The mineral and coal resources of South Africa. Unit 1.

Question 1

Name the main minerals that are mined in South Africa.

Answer 1

Gold; platinum; chrome; iron; diamonds; manganese; copper; uranium; nickel; asbestos

Question 2

What is diamonds used in?

Answer 2

jewellery and cutting machines

Question 3

What is manganese used in?

Answer 3

Batteries; cans; making other metals

Question 4

What is copper used in?

Answer 4

Pipes; electrical wires; jewellery

Question 5

What is iron used in?

Answer 5

Building construction; the car industry; making machines; making other materials

Question 6

What is chrome used in?

Answer 6

making other materials; making the shiny parts of machines

Question 7

What is platinum used in?

Answer 7

jewellery; car industry; electrical industry

Question 8

What is gold used in?

Answer 8

Jewellery; dentistry

Question 9

Define the term ‘non-renewable’.

Answer 9

Something that we can only use once. When it is finished, it cannot be replaced.

Question 10

Define the term ‘ore’.

Answer 10

rock that contains large amounts of minerals

Question 11

Define the term ‘Coal’

Answer 11

rock made from the remains of plants that died millions of years ago.

Question 12

Define the term ‘fuel’

Answer 12

Something we burn to give us energy.

Question 13

Define the term ‘industry’.

Answer 13

A vey organized way of making things, often in large factories

Question 14

Discuss coal as a non-renewable resource.

Answer 14

it is a rock made from plants that died millions of years ago. It is a non-renewable resource. There is enough coal to last the world about 100 years. When it is finished, it cannot be replaced.

Question 15

Discuss stage 1 of coal formation

Answer 15

Millions of years ago thick forests grew in swamps and the dead trees fell into the swamps.

Question 16

Discuss stage 2 of coal formation

Answer 16

Rivers washed sand and soil into the swamps and buried the dead trees.

Question 17

Discuss stage 3 of coal formation

Answer 17

More sand and rock piled up on the dead trees and squeezed all the water out. Slowly, as the trees, sand and soil were squashed into different rocks, the trees became coal.

Question 18

We use coal as fuel to

Answer 18

create electricity;
Provide heating:
Make petrol and other oils.

Question 19

Industry uses coal to make

Answer 19

Steel;
Tar for roads;
Concrete;
Plastics 
Paper

Question 20

In which products in our homes can you find coal?

Answer 20

Soap;
Shampoo;
Medicines and
Food

Question 21

In what types of areas do people live?

Answer 21

Where they can find jobs;
Where there is enough water;
Where there is good farming land;
Mining provides good jobs so people live near mines despite the risk.

Question 22

How many stages does coal formation have?

Answer 22

3

Question 23

Discuss stage 1 of coal formation.

Answer 23

Millions of years ago thick forests grew in swamps and the dead trees fell into the swamps.

Question 24

Discuss stage 2 of coal formation.

Answer 24

Rivers washed sand and soil into the swamps and buried the dead trees

Question 25

Discuss stage 3 of coal formation.

Answer 25

More sand and rock piled up on the dead trees and squeezed all the water out. Slowly as the trees, sand and soil were squashed into different rocks the trees became coal.

Question 26

Name 3 uses of coal as a fuel.

Answer 26

Make electricity
Provide heating
Make petrol and other oils

Question 27

Name 5 things industry uses coal to make

Answer 27

Steel
Tar for roads
Concrete
Plastics
Paper

Question 28

Name 4 household products that contain coal.

Answer 28

Soap
Shampoo
Medicines
Foods

Question 29

Where do people choose to live?

Answer 29

People live in areas where:

a) they can find jobs
b) there is enough water
c) there is good farming land
d) Mining provides thousands of jobs so a lot of people live near mines despite the risks

Question 30

Define the term ‘non-renewable’.

Answer 30

A non-renewable resource is something that we can only use once. When it is finished we cannot make more.

Question 31

Define the term ‘ore’.

Answer 31

Ore is a type of rock that contains large amounts of minerals

Question 32

Define the term ‘coal’.

Answer 32

Coal is a type of rock made from the remains of plants that died millions of years ago.

Question 33

Define the term ‘fuel’.

Answer 33

Fuel is something we burn to give us energy

Question 34

Define the term ‘industry’.

Answer 34

Industry is a very organised way of making things, often in large factories.

Question 35

What do we call rocks that contain lots of minerals?

Answer 35

Ore

Question 36

What is a mine?

Answer 36

A mine is a place where people dig rocks (ore) out of the ground to get the valuable minerals inside the rock.

Question 37

Which mineral is mostly mined in Mpumalanga?

Answer 37

Coal.

Question 38

What does Mpumalanga do with all the coal it mines?

Answer 38

We sell it to Eskom to make electricity for South Africa.

Question 39

Which minerals are NOT mined in South Africa?

Answer 39

Rubies, cobalt and zinc

Question 40

Which mineral is used to make cutting machines?

Answer 40

Diamonds.