NonRenewables

Coal Formation

• Formed from remains of swamp/wetland plants that became buried by sediment 300-400 million years ago

• With time, heat and pressure coal seams formed

Oil Formation

• Oil is a liquid which formed from aquatic/marine organisms that were buried under ocean or river sediments millions of years ago

• Heat, pressure, and bacteria “cooked” the material to make oil

• It is found in oil reservoirs which are rock formations that contain oil in their pore spaces

Natural Gas Formation

• Natural gas (methane) is formed from aquatic/marine organisms that were buried under ocean or river sediments millions of years ago

• Heat, pressure and bacteria “cooked” these materials just like oil

Uranium Formation

• This is a naturally occurring radioactive element found in the ground

Coal emissions

When combusted releases:

• CO2

• SOX

• NOX

• Mercury

• Particulate matter

Oil emissions

When combusted releases:

• CO2

• SOX

• NOX

Natural Gas Emissions

• When combusted only releases CO2 and water so it is considered the “cleaner” fossil fuel

Uranium Emissions

• Water vapor

Coal Major Uses

• In the US it is mainly used to generate electricity

Oil major uses

• Mainly used as gasoline or diesel for transportation

• Plastics

• Crayons

Natural Gas major uses

• Used to heat homes and cooking

• Also used to produce energy

• Methane is also used in paints, antifreeze, medicine

Uranium major uses

• Mainly used to generate electricity

Coal extraction method(s)

Can be mined out of the ground through:

• Surface mining: used when coal is close to the surface. 60% of it is extracted in the US through this method

• Subsurface mining: Used when it is deep underground

Oil extraction method(s)

• Scientists use sound waves, sonar, electric currents and geology to find its reserves

• Drill a well in either the ocean or on land to obtain it

  • Primary recovery: it gushes out of well because of pressure

  • Secondary recovery: when pressure begins to decrease, water can be used to make it float up slowly

  • Off shore extraction: off-shore platforms that drill for oil

Natural gas extraction method(s)

• Can be found in shale rock formations

• Hydraulic fracturing: high pressure fluids are forced deep into a formation to crack the rock and release the gas to the surface where it can be collected

• Horizontal fracturing

Uranium extraction method(s)

• Mining-like coal

• In-situations mining: where a solution is injected into the rock layer containing it which dissolves it from the deposit and is then pumped back to the surface

Coal’s Environmental impacts from combustion and extraction

Combustion

• CO2 - greenhouse gas

• SOx- component of acid rain and smog

• NOx- component of smog, acid rain, and a greenhouse gas

• Mercury - neurotoxin

• Particulate matter

Mining Causes

• Water pollution - acid mine drainage

• Air and noise pollution

• Habitat destruction - leads to a displacement of wildlife

• Soil degradation

• Erosion and sediment

Oil’s Environmental impacts from combustion and extraction

• Extraction: Can lead to oil spills which can negatively affect ecosystems. If on land can cause cause habitat disturbance to install well

When combusted releases:

• CO2 - greenhouse gas

• SOX - component of acid rain and smog

• NOX - component of smog, acid rain and a greenhouse gas

Natural Gas’s Environmental impacts from combustion and extraction

• Hydraulic fracking fluid has been shown to contaminate groundwater making I unsafe for consumption

• Seismic activity, spill, deforestation/habitat destruction

• When combusted only releases CO2 and water so it is considered the “cleaner” fossil fuel

Uranium’s Environmental impacts from combustion and extraction

• Extraction: Same issues as coal - including potential radioactive waste contamination

• Generates radioactive waste that is difficult to store and can pose a hazard to the environment

• In an event of a nuclear meltdown it can lead to:

  • Ground and surface water contamination

  • Soil contamination
    Release of radiation into the environment