1. Geologic Resources: Nonrenewable Mineral and Energy Resources
G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
13th Edition
Chapter 15
Dr. Richard Clements
Chattanooga State Technical Community College

2. Key Concepts Types of mineral resources
Formation and location of mineral resources
Extraction and processing of mineral resources
Increasing supplies of mineral resources
Major types, acquisition, advantages, and disadvantages of fuel resources

3. Nature and Formation of Mineral Resources
Fig p. 339
Metallic
Non-metallic
Magma
Hydrothermal
Weathering

4. Finding Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
Satellite imagery
Aerial sensors (magnetometers)
Gravity differences
Core sampling
Seismic surveys
Chemical analysis of water and plants

5. Removing Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
Surface mining
Subsurface mining
Mountain Top
Room and pillar
Contour Strip
Longwall
Open-pit
Dredging
Refer to Figs and 15-5, p. 341 and 342
Strip mining

6. Environmental Effects of Extracting Mineral Resources
Fig p. 343

7. Environmental Effects of Processing Mineral Resources
Ore mineral
Fig p. 344
Gangue
Tailings
Smelting
See Case Study p. 345

8. Environmental Effects of Using Mineral Resources
Disruption/scarring of land surface
Subsidence –houses, sewers, gas mains, ground water
Erosion of solid mining waste
Acid mine drainage
Air pollution
Storage and leakage of liquid mining waste
Wildlife

9. Supplies of Mineral Resources
Economic depletion
Depletion time
Reserve-to-production ratio
Foreign sources
Economics
Environmental concerns
Mining the ocean
Fig p. 346
Finding substitutes

10. Evaluating Energy Resources
Renewable energy
Non-renewable energy
Future availability
Net energy yield
Cost
Environmental effects
Fig p. 351

11. Important Nonrenewable Energy Sources
Fig p. 350

12. North American Energy Resources
Fig
p. 356

13. Oil Petroleum (crude oil) Primary recovery Secondary recovery
Fig p. 355
Petroleum (crude oil)
Primary recovery
Secondary recovery
Tertiary recovery
Petrochemicals
Refining
Transporting

14. Oil Shale and Tar Sands Oil shale Keragen Tar sand Bitumen
Fig p. 361

15. Natural Gas 50-90% methane Conventional gas Unconventional gas
Methane hydrate
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
Fig p. 362
Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Approximate 200 year supply

16. Coal Stages of coal formation Primarily strip-mined
Used mostly for generating electricity
Enough coal for about 1000 years
Highest environmental impact
Coal gasification and liquefaction

17. Coal
Fig p. 363

18. Burning Coal More Cleanly
Fluidized-Bed Combustion
Fig p. 364

19. Nuclear Energy Fission reactors Uranium-235 Potentially dangerous
Fig p. 366
Uranium-235
Potentially dangerous
Radioactive wastes
Refer to Introductory Essay p. 338

20. The Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Fig
p. 367

21. Dealing with Nuclear Waste
Low-level waste
High-level waste
Underground burial
Disposal in space
Fig
p. 370
Burial in ice sheets
Dumping into subduction zones
Burial in ocean mud
Conversion into harmless materials

22. Nuclear Alternatives Breeder nuclear fission reactors Nuclear fusion
New reactor designs
Storage Containers
Fuel rod
Primary canister
Ground Level
Overpack
container
sealed
Unloaded from train
Personnal
elevator
Air shaft
Nuclear waste
shaft
Underground
Buried and capped
Lowered down shaft
Fig
p. 376