Environmental Management: Natural Resources and Rock Extraction

Vocabulary flashcards covering the formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, methods of rock and mineral extraction, biological mining techniques, and factors influencing mining decisions.

The rock cycle

A representation of the changes between the three rock types (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) and the geological processes causing them.

Igneous rocks

Rocks that form from volcanic activity when liquid magma from the mantle cools and crystallizes; quick cooling produces small crystals, while slow cooling produces large crystals.

Magma

Molten rock located below the Earth's surface.

Lava

Molten rock that has reached the Earth's surface.

Sediments

Small particles of rocks produced by the weathering and erosion of existing rocks at the Earth's surface.

Sedimentary rocks

Porous rocks with rounded grains formed over millions of years as accumulated sediment layers undergo compaction and cementation under heat and pressure.

Permeability

The ability of water to pass through the pore spaces of rock and soil.

Permeable rocks

Rocks that allow water to pass through their pore spaces, exemplified by most sedimentary rocks such as limestone and sandstone.

Impermeable rocks

Rocks that prevent water from passing through them, including igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, and certain sedimentary rocks like shale.

Metamorphic rocks

Rocks formed from existing rocks when subjected to heat and/or pressure that cause physical or chemical changes to crystal structures without melting them.

Ore

A naturally occurring rock that contains valuable minerals and metals.

Quarry

An open hole or pit from which stone is extracted by digging, cutting, or blasting.

Surface mining

An extraction method used when mineral deposits are located near the Earth's surface, encompassing open-pit and strip mining.

Overburden

The topsoil, overlying rock, and vegetation that must be cleared and removed to expose mineral deposits during surface mining.

Open-pit mining

A surface extraction technique where rock is broken by explosives, excavated downward through a series of levels or layers, and transported via trucks or wagons.

Strip mining

A method of surface mining used primarily for horizontal seams of ore (such as coal) by stripping away thin horizontal layers of overburden.

Sub-surface mining

An extraction technique used for deep deposits where vertical shafts are sunk down to the mineral layer and horizontal tunnels are driven to extract the ore.

Shaft mining

A form of sub-surface mining requiring vertical shafts and horizontal tunnels, which is generally more difficult and expensive than deep mining.

Biological extraction

Mining approaches (such as phytomining and bioleaching) that employ living organisms to extract metals from the ground with minimal environmental disturbance.

Phytomining

A biological extraction process where selected plant species absorb metal ions from the soil through roots, concentrate them in cells, and yield metal upon being harvested and burned.

Bioaccumulation

The mechanism by which plants absorb metals from the soil through their root systems and concentrate them within their cellular tissues.

Bioleaching

A biological extraction method where specific bacteria break down low-grade ores into acidic solutions containing metal ions, which are subsequently extracted chemically.

Exploration

The initial mining stage where geologists assess local rock formations to evaluate the likelihood and location of valuable mineral deposits.

Ore grade

The concentration and quality of a metal or mineral within a deposit, where higher grades result in more profitable extraction operations.