Mineral Resources Resources: raw materials used by society

Types of mineral resources: Metallic ferrous (Fe and related metals) nonferrous (gold, copper, etc.) Non metallic structural (stone, gravel, sand…) industrial (salts, sulfur, asbestos…) Ornamental Energy (coal, uranium, oil….) Mineral resources are nonrenewable resources

Our modern technological society is very dependent on mineral resources. The average person in an industrialized nations uses about 2.3 times as much Al and 1.3 times as much Cu as the typical person did 30 years ago. We use over 20 times more Al and 16 times more Cu per person than people in developing countries.

Metal use

Consumption Trends

World consumption of minerals has quintupled since Some minerals have been used to build roads, buildings and durable goods, but much has gone into disposable goods. Per capita consumption of mineral resources by Americans

Overburden: soil and rock covering a mineral deposit- -normally waste material Tailings: ground up rock residue after the high-grade ore has been extracted Smelting: process of concentrating ore by heating to produce crude metals Slag: fused waste produced during removal of metal from its ore Refining: chemical purification A few definitions….

Copper Mining and Production

A gold mine with ore processing on site

 Environmental destruction  Waste production  Onsite pollution  Offsite pollution Problems:

Onsite and offsite pollution

The Holden Mine, Wash.

Holden Copper Mine -- operated almost 20 years, closed in 1957; within US Forest Service land Produced: 212 million pounds of Copper 40 million pounds of Zinc 2 million pounds of Silver 600 thousand ounces of Gold From: 10 million tons of ore Ore shipped to ASARCO smelter, Tacoma Smelter originally for lead, converted to copper in 1915; smelter closed in Now a superfund site.

Cd 7 ppm 1 ppm Zn 5200 ppm 46 ppm 54 ppm

The General Mining Act of 1872 Claimholders can buy land ($ per acre). Once paid, the owner can do as they please with the land. Nevada--$20 billion in minerals for $9000 Colorado--7000ac purchased for $42,000 and resold for $37million BLM estimate: $4 billion in minerals per year free Miners can stake claims on public land and take minerals for free Mine industry: Metal mining is risky and expensive; US could become dependent on foreign supplies But coal, oil and gas pay royalties…

Mineral Prices Mineral prices are artificially low. Current mineral prices include only extraction costs -- not the costs of land, ore and other factors Over the last few decades, known reserves for many metals have grown as fast or faster than production. Governments have traditionally subsidized mineral production for several reasons: export currency to reduce international debt economic development national security

US stockpiles of strategic metals and metal ores.

The Global Metal Trade

Energy for production

Two fundamental strategies for dealing with mineral scarcity: 1. Increase supply locate new ore deposits recycle old materials 2. Decrease demand find alternatives or substitutes eliminate need through technology or lifestyle changes Producing and buying DURABLE GOODS is an easy way to reduce demand for mineral resources