Exam 1

the atomic number of an element is determined by the number of ______ in the atom

protons

cubic zirconia, a synthetic material, is a mineral. True or False?

False

The strongest type of bond is the _____ bond.

covalent

A mineral's chemical formula ends with the CO3 ion. Which mineral group does it belong?

Carbonates

You notice an individual walking across campus that is not yelling or crying and you decide they are happy. This is an example of a(n)

inference

Describe the factors affecting mineral exploration and production

-Economic- engineering and environmental costs
-Geologic availability- largely ties to mineral deposits; sometimes deposits are located in inconvenient areas which makes extraction difficult
-Environmental- must consider pollution and wastes
-Engineering- has to do with how able humans can mine something; technical and economic restraints

Minerals are building blocks of rocks. True or False

True

What are the diagnostic physical properties of minerals ?

-Harness
-Luster
-Streak
-Crystal habit
-Cleavage v Fracture
-Specific gravity
-Special properties

Minerals occur equally throughout both geographic space and geologic time. True or False

False

Most mineral samples show their crystal habit. True or False

True

Phosphorus can be found in solid and liquid forms on Earth. True or False

False

Most of Earth's carbon is stored in the atmosphere, causing global climate change. True or False

False

Igneous rocks that form on the surface of the planet are called _____.

Extrusive

The igneous rock texture that has two stages of cooling is called ______.

Porphyritic

Which chemical classification of igneous rocks forms last?

Felsic

Land reclamation returns the mined land to pristine conditions just like it was before mining. True or False?

False

The nitrogen cycle has both biotic and abiotic components that transform nitrogen between reservoirs. True or False

True

Streams with significant acid mine drainage are typically ______ in color.

Orange

The use of chemicals to dissolve the desired metals from rocks and transport them in solution to a collection area is called _______.

leaching

In Bowen's reaction series, which chemical composition is the first to from in igneous rocks?

Ultramafic

What are the types of underground mining? (there are three)

Room and pillar
Longwall
Solution

You find an igneous rock with tiny mineral crystals that you need a hand lens in order to see. Where and how quickly did this rock form?

Surface, quickly

Sedimentary rocks can be weathered and cemented into new sedimentary rocks without completing the rock cycle as igneous and metamorphic rocks. True or False?

True

The program established to address hazardous waste sites with no owners. It enables the Environmental Protection Agency to fund and perform clean ups as well as locate the responsible party if still in existence.

Superfund

Obsidian is a common glassy-textured igneous rock. What are the common minerals within it?

None

Which of the following factors does NOT influence the decision to extract a mineral ore from a specific area?

Local mineral demand

In general, plate tectonics are NOT related to the rock cycle. True or Fasle?

False

Which of the following is the largest reservoir of carbon on Earth?

Mantle

What are some common igneous rocks?

Rhyolite, Andesite, Diorite, Basalt, Granite, Gabbro, Peridotite

Isotopes

same number of protons different number of neutrons; behave differently

Atomic number versus atomic mass

Atomic number- number of protons; unique to element
Atomic mass- mass of protons and neutrons

Five characteristics of a mineral

-Inorganic
-Naturally occurring
-Crystalline structure
-Solid
-Fixed chemical composition

Silicates

most abundant group of minerals; SiO

Carbonates

bound to carbonate ion CO3^2

Sulfates

positive ions attached to the complex SO42+

Oxides

Important ore bodies; environmentally destructive

Native metals

contain a single element; ore minerals

Mineral deposits versus Ore deposits

Mineral Deposits are where minerals are
Ore deposits are were minerals in high enough concentration for profitable extraction are located

Weathering and soils

Soils are the most important mineral resource
extremely profitable

6 types of metamorphism

Contact metamorphism- rock temp increases because of intruding magma
Regional metamorphism- pressure and high temp during mountain building; changes due to pressure
Hydrothermal- hot water
Shock- meteor
Burial- burrying something underneath a lot of sediment
Dynamic

Confining vs Direct pressure

Confining- squeezing something into a smaller area
Directed- causes foliation, presses in one direction with a lot a pressure

metamorphic grade

high grade- foliation is more apparent (substantial changes)
low grade- deformation is minimal and parent rock is composed of largely stable minerals

Common metamorphic rocks

Slate, Phyllite, schist, gneiss

Textures of Igneous rocks

Phaneritic- coarse grained texture- solidified at depth-- while insulated by surrounding rock; masses of interlocking crystals roughly the same size

Aphanitic- fine grained texture; rapid cooling at the surface; individual crystals are too small to see with the naked eye

Porphyritic- large crystals in a matrix of smaller crystals

Vesicular- gas bubbles; forms in upper zone of lava flow

Glassy- instantaneous cooling; ions freeze in place before they can arrange themselves

Pyroclastic- composed of individual rock fragments ejected during explosive volcanic eruptions

Why does magma rise to the surface?

Less dense than surrounding rock

Ore grades

Higher ore grades have a higher density of the desired ore
Low ore grades have more impurities

Nitrogen cycle

the circulation of nitrogen; nitrates from the soil are absorbed by plants which are eaten by animals that die and decay returning the nitrogen back to the soil

Carbon cycle

the organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again

Subsurface mining

Room and pillar- huge areas are excavated; small areas untouched to hold up ceiling
Long wall- machine shears off rock onto a conveyor
Solution- hot water dissolves ores and rises towards surface