Occurrence and Exploitation of Minerals

Practice flashcards reviewing the occurrence, factors influencing exploitation, and methods of mineral extraction based on lecture notes.

How do minerals in beds and seams form, and what are examples of such minerals?

They form when minerals are carried by erosion or sedimentation and deposited in layers on the Earth's crust, often covered by sediments. Examples include coal, iron, and gypsum.

What are alluvial deposits, and which minerals occur in this form?

Alluvial deposits occur when minerals break down from parent rock through erosion, get carried away, and settle at river valley bottoms where they mix with sand. Examples include gold and diamond.

What is the difference between veins and lodes in mineral occurrence?

Minerals that solidify in small quantities within cracks and crevices occur in veins, whereas minerals found in large quantities in cracks are called lodes.

Which minerals typically occur in veins and lodes through vulcanicity?

Copper, lead, zinc, tin, and silver.

How do weathering products and leaching lead to mineral concentration?

Rock materials break down under tropical conditions, or water removes dissolved minerals, leaving concentrated minerals behind in the crust such as aluminium (bauxite), manganese, nickel, and iron.

What mineral formation process involves crystallisation to produce salts like soda ash and gypsum?

Evaporation.

How does the value of a mineral influence its exploitation?

High-value minerals can be mined at a very high cost because high demand allows them to fetch high prices that offset extraction costs, whereas less valuable minerals cannot be mined if costs exceed returns.

Why do large mineral reserves encourage mining compared to small reserves?

Large mineral reserves justify investment because small mineral reserves get exhausted within a short period of time.

How does the quality of ore determine whether a mineral is economical to mine?

Ores with high mineral content are economical to mine, while low mineral content is uneconomical unless the ore contains rare minerals such as uranium.

Why can mineral deposits on international borders face extraction challenges, and what is an example?

Border deposits can lead to disputes or political instability between countries that hinder mining, such as the dispute between Iraq and Kuwait over the Rumaila oil field.

Why does mining in sparsely populated areas increase costs for mining companies?

Companies incur additional expenses to provide housing and infrastructure for their workers due to the lack of locally available labour.

What four methods of extracting minerals are illustrated in these pictures?

Adit mining, opencast mining or quarrying, panning, and dredging.

How do transport systems impact the exploitation of bulky minerals?

Bulky minerals require a cheap and efficient transport system to reduce total production costs and move products to ports or markets without delay; remote areas with impassable roads hinder exploitation.