Mineral Resources

1
Mineral Resources and Resource Management
Resources raw materials taken from the
environment and used by society
2
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 Renewable resources can be replenished
within a few decades
2
3
Our modern technological society is very
dependent on mineral resources.
The average person in an industrialized nation
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.
3
4
4
5
Metal use
5
6
U.S. Consumption Trends
Minerals
6
McKinney and Schoch 1998
7
World consumption of minerals has quintupled
since 1945.
Some minerals have been used to build roads,
buildings and durable goods, but much has gone
into disposable goods.
McKinney and Schoch 1998
Per capita consumption of mineral resources by
Americans
7
8
MINING Brazilian Iron Mine, Belo
Horizonte
8
9
Utah copper mine
9
10
Australian coal mine
10
11
A few definitions.
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
11
12
Copper Mining and Production
McKinney and Schoch 1998
12
13
A gold mine with ore processing on site
13
14
Problems

• Environmental destruction
• Waste production
• Onsite pollution
• Offsite pollution

14
15
Onsite and offsite pollution
15
16
Onsite and offsite pollution Tanks are needed
to trap runoff or toxic solutions--leaks can
happen
16
17
The Holden Mine, Wash.
17
18
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 1985. Now a superfund
site.
18
19
19
20
20
21
Asarco Smelter, Tacoma
21
22
54 ppm
1 ppm
1 ppm
Cd
7 ppm
Zn
46 ppm
5200 ppm
22
23
Kam Kotia Cu/Zn Mine, Timmins Ontario (1943-1972)
24
Restoration of Kam Kotia mine underway using
Canadian Abandoned Mine Rehabilitation Funds Est.
cost of 20 million
Acid leachate from Kam Kotia Mine (pH 2-3)
25
25
26
Reshaping the land and replanting after iron
mining in Brazil--housing development and golf
course will be built
26
27
The General Mining Act of 1872
Miners can stake claims on public land and take
minerals for free
Claimholders can buy land (2.50-4.00 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
Mine industry Metal mining is risky and
expensive US could become dependent on foreign
supplies But coal, oil and gas pay royalties
A license to steal?
27
28
Seattle PI, 11 Jun 2001
28
29
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
29
30
US stockpiles of strategic metals and metal ores.
30
31
The Global Metal Trade
31
32
Mineral resources are nonrenewable resources
Two fundamental strategies for dealing with
mineral scarcity
1. Increase supply 2. Decrease demand
32
33
sinks
sources
33
34
Principles of Resource Management
The 3 Rs Reduce demand (substitutions,
greater efficiency) Reuse Recycle
Population x Consumption x Technologic
Environmental per person impact per
unit impact of (Affluence) of
consumption population P x A
x T I
34
35
Metal/Mineral Resource Conservation
1. Increase supply recycle old materials --
saves on resources and in some cases, saves
energy
35
36
Energy for production
36
37
Metal/Mineral Resource Conservation
1. Increase supply recycle old materials 2.
Decrease demand reuse goods increase prices to
reflect environmental costs find alternatives or
substitutes eliminate need through technology or
lifestyle changes produce durable goods
Producing and buying DURABLE GOODS is an easy way
to reduce demand for mineral resources
37
38
Mineral Resources
High extraction costs, and not all environmental
costs are included
38
39
Key Points

• mineral resources are nonrenewable--they
  include metallic, non-metallic, ornamental and
  energy minerals
• environmental problems associated with mining
  include on- and off-site pollution,
  environmental destruction and solid waste
  production
• mineral prices are artificially low for a
  variety of reasons such as national security,
  economic development
• resource conservation methods include
  recycling, substitution, eliminating demand, and
  producing more durable goods rather than
  disposable goods
• the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) can also
  reduce the amount of waste and environmental
  restoration needed due to pollution associated
  with resource use

39