Environmental Science (chapter 10\1)

Core

 innermost layer of the Earth

Mantle

middle layer of the earth

Crust

 the outermost layer of the earth

Asthenosphere

upper layer of the earth’s m angle, where semi-solid rock flows

Lithosphere

the crust and the uppermost, solid part of the mantle, broken into tectonic plates that move and interact

Tectonic Plate

moving slabs

of Earth’s lithosphere floa@ng

on the asthenosphere

Contiental Drift

slow movement of continents nacross the earth’s surface

Mineral

 naturally occurring chemical element or inorganic compound that exists as a crystalline solid

Mineral Resource

concentration of one or more minerals in the earths crust that is large enough to cover the cost of extracting and processing

Sedimentary Rock

 made from weathered and eroded rocks

Igneous Rock

formed by magma

Metaphoric Rock

 when existing rock is exposed to heat, pressure, or chemicals

Rock Cycle

interaction of physical and chemical processes that change earth’s rocks from one type to another

Ore

rock that contains a large enough concentration of a particular mineral to make it profitable for mining and processing

Reserve

identified deposits which we can extract minerals profitably at current prices

Depletion Time

the time it takes to use 80% of the reserves of a mineral at a given rate of use

Surface Mining

vegetation, soil, and rock overlying a mineral deposit are cleared away

Overburden

 waste material left over after mining

Open Pit Mining

digging large holes to remove metal ores

Strip Mining

extracting mineral deposits that lie in horizontal bed close to the earth’s surface

Mountaintop Removal

explosives remove the top of a mountain to exposes coal

Subsurface Mining

underground mineral resources are removed through tunnels and shafts

Tailings

rock waste that are left in piles

Nanotechnology

uses science and engineering to manipulate and create materials out of atoms and molecules at the small scale of less than 100 nanometers

What are the different parts of the geosphere

Core, mantle, crust

How do tectonic plates interact and what causes their movement

 Separate, collide, or grind at boundaries; convention currents

How do geological processes produce mineral resources

Weathering, erosion, metaphorism, and magma flow form rocks

How are the three types of rocks formed

 Sedimentary Rock - made from weathered and eroded rocks, Igneous Rock - formed by magma, Metamorphic Rock- when existing rock is exposed to heat, pressure, or chemicals

What is a mineral resource and how is it extracted

Concentration of one or more minerals in the earths crust that is large enough to cover the cost of extracting and processing; mining

How can mineral resources be extended over time

New technologies, finding new profitable deposits

What are the different types of mining techniques and how do they impact the environment

Open-Pit Mining, Mountaintop removal, Subsurface mining; Destroys forests, pollute air + water, cave-ins, explosions, lung disease, and fires

How can society use mineral resources more sustainably

 Recycle or reuse existing minerals, find a substitute