Chapter 10: Land, Public and Private Chapter 8: Soil write any green notes in your notebooks

Elemental Composition of the Earth’s Crust Ores: concentrations of minerals from which economically valuable materials can be extracted.  Ores are typically characterized by the presence of valuable metals, but accumulations of other valuable materials, such as salt or sand, can also be considered ores.

Reserves Reserves - the known quantity of a resource that can be economically recovered. Many “reserves” have run out in the United States.

Types of Mining Surface mining- removing minerals that are close to Earth’s surface. Strip mining- removing strips of soil and rock to expose ore. Open pit mining- the creation of a large pit or hole in the ground. Mountain top removal- removing the entire top of a mountain with explosives. Placer mining- looking for metals and stones in river sediments. Subsurface mining- mining for resources that are 100 meters below Earth’s surface.

Types of Mining Mine waste from the Gold King Mine north of Silverton, CO fills the Animas River at Bakers Bridge on August 5, 2015. http://www.abqjournal.com/628976/news/gold-king-mine-spill-a-disaster-waiting-to-happen.html

Federal Protections The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 mandates that land should be minimally disturbed during the mining process and reclaimed (reclamation) after mining is completed.