessary, vast quantities of mineral
57
Q

what is the cradle to cradle design?

A

design of products where materials can either decomposed or be reused or recycled at the end of their lives. Minimises waste and extends lifetime of material (reflects biogeochemical cycles)

58
Q

what are the 4 advantages of recycling?

A
  • reduced mineral extraction / processing
  • reduced energy use
  • conservation of mineral resources
  • reduced waste disposal impacts (less goes to landfill)
59
Q

what are the 6 disadvantages of recycling?

A
  • lack of consumer cooperation i,e, lack of recycling schemes
  • hard to identify materials, slow/labour intensive
  • collection difficulties
  • hard to separated mixed materials
  • reduction in quality of metal/final product
  • energy used to recycle the metal and transport it must be lower than extraction costs

Environmental science (19 decks)

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