Minerals: A Nonrenewable

Resource

Chapter 16

A spectacular slide show presentation by Mr. Berkheimer and some very, very special guest speakers!

Introduction to Minerals

Concrete – sand, gravel, crushed

limestone Salt

Copper

Introduction to Minerals

Mineral Distribution and Formation

• Some minerals very abundant (e.g., Al, Fe)

• Some are very scarce (e.g., Cu, Mo)

• Some may be found about anywhere, but in such low abundance mining is unprofitable

Introduction to Minerals

Mineral Distribution and Formation

Formation of Mineral Deposits

Magmatic concentration

Hydrothermal processes

Sedimentation

Evaporation

Introduction to Minerals

How Minerals are Found, Extracted, and Processed

• Discovering Mineral Deposits

–aerial photos / satellite images–examine magnetic field–seismographs

Introduction to Minerals

How Minerals are Found, Extracted, and Processed

• Discovering Mineral Deposits

• Extracting Minerals

Copper Ore being loaded into a 300 ton truck for transport to the crusher.

Conveyors and trucks deposit coarse ore on a heap leach pad, which has a series of pipes and hoses dispensing a diluted sulfuric acid solution to the ore. Copper is dissolved and flows to a pond at the bottom of the pad. This process can take several months.

Is this our soil pit???

No Silly, This is one of the largest earth movers in the world working in a copper strip mine!!!

Large man-made piles of mining waste that stretch for several miles. Piles are on the edge of the town of Globe, Arizona.

Four grinding lines composed of four semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mills and eight ball mills and corresponding flotation cells.

Hey Jillian, these machines look identical!

Wow Jordan! How could anyone tell them apart???

The technically advanced and cleanest smelter in the world is part of an $880 million modernization program.

You might see environmental destruction, but I see growing economies and financial wealth!

Death to the Lorax, Long live the Wilton!!!

Introduction to Minerals

How Minerals are Found, Extracted, and Processed

• Discovering Mineral Deposits

• Extracting Minerals

• Processing Minerals

Environmental Implications of Minerals

Mining and the Environment

• Disturbs large areas of land

• Uses huge quantities of water

• Affects water quality

Cost-benefit Analysis of Mine Development

Benefits of the mining vs. Preservation of the land

Environmental Implications of Minerals

Environmental Impacts of Refining MineralsWe need to make use of the waste!

Environmental Implications of Minerals

Environmental Impacts of Refining Minerals

The problem of tailings

Environmental Implications of Minerals

Environmental Impacts of Refining Minerals

Case-in-Point: Copper Basin, TN

In southeast Tennessee, decades of extensive copper and sulfur mining degraded the once lush area known as the Copper Basin Mining District Site in Polk County. By the late 1800s, vegetation refused to grow, acidic conditions and leaching metals impaired the water quality and deforestation resulted in severe erosion. Abandoned and collapsing mine works and other deteriorating facilities and waste piles posed significant physical hazards.

Environmental Implications of Minerals

Restoration of Mining Lands

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

The “Wilds” in Southern Ohio is an example of the success of the surface mining control and reclamation act!

Environmental Implications of Minerals

Restoration of Mining Lands

Creative Approaches to Cleaning Up Mining AreasConversion to wetlands

PhytoremediationPhytoremediaton is using plants to clean soil from contaminants!

Minerals: An International Perspective

• Many developed nations have observed significant environmental damage due to mining

• Many developed nations exacerbate problem by having mining interests in developing countries

Minerals: An International Perspective

U.S. and World Use

North American consumption of selected metals

Another example of the U.S. using up more than it’s fair share of resources!

Minerals: An International Perspective

Distribution Versus Consumption

Some minerals needed for many industrial processes

but only found in abundance in few places

Results in dependence

Stockpiling common

Minerals: An International Perspective

Will We Run Out of Important Minerals?

Increasing the Supply of Minerals

Locating and Mining New Deposits

Many known deposits haven’t been exploited because:

• accessibility problems

• technology issues

• too deep

Don’t let Wilton know about this problem! He will exploit all of the earth’s resources even further!

Increasing the Supply of MineralsMinerals in Antarctica

Antartic Treaty (1961) limits activities in Antarctica

If significant mineral deposits were found, should they be exploited?

Leave Antarctica alone! There are plenty of minerals on Vulcan!

Leave my Planet alone!

Increasing the Supply of Minerals

Minerals from the Ocean

Manganese nodules

Increasing the Supply of Minerals

Minerals from the Ocean

If I could own the ocean, I could control the world’s manganese supply!

Increasing the Supply of Minerals

Advanced Mining and Processing Technologies

Ability to exploit low-grade ores

BiominingBiomining is the use of microorganisms to extract metals and minerals from ores in the mining process. Ores of high quality are rapidly being depleted and biomining allows environmentally friendly ways of extracting metals from low-grade ores (ores that have small amounts of valuable metals scattered throughout).

Using Substitution and Conservation to Expand Mineral Supplies

Finding Mineral Substitutes

Substituting inexpensive / abundant resources for expensive / scarce resources

Glass, plastics, and aluminum have substituted for tin!

Using Substitution and Conservation to Expand Mineral Supplies

Mineral Conservation

Reuse

same product used over and over

Recycling

product is processed into another product

Changing Our Mineral Requirements

fight the “throw away” mentality

Wow, that was almost an interesting powerpoint, I stayed awake for most of it!