Non-renewable energy resources coal oil natural gas nuclear

U.S. Energy FAQs

Natural gas

Nuclear… …not nucular!

Extracting requires digging holes…big holes

Giant holes!!! truck

Equipment to do the job. car

Why do you think this is being done to the Earth?

IN THE NAME OF AND

MINERAL RESOURCE Material found naturally in or on the crust of the Earth that can be extracted and processed into products useful to humans at an affordable cost $$$

NONRENEWABLE MINERAL RESOURCES Metallic mineral resources –iron, copper, aluminum Non-metallic mineral resources –Salt, clay, sand, phosphates, soil Energy resources –Coal, oil, natural gas, uranium

ORE Rock that contains enough of 1+ metallic minerals that can be mined for a profit. –We use and discard materials made from ore… –Now we are learning to reuse or recycle products made from ore and be less wasteful overall

2 Categories of Nonrenewable Mineral Resources Identified resources –Deposits with a known location, quantity, and quality OR –Deposits based on direct geological evidence and measurements Undiscovered resources –Potential supplies are assumed to exist via geological knowledge and theory HOWEVER… –Their location, quantity, and quality are unknown

What about the RESERVES An identified usable nonrenewable mineral resource that can be extracted profitably ($$$) at current prices OTHER RESOURCES An identified or undiscovered resource NOT classified as reserves ( not profitable ) How can we get more reserves? ?

How are these buried resources found? Aerial planes and satellite images reveal outcrops of certain minerals Radiation measuring equipment detects deposits of radioactive metals (Uranium) A magnetometer measures changes in the Earth’s magnetic field (iron ore) A gravimeter measures differences in gravity (detects density differences between ore and surrounding rock) Drill a deep well to extract minerals

Still looking for deposits… Place sensors which detect electrical resistance or radioactivity in existing wells to find oil and natural gas Perform seismic surveys on land and sea by sending shock waves to obtain information of buried rock layers Perform chemical analysis of water and plants to detect deposits of ground minerals that leached into nearby bodies of water or have been absorbed by plant tissues

Removal of mineral deposits depend on… Deep or shallow deposit? Flat or hilly terrain Coal, iron, silt, clay, uranium, oil, etc. &

SURFACE MINING -Used to remove Mechanical equipment removes soil and rock (overburden) and throws away this waste material (spoil).

OPEN-PIT MINING Dig a hole and remove ores - iron, copper, sand, gravel and stone (limestone & marble)

Tilcon

DREDGING Use of chain buckets and draglines to scrape up underwater mineral deposits

Dredging Equipment

AREA STRIP MINING Overburden on flat terrain is removed Mineral deposits are removed Trench filled with overburden and a new cut is made parallel to the previous cut (and repeat…)

CONTOUR STRIP MINING Terraces are cut into a hillside or mountainous terrain and overburden is removed Coal is extracted and the overburden from the new terrace is dumped onto the one below it.

A Picture of Contour Strip Mining

Mountaintop Removal Explosives, shovels, and draglines remove the tops of mountains and expose the coal beneath Environmental Damage? As of 2002 – Pres. Bush allowed rock and dirt from this type of mining of coal to be dumped into streams and valleys.

WHAT are the pros and cons of surface mining? PROS –QUICKER –CHEAPER –LESS DANGEROUS THAN SUB-SURFACE MINING CONS –LOTS OF HABITAT DEGREDATION –LOTS OF WASTE MATERIAL = USELESS OVERBURDEN = SPOIL

The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 requires mining companies to restore most surface mined land to be used for the same purpose as before it was mined

More than 6000 abandoned coal and metal mines have not been restored (an area of land about the size of Virginia) AND Larger areas of abandoned rock quarries and gravel and sand mines have not yet been reclaimed! WHY NOT???

SUBSURFACE MINING –Used to remove Dig a deep vertical shaft Blast away tunnels and chambers to get to the deposit. Machines remove the ore and coal and bring it to the surface. the sand hog project

Oil and Natural Gas

Natural Gas

Nuclear Power

What are the pros and cons of subsurface mining? PROS –Less habitat degr. B/c less land is used on top –1/10 land is disrupted as surface mining –Less waste produced –No need to fill in/reclaim area CONS –INJURY rate VERY HIGH! –Poor air quality = many respiratory infections –VERY EXPENSIVE –Land above you can collapse and you could die b.c.of explosives

What are the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS of Mining? Scarring of the land surface Scarring of the land surface Consumes a LOT of energy to find, extract and transport mineral resources Consumes a LOT of energy to find, extract and transport mineral resources Collapse or subsidence of land above underground mines resulting in Collapse or subsidence of land above underground mines resulting in –Tilted homes and buildings –Sewage lines crack –Gas mains break –Groundwater systems are disrupted

There’s more… There’s more… Toxic chemicals are emitted into the atmosphere, (more than any other industry) Toxic chemicals are emitted into the atmosphere, (more than any other industry) Acid mine drainage Acid mine drainage Carries sulfuric acid to nearby streams and enters groundwater reserves Carries sulfuric acid to nearby streams and enters groundwater reserves Contaminates water supplies Contaminates water supplies Destroys aquatic life Destroys aquatic life Wildlife exposed to toxic mining wastes Wildlife exposed to toxic mining wastes

More Environmental Impacts Piles of waste are called tailings Piles of waste are called tailings After the wastes are removed the ore is smelted to separate the metal from the other elements in the ore. After the wastes are removed the ore is smelted to separate the metal from the other elements in the ore. These smelters give off a LOT of air pollutants that negatively impact the plants and soil surrounding the area These smelters give off a LOT of air pollutants that negatively impact the plants and soil surrounding the area Water pollution is also ever-present which produces liquid and sold hazardous wastes that needs to be disposed of properly. Water pollution is also ever-present which produces liquid and sold hazardous wastes that needs to be disposed of properly.

Technology to the rescue: Reduce pollution from smelting Lower production costs of getting the minerals Saving $ on cleanup costs Decrease liability for damages

TaDa…The Final Product Pure metal is produced from smelting Desired products are manufactured Product is used and then what???

To SUMMARIZE… Remove and process ores Make metals (uses a LOT of ENERGY) Air and water gets polluted GHG’s released into the atmosphere We get the products we WANT…or do we NEED them? New advances in tech. arise and we demand bigger, smaller, better, faster products…and so the cycle continues…