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

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

Nature and Formation of Mineral Resources Fig. 15-2 p. 339 Metallic Non-metallic Magma Hydrothermal Weathering

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

Removing Nonrenewable Mineral Resources Surface mining Subsurface mining Mountain Top Room and pillar Contour Strip Longwall Open-pit Dredging Refer to Figs. 15-4 and 15-5, p. 341 and 342 Strip mining

Environmental Effects of Extracting Mineral Resources Fig. 15-6 p. 343

Environmental Effects of Processing Mineral Resources Ore mineral Fig. 15-7 p. 344 Gangue Tailings Smelting See Case Study p. 345

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

Supplies of Mineral Resources Economic depletion Depletion time Reserve-to-production ratio Foreign sources Economics Environmental concerns Mining the ocean Fig. 15-9 p. 346 Finding substitutes

Evaluating Energy Resources Renewable energy Non-renewable energy Future availability Net energy yield Cost Environmental effects Fig. 15-12 p. 351

Important Nonrenewable Energy Sources Fig. 15-10 p. 350

North American Energy Resources Fig. 15-20 p. 356

Oil Petroleum (crude oil) Primary recovery Secondary recovery Fig. 15-18 p. 355 Petroleum (crude oil) Primary recovery Secondary recovery Tertiary recovery Petrochemicals Refining Transporting

Oil Shale and Tar Sands Oil shale Keragen Tar sand Bitumen Fig. 15-28 p. 361

Natural Gas 50-90% methane Conventional gas Unconventional gas Methane hydrate Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) Fig. 15-29 p. 362 Liquefied natural gas (LNG) Approximate 200 year supply

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

Coal Fig. 15-30 p. 363

Burning Coal More Cleanly Fluidized-Bed Combustion Fig. 15-32 p. 364

Nuclear Energy Fission reactors Uranium-235 Potentially dangerous Fig. 15-35 p. 366 Uranium-235 Potentially dangerous Radioactive wastes Refer to Introductory Essay p. 338

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Fig. 15-36 p. 367

Dealing with Nuclear Waste Low-level waste High-level waste Underground burial Disposal in space Fig. 15-40 p. 370 Burial in ice sheets Dumping into subduction zones Burial in ocean mud Conversion into harmless materials

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. 15-42 p. 376