VL 10 - Resources

Question 1

Name all natural resources

Answer 1

Natural resources

• Natural raw materials
  –> Energetic raw materials
  –> Non-energetic raw materials
• Water
• Air/atmosphere
• Solar energy
• Soil and land
• Biodiversity

Question 2

The rock cycle

Answer 2

Compare slide 9

Question 3

What is missing?

• Formation of coal and hydrocarbon deposits: All coals and hydrocarbons are of “…”.
• Formation of mineral deposits: If elements occur in higher concentrations than on average, they have been accumulated by “…”. In some cases, such higher concentrations of important minerals are due to the geological “…”.

Answer 3

• Formation of coal and hydrocarbon deposits: All coals and hydrocarbons are of organic origin.
• Formation of mineral deposits: If elements occur in higher concentrations than on average, they have been accumulated by geological processes. In some cases, such higher concentrations of important minerals are due to the geological rock cycle.

Question 4

Visualization: Fossil Fuels - All Deposits at a Glance

Answer 4

Conventional deposits

• Conventional structural traps
• Clayrock
• Natural gas, crude oil, deposit water

Non-conventional deposits

• Coal
• Coal mine methane
• Tight gas
• Dense sandstone
• Shale gas

Question 5

What is missing?

“…”

• Search and exploration of new previously unknown deposits.
• Geological maps and other available remote sensing information will be evaluated to define the potential exploration area.
• Geophysical analyses are performed within the prospected zone.
• The entire “…” of an exploration area is usually completed after several years of investigation with the start of “…”.

“…”

• After the successful “…” of an area, the “…”.
• Detailed investigations are carried out with the aim of detecting raw material deposits in the Prospection area in order to then extract them.
• Among the investigation methods used are:
  –> Geophysical methods
  –> Geochemical analytics
  –> Modelling of the deposit
• The “…” is usually completed after 5 to 10 years, followed by the actual exploitation of the deposit and thus extraction.

Answer 5

Prospection

• Search and exploration of new previously unknown deposits.
• Geological maps and other available remote sensing information will be evaluated to define the potential exploration area.
• Geophysical analyses are performed within the prospected zone.
• The entire Prospection period of an exploration area is usually completed after several years of investigation with the start of the exploration phase.

Exploration

• After the successful prospection of an area, the exploration phase follows.
• Detailed investigations are carried out with the aim of detecting raw material deposits in the Prospection area in order to then extract them.
• Among the investigation methods used are:
  –> Geophysical methods
  –> Geochemical analytics
  –> Modelling of the deposit
• The exploration phase is usually completed after 5 to 10 years, followed by the actual exploitation of the deposit and thus extraction.

Question 6

What is missing?

Extraction of oil and gas

There are basically three tasks to be solved when drilling a hole:

• The cutting into the bottom of the wellbore (‘Bohrloch’) to deepen the hole
  –> “…”
• The removal of the cuttings from the wellbore and the suspense and release of rock cuttings produced during the drilling process
  –> “…”
• Securing the wellbore against collapse
  –> “…”

Answer 6

Extraction of oil and gas

There are basically three tasks to be solved when drilling a hole:

• The cutting into the bottom of the wellbore (‘Bohrloch’) to deepen the hole
  –> Drill bit (‘Bohrer’)
• The removal of the cuttings from the wellbore and the suspense and release of rock cuttings produced during the drilling process
  –> Drilling fluid
• Securing the wellbore against collapse
  –> Completion and cementation

Question 7

Drilling Techniques

“…”

• The drive is located on the rig and drives the drill rod from above; variants: rotary table or top drive
• Drill rod (‘Rohr’) exerts pressure on drill bit due to its weight
• To change the bit, the drill rod has to be removed and reinstalled (“round trip”)
• Advantage of Top-Drive: installation of new drill rod is simplified
• Method is used for vertical drilling

“…”

• Also called turbine drilling: the driving turbine is located directly behind the drill bit → With the help of the drilling fluid, the turbine is driven by hydraulic pressure
• Method is mainly used for “…”, allowing a “…”

“…”

• “…” is carried out within the reservoir
• The method allows to exploit a hydrocarbon reservoir with a small number of vertical drilling holes

Answer 7

Drilling Techniques

Rotary drilling method

• The drive is located on the rig and drives the drill rod from above; variants: rotary table or top drive
• Drill rod (‘Rohr’) exerts pressure on drill bit due to its weight
• To change the bit, the drill rod has to be removed and reinstalled (“round trip”)
• Advantage of Top-Drive: installation of new drill rod is simplified
• Method is used for vertical drilling

Downhole Mud Motor (Directional drilling)

• Also called turbine drilling: the driving turbine is located directly behind the drill bit → With the help of the drilling fluid, the turbine is driven by hydraulic pressure
• Method is mainly used for directional drilling, allowing a change of direction at a certain depth

Horizontal drilling

• Horizontal drilling is carried out within the reservoir
• The method allows to exploit a hydrocarbon reservoir with a small number of vertical drilling holes

Question 8

What is missing?

Important Lithium Deposits

“…”

• Primarily in magmatic deposits and as intrusions in hydrothermal deposits
• Important deposits in Australia, Canada and Zimbabwe
• There are about 200 minerals containing lithium, 25 of them with significant concentrations
• However, only a few of them are economically usable (see table on next slide)

“…”

• “…” basically come in three forms:
  –> “…”
  –> “…”
  –> “…”
• Extraction of lithium from brines currently only from salt lakes (Example: “Salar de Atacama” in Chile)
• The lithium content fluctuates strongly; in the “Salar de Atacama” it is 1500 ppm
• Economic factor for the extraction from brines is mainly the contamination with e.g. magnesium or sulfate or the ratio of lithium to these elements

Answer 8

Important Lithium Deposits

Solid rock deposit

• Primarily in magmatic deposits and as intrusions in hydrothermal deposits
• Important deposits in Australia, Canada and Zimbabwe
• There are about 200 minerals containing lithium, 25 of them with significant concentrations
• However, only a few of them are economically usable (see table on next slide)

Brine deposits

• Lithium-containing brines basically come in three forms:
  –> Salt lakes
  –> Continental deep waters
  –> Oilfield waters
• Extraction of lithium from brines currently only from salt lakes (Example: “Salar de Atacama” in Chile)
• The lithium content fluctuates strongly; in the “Salar de Atacama” it is 1500 ppm
• Economic factor for the extraction from brines is mainly the contamination with e.g. magnesium or sulfate or the ratio of lithium to these elements

Question 9

Explain the extraction of Lithium from …

a) … brine deposits
b) … solid rock deposits

Answer 9

Extraction of Lithium from brine deposits

• Traditionally, holes are drilled, brine is pumped to the surface and concentrated by solar energy in successive evaporation basins.
• Depending on the deposit, the chemical compositions and thus the further processing steps vary greatly.

Extraction of Lithium from solid rock deposits

• To extract lithium from solid rock deposits, the raw ores (e.g. pegmatites) mined in open pit or underground mines are processed into lithium-containing concentrates (by sorting, crushing, grinding, gravity separation, magnetic separation, flotation, washing, filtering and drying).
• At achieve higher concentrates additional refinement and processes are required

Question 10

What is missing?

Lithium is currently indispensable for electromobility and thus also for achieving the energy transition. Which aspects must be critically questioned with regard to the use of lithium in electric mobility in terms of sustainability?

Brine deposits

• “…”
  –> “…”

Solid rock deposits

• “…”
• “…” for the treatment of lithium-containing minerals
• “…” for some process steps during the treatment of lithium-containing minerals

Additional

• Many value creation stages lie outside the extraction regions
• Recycling is not yet an important factor in lithium production

Answer 10

Lithium is currently indispensable for electromobility and thus also for achieving the energy transition. Which aspects must be critically questioned with regard to the use of lithium in electric mobility in terms of sustainability?

Brine deposits

• Sinking of the salt water level in deposits due to evaporation
  –> Fresh water from areas around deposits flows in + decrease of the fresh water levels in these areas

Solid rock deposits

• Large area requirements and considerable mining residues
• High water demand for the treatment of lithium-containing minerals
• High energy consumption for some process steps during the treatment of lithium-containing minerals

Additional

• Many value creation stages lie outside the extraction regions
• Recycling is not yet an important factor in lithium production