4.1 Energy & Mineral Resources

Earth’s Resources Mineral resources are used to produce most of the thing we use (cars, phones, basketballs, etc.) Energy resources power our lives (warming our homes, fueling the family car, lighting up the streets, etc.) Two categories of resources – Renewable and Nonrenewable

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Can be replenished over a short period of time Ex: Plants and animals for food Fibers for clothing Trees for lumber or paper Wind Solar Water Takes millions of years to form and accumulate Ex: Fossil Fuels: Coal Oil Natural gas Petroleum Uranium (nuclear power) Minerals like gold, copper, galena, etc.

Formation of Fossil Fuels 85% of electricity in U.S. comes from fossil fuels A fossil fuel is a carbon-containing fuel that formed over millions of years from the remains of living things Coal: plant material transformed from heat and pressure Petroleum and Natural Gas: remains of organisms buried in ancient seas Tar Sands: mixture of clay, sand, and petroleum Oil Shale: rock that contains remains of microscopic organisms

Mineral Resources Mineral resources are deposits of useful minerals that be removed from the ground Ore is a useful metallic mineral that can be mined at a profit The amount of minerals in the Earth’s crust is small Common ore minerals are pyrite, magnetite, hematite, galena, graphite, and sulfur

The Formation of Mineral Deposits: Crystallizing from MAGMA Molten material is a liquid mixture of freely moving crystals. As molten material rises towards Earth’s surface it cools and crystalline solids form. Ex: muscovite, quartz, and magnetite

The Formation of Minerals (cont.): 2. Crystallization of elements dissolved in water Elements in water are freely moving in liquid When water evaporates, solid crystals are left behind Can be above or below Earth’s surface Ex: galena, gypsum, calcite

This salt bed of halite formed when an ancient salt lake evaporated and left the crystals behind. The white “stripes” in the mountain are minerals left behind from magma flowing through the Earth’s crust

Mining & Drilling for Resources

The method used to reach mineral deposits depends on how deep it is from the surface:

Surface Mining – When mineral deposits are located at or near the Earth’s surface Types: open pits, surface coal mines, and quarries Header first line (section#) – white 24 points Arial Bold Header second line (title) – white 28 points Arial Bold Title – yellow 28 points Arial Bold Body text – white24 points Arial and Arial Bold Bullets – yellow Copyright – white 12 points Arial Background name: HST-Presentation_blue.jpg, Size: Height: 7.52" Width: 10.02" Scale: 70% Position on slide: Horizontal - 0" Vertical - 0" End of Slide

PA Quarries www.google.com

World Diamond Mines

Ekita Diamond Mine in Canada

Fort Knox Gold Mine

Subsurface Mining – when minerals are deep in Earth Subsurface Mining – when minerals are deep in Earth. Different types of passageways can be dug to reach the ore: Header first line (section#) – white 24 points Arial Bold Header second line (title) – white 28 points Arial Bold Title – yellow 28 points Arial Bold Body text – white24 points Arial and Arial Bold Bullets – yellow Copyright – white 12 points Arial Background name: HST-Presentation_blue.jpg, Size: Height: 7.52" Width: 10.02" Scale: 70% Position on slide: Horizontal - 0" Vertical - 0" End of Slide

Drift Mines

Continuous Mining Machines

Hydraulic Fracturing or “Fracking” http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-14432401 Very controversial with pros and cons New technology with limited studies

Harmful Effects of Mining and Drilling Water Pollution Structural damage from erosion Habitat Destruction and loss of species Accidents and health hazards for workers Earthquakes Solutions? We can mine less if we follow 3 R’s Local and State governments and agencies monitor mining companies and fine them for harmful practices Mine Reclamation – required by law since the 1970’s

Harmful Effects of Mining Water Pollution

Harmful Effects of Mining Structural damage from erosion

Harmful Effects of Mining Habitat Destruction and loss of species

Earthquakes

Solutions? We can mine less if we follow 3 R’s Local and State governments and agencies monitor mining companies and fine them for harmful practices

Mine Reclamation – required by law since the 1970’s

Mine Reclamation (Golf Course) Header first line (section#) – white 24 points Arial Bold Header second line (title) – white 28 points Arial Bold Title – yellow 28 points Arial Bold Body text – white24 points Arial and Arial Bold Bullets – yellow Copyright – white 12 points Arial Background name: HST-Presentation_blue.jpg, Size: Height: 7.52" Width: 10.02" Scale: 70% Position on slide: Horizontal - 0" Vertical - 0" End of Slide

Mine Reclamation (Air Field)

Reclamation Problems $650,000 for Mine Reclamation Work in Clinton County

From PA Department of Environmental Protection: “Pennsylvania has approximately 180,000 acres of abandoned mine sites in need of remediation, and our aggressive program is reclaiming these sites to eliminate harmful acid mine drainage, protect our waterways and return the land to its original condition,” DEP Deputy Secretary for Active and Abandoned Mine Operations John Stefanko said