Lecture on Mining and Resources

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on mining and resource management concepts.

Diminishing Returns

The principle that each extra unit of resource gives less valuable output.

Alloy

A mixture of two or more metals melted together to create a stronger material.

Arsenic

A poisonous element that necessitates safety precautions, such as wearing gloves.

Underground Mining

The process of digging deep tunnels to reach minerals beneath the Earth's surface.

Sulfur

A mineral known for its unpleasant smell when heated.

Renewable Resource

A resource that replenishes itself quickly, such as wind.

Non-renewable Resource

A resource that forms over millions of years, like coal.

Cobalt

A metal commonly used in the manufacture of batteries.

Cobaltite

A mineral that contains cobalt as a significant component.

Rock

A natural substance composed of a mixture of various minerals.

Mineral

A pure natural substance with a specific crystalline structure.

Placer Deposits

Gold that accumulates in riverbeds over time due to natural processes.

Overburden

The top layer of soil and rock removed before mining operations begin.

Open Pit Mine

A large excavation from the surface, designed for mining operations.

Strategic Metals

Important metals that are safeguarded for technological applications.

Gangue

The worthless rock that is found mixed with valuable ore.

Ore

A type of rock that contains sufficient valuable minerals to be economically viable.

Vein

A streak of pure mineral found within a rock formation.

Smelting

The process of heating ore to extract the metal from it.

Independent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is deliberately changed.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in response to changes in the independent variable.