Mineral Resources Quiz #3 and Exam #3

Secondary enrichment

soluble silicas go away, leaves valuable material

You mine predominantly where

it's been leeched

REEs are mainly in

China

Tin is used for

circuitry solder

Tungsten is used for

heating elements, electrodes, filaments, tungsten-carbide, military applications

Conflict minerals

Casserite (tin), tantalum, tungsten, gold

Define critical minerals

Critical minerals are metal and nonmetal elements that have high economic interest (as of recent) for

technologies and industries that have become vital for social and economic well-being AND whose supplies may be at risk

List several examples of critical minerals and what we use them for

Gallium and indium are used in electronics like computers and display devices. Phosphorus and

potassium are used in fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. Lithium, cobalt, and nickel are used for batteries in

electric vehicles. rhodium, rubidium, aluminum, bismuth, beryllium

What are heavy rare earth elements (HREEs)?

HREEs are a group of seven elements, generally defined as terbium and heavier, that are important for

modern technology

In which emerging technologies do HREEs play an important role?

Green energy, defense, and electronics applications

Which country dominates the global production of HREEs and REEs? In 2011, that country cut

export quotas for REE by 40%, what happened to the price of some REEs?

China dominates REE and HREE production. By 2011, China controlled more than 95% of global REE

production. When China cut export quotas, the price increased by as much as 3,000%.

Describe how a reduction in the discovery of new primary commodities such as new copper ore

deposits impacts the supply of some critical minerals.

Many critical minerals are obtained as a by-product of copper mining. When fewer new copper deposits

are discovered, it becomes harder to increase the supply of these minerals.

List the 3 nations involved in the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI). Describe the main

objectives of the CMMI

The United States, Canada, and Australia. The main objective of CMMI is to use the combined geological

expertise of each nation to address global natural resource vulnerabilities. The mission also aims to create

a public database of mineral information and help countries develop more secure, long-term supplies

Describe the role of sustainability in terms of the supplies of critical minerals

Sustainability is important because demand for critical minerals is increasing, especially for technologies

like EVs and renewable energy. The article explains that scientists are working to find new mineral

resources, improve exploration methods, and identify useful materials in old mines and mining waste.

These efforts can help create more reliable long-term supplies while supporting sustainable development

and better decisions about land and natural resources.

Base metals

Cu, Al, Pb, Zn, Sn, Ni, Fe

Top producer of Al

China

Top producer of Cu

Chile

Top producer of Fe

Australia

Top producer of Pb

China

Top producer of Ni

Indonesia

Top producer of Zn

China

REEs

a group of 17 chemically similar silvery-white soft metallic elements that include the 15 lanthanides on the periodic table plus scandium and yttrium

Use for Tantalum

capacitors

Baiyunobo Mine

control over 90% of global REE production

Mountain Pass Mine

discovered in 1949, owned by oil companies and largest producer of REE from 65-95. Shut down in 2002 due to wastewater issues. Reopened in 2008 operating under safer conditions

Mineral ore of tin

casserite (soldering mineral and electronic circuit boards)

Mineral ore of tantalum and nobium

coltan, columbite tantalite (vital for manufacturing high capacity miniature electronic capacitor)

Mineral ore of tungsten

wolfromite and scheelite (used in high temp filaments, heating elements, and heavy military armor/projectiles)

DRC conflict minerals trade route

illegal extraction in eastern DRC, smuggled through neighboring countries (Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi) to east Asian refineries before entering electronics

Ecological impact in Birunga National Park

illegal conflict mining + militia presence in eastern DRC, destroying mountain gorilla habitats and targeting park rangers

Energy

provides capacity to do work

Energy resource

something that can be used to produce heat, electricity, or move vehicles

ex. wood (biomass), wind, flowing water, coal, uranium, geothermal energy, shale gas

Primary and secondary US energy consumption sources

Oil (38%), Natural Gas (36%)

Energy system

steps involved in energy production and consumption

6 phases of the energy system

exploration, extraction, processing, distribution, storage, end use

Net energy

the amount of usable energy available from an energy resource -- the energy needed to make it available to consumers

Net energy ratio

energy produced:energy used to produce it

Nonrenewable energy resources

any form of energy that cannot be regenerated in a timely fashion (slow rate of formation)

What is coal?

- black to brown organic-rich sedimentary rock

- formed from plant material that once grew in coal swamps

- abundant resource

How does coal form?

- plants submerged in water (swamp)

- organic matter buried by sediment

- anoxic decay preserves organic matter

- burial increases temp & pressure

- plant matter transformed into coal

Spectrum of coal

Peat --> lignite --> bituminous --> coal

Marine transgression

Sea level rises

Marine regression

Sea level sinks

Where are coal deposits commonly formed?

by the expansion and contraction of a shoreline & involve the associated movement of a swamp & barrier bar

Coalification

the physical and chemical changes that convert peat into coal

Coal rank depends on

Burial depth (temp & pressure) & time

Ratio of peat to coal

10:1

Coal is classified into ranks based on

% carbon

More C yields more

heat

Lignite % C

60-70%

Bituminous % C

77-87%

Anthracite % C

>87%

What state is the Berkely Pit located in?

Montana

What country is the largest producer of cobalt?

DRC

The most common environmental impact of hard rock mining is

AMD