1. Energy and Mineral Resources
CHAPTER 4:
EARTH’S RESOURCES
Energy and Mineral Resources
Ch. 4.1

2. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources
Renewable resource: can be replenished over fairly short time spans (months, years, decades)
Examples: trees, cotton, other crops, fish, livestock, sun, wind, water
Nonrenewable resource: takes millions of years to form and accumulate
Examples: coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals

3. Fossil Fuels Any hydrocarbon that can be used as an energy source.
Coal
Oil
Natural Gas
Tar Sands
Oil Shale

4. 4 Stages of Coal 1. Peat Softer - plant (Releases less heat)
2. Lignite
- sedimentary
3. B-Coal (Bituminous)
4. A-Coal (Anthracite) Harder
- metamorphic (Releases more heat)

5. A-Coal vs. B-Coal Harder & dense More carbon Burns cleaner & longer
Met. rock
Shiny
Least abundant
Softer & less dense
Less C
Burns dirtier
Sed. rock
Dull
More abundant

6. Petroleum and Natural Gas
Petroleum (oil): organic remains buried in ocean floor sediments – liquid
Natural gas: organic remains buried in ocean floor sediments – gas
Oil Traps must have:
1. Permeable reservoir rock
2. Cap rock - shale

7. Other Fossil Fuels Tar Sands: Oil Shale: Sand and tar mixture
Rock that
contains oil

8. Mineral Deposits
Ore: useful metallic minerals that can be mined at a profit
Gangue: unwanted materials in rock

9. 3 Types of Deposits
Igneous Processes: heavy minerals settle to the bottom
of magma chambers
Hydrothermal Solutions: minerals left after the late stages of magma movement
Placer Deposits: heavy, durable minerals settle from moving water

10. Nonmetallic Mineral Resources
Mined for their physical and chemical properties
2 groups:
1. Building Materials
Limestone, aggregates
2. Industrial Materials
Garnet, quartz, diamond

11. Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
Before
After

12. What’s in a pencil?
Wood
Cedar – CA, OR
“Lead”
Graphite – MO or Mexico
Mixed with Clays – KY or GA
Eraser
Soybean oil – S. America
Latex – S. America
Pumice – CA or NM
Sulfur, Calcium, Barium
Metal Band
Aluminum or Brass (from Cu and Zn) – mined in 13 states
Paint and laquer
Various minerals and metals
Glue to hold it together
Every year each person in our country uses about 11 pencils

13. Alternate Energy Sources
Ch. 4.2

14. At our current rate of consumption, fossil fuels may only last 170 more years.
As population , consumption

15. Solar Energy Advantages: Disadvantages: Free No pollution
Expensive equipment
Cloudy days
Passive Collectors: sun heats objects, which radiate the heat
Active Collectors: Collect sunlight, transfer heat by circulating air or liquids
Solar Cells: convert sunlight directly into electricity

16. Nuclear Energy Advantages: Disadvantages: No emissions Inexpensive
Hazardous waste
Increased building costs
Potentially dangerous
Nuclear fission: uranium atoms split when bombarded with neutrons, nuclei emit neutrons and heat energy = chain reaction to produce electricity

17. Wind Energy Advantages: Disadvantages: Free Produces a lot of energy
Noise pollution
Large tracts of land
Bird migration
Wind turns turbines to produce electricity

18. Hydroelectric Power Advantages: Disadvantages: Free No waste
Sediment build-up
Limited site availability
Flooding
Fish migrations
Water behind the dam is stored energy that is released through the dam to produce electricity

19. Geothermal Energy Advantages: Disadvantages:
Little environmental impact
Disadvantages:
Wells only last years
Not available in many locations
Underground hot water is used for direct heat and to turn turbines to generate electricity

20. Tidal Power Advantages: Disadvantages: Free Clean
Must have tidal range of at least 8 m and a narrow, enclosed bay
Strong in-and-out flow turns turbines to produce electricity

21. Water, Air, and Land Resources
Ch. 4.3

22. Water Pollution
Point source: comes from a known and specific location (you can point to it)
Examples: factory pipes, leaky landfill, leaky storage tank
Nonpoint source: not from a known, specific location (cannot point to it)
Examples: runoff from agriculture and cities

23. Runoff
Water that flows over land instead of seeping into the ground

24. Air Pollution
Pollution can change the chemical composition of the atmosphere, which maintains life.
Burning fossil fuels: major source of pollution
Releases pollutants to form smog
Pollutants combine with water vapor  acid rain
pH acid rain 5.6…
Increases amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere (greenhouse gas)

25. Global Climate Change

26. Greenhouse Effect
Simulation?

27. Protecting Resources
Ch. 4.4

28. Conservation Conservation: the careful use of resources The U.S.
The 3 Rs
The U.S.
6% of the world population
Use 1/3 of the world’s resources
Produce 1/3 of the world’s garbage

29. Protecting Land Resources
Compost: a natural fertilizer made of partly decomposed organic material
Recycle: collect and process used items to be made into new products
Conserves resources
Less waste

30. Water Protection 1972 – Clean Water Act 1974 – Safe Water Drinking Act
Reduce point source pollution
Increased sewage treatment plants
Made more water safe to fish and swim in
1974 – Safe Water Drinking Act
Set drinking water standards
Reduced amount of pollutants allowed in water

31. Air Protection 1970 – Clean Air Act
Our most important air pollution law
Resulted from the environmental movement
Set standards for chemicals known to cause health problems
Hugely increased air quality and reduced the amount of chemicals in the air.

32. Ecological Footprint