1. California’s Mineral, Energy and Soil Resources

2. Geology of California Some of the features of the California landscape formed as the result of tectonic processes that took place deep beneath the surface

3. Subduction of an oceanic plate beneath the NA plate formed pools of magma which turned to igneous rock. Uplift and erosion led to the Sierras.

4. Subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate beneath the NA plate produced volcanoes, including Shasta and Lassen

7. Water erosion and glaciers shaped the mountains and valleys. – Rivers that began in the Sierras cut valleys and eventually slowed, leaving sediment. – Deposition of sediment created Mojave Desert and Central Valley

8. The Central Valley began as an inland sea. Mountains formed on both sides and over a million years, the valley filled in with sediment.

9. California’s Mineral Resources California’s major mineral resources include sand, gravel, stone, gold, silver, iron and clay.

10. California Minerals

11. Industrial Minerals Sand and gravel are most valuable industrial minerals – Used in road building and construction

12. Metallic Minerals Gold, silver and iron are the major metallic minerals mined in California. – Gold mining still occurs today in the Sierra Nevada, Klamath Mountains and Mojave Desert – Silver is mined in the Sierra Nevada. – Iron is mined in the Mojave Desert

13. Gold Mine

14. Mining for gold

15. Nonmetallic Minerals Three other important mineral resources are borates, gypsum and clay – Borates used for fiberglass, detergents, glass – Gypsum used for wallboard, plaster, cement – Clay used in ceramics, bricks

16. Gemstones Some gemstones are found in California including: garnet, agate, jade

17. State Gem=Benitoite

18. California is a leading producer of energy Oil Natural gas Geothermal energy Wind/Solar

19. Oil 15% of oil produced in US comes from California Oils wells are on land and offshore

20. Oil well

21. Offshore oil well

22. Natural gas Natural gas often forms along with oil Used for heating, cooking and fuel

23. Natural gas well

24. Geothermal Energy Area where magma is close to the surface and heats the groundwater

25. Geothermal Power Plant

26. The Geysers Geothermal Powerplant

27. California’s Soil Resources Soil is one of California’s most important resources – Soils vary with location Central Valley has most fertile soils, used for agriculture, contains over half of California’s farmland

28. California’s Soil Resources