Mineral and Energy Resources

What is an ore deposit?

A naturally occurring accumulation of one or more minerals that is enriched enough to be economic

Negative effects of mining

How are negative effects of mining minimised

land rehabilitation, recycling, mine waste sorting

How is mine waste used

Enrichment factors and critical minerals have changed and thus valuable “waste” is leftover

Critical mineral

Essential for the modern world and supply could be disrupted

Rare earth element

The 15 elements in the lanthanide series

Are rare earth elements actually rare

no they just don’t form ore deposits

What is a mineral deposit?

any concentration of a mineral, economic or not

What is an ore

rock containing native metals with a high wt% of desired elements

What are the 5 types of ore deposits?

magmatic, hydrothermal, placer, sedimentary, residual

What is a magmatic ore deposit

deposits associated with igneous activity

What is a hydrothermal ore deposit

hot, ion-rich fluids flowing through fractures and pores underground

What is a sedimentary ore deposit

usually chemical precipitation from ocean or lake water

What is a placer ore deposit

concentrations of heavy material due to moving water in rivers or coastlines

What is a residual ore deposit

the remaining material left following extensive weathering

What do diamonds form in?

Kimberlite pipes

Where does the hot water for hydrothermal deposits come from

What mineral is commonly found at hydrothermal deposits

gold

How can hydrothermal deposits enrich

depressurization/cooling creates precipitation

Where does porphriph copper come from

hydrothermal deposits

Whats a VMS

volcanogenic massive sulfides

What is a Fe/Mn nodule

deposits at the bottom of the sea

What type of ore deposits are banded iron formations

sedimentary

What is the petroleum system

the geological components required to generate and preserve hydrocarbons

What’s included in the petroleum system

1. Source rock

2. Maturation

3. Migration pathways

4. Reservoir rock

5. Trap and seal structures

What is the efficiency of coal

35%

What is the efficiency of oil

38%

What is the efficiency of natural gas

45%

Why is enriched uranium required

235U will cause a chain reaction to create energy whereas natural uranium wont

What isotope is enriched uranium

235U

How is waste of nuclear reactors disposed of

covered in inert canister and impermeable clay and then buried in a stable craton

What is a craton

A large, stable block of continental crust that has survived for billions of years without significant deformation.

What is enhanced rock weathering

Encouraging natural weathering processes by increasing the surface area of chemically susceptible rocks