Minerals: A Nonrenewable Resource

1
Minerals A Nonrenewable Resource
Chapter 16
2
Introduction to Minerals
3
Introduction to Minerals

• Mineral Distribution and Formation
• Some minerals very abundant (e.g., Al,
  Fe)
• Some are very scarce (e.g., Cu, Mo)
• Some may be found about anywhere, but in such
  low abundance mining is unprofitable

4
Introduction to Minerals

• Mineral Distribution and Formation
• Formation of Mineral Deposits

Magmatic concentration Hydrothermal
processes Sedimentation Evaporation
5
Introduction to Minerals

• How Minerals are Found, Extracted, and Processed
• Discovering Mineral Deposits
• aerial photos / satellite images
• examine magnetic field
• seismographs

6
Introduction to Minerals

• How Minerals are Found, Extracted, and Processed
• Discovering Mineral Deposits
• Extracting Minerals

7
Introduction to Minerals

• How Minerals are Found, Extracted, and Processed
• Discovering Mineral Deposits
• Extracting Minerals
• Processing Minerals

8
Environmental Implications of Minerals

• Mining and the Environment
• Disturbs large areas of land
• Uses huge quantities of water
• Affects water quality
• Cost-benefit Analysis of Mine Development
• Benefits of the mining vs. Preservation of the
  land

9
Environmental Implications of Minerals

• Environmental Impacts of Refining Minerals

10
Environmental Implications of Minerals

• Environmental Impacts of Refining Minerals
• The problem of tailings

11
Environmental Implications of Minerals

• Environmental Impacts of Refining Minerals
• Case-in-Point Copper Basin, TN

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12
Environmental Implications of Minerals

• Restoration of Mining Lands
• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

13
Environmental Implications of Minerals

• Restoration of Mining Lands
• Creative Approaches to Cleaning Up Mining Areas

Conversion to wetlands Phytoremediation
14
Minerals An International Perspective

• Many developed nations have observed
  significant environmental damage due to mining
• Many developed nations exacerbate problem by
  having mining interests in developing countries

15
Minerals An International Perspective

• U.S. and World Use
• North American consumption of selected metals

16
Minerals An International Perspective

• Distribution Versus Consumption
• Some minerals needed for many industrial
  processes but only found in abundance in few
  places
• Results in dependence
• Stockpiling common

17
Minerals An International Perspective

• Will We Run Out of Important Minerals?

18
Increasing the Supply of Minerals

• Locating and Mining New Deposits
• Many known deposits havent been exploited
  because
• accessibility problems
• technology issues
• too deep

19
Increasing the Supply of Minerals

• Minerals in Antarctica
• Antarctic Treaty (1961) limits activities in
  Antarctica
• If significant mineral deposits were found,
  should they be exploited?

20
Increasing the Supply of Minerals

• Minerals from the Ocean

Manganese nodules
21
Increasing the Supply of Minerals

• Minerals from the Ocean

22
Increasing the Supply of Minerals

• Advanced Mining and Processing Technologies
• Ability to exploit low-grade ores
• Biomining

23
Using Substitution and Conservation to Expand
Mineral Supplies

• Finding Mineral Substitutes
• Substituting inexpensive / abundant resources
  for expensive / scarce resources
• E.g., Glass, plastics, and aluminum have
  substituted for tin

24
Using Substitution and Conservation to Expand
Mineral Supplies

• Mineral Conservation
• Reuse
• same product used over and over
• Recycling
• product is processed into another product
• Changing Our Mineral Requirements
• fight the throw away mentality