1. Rocks and minerals and their exploitation

Rock Cycle

A representation of the changes between the three rock types (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) and the processes causing them.

Igneous Rocks

Rocks formed when liquid magma cools to form solid rock. They can be extrusive (cool quickly, small crystals) or intrusive (cool slowly, large crystals).

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed by the weathering of existing rocks where sediments accumulate, get pressurized, and may contain fossils.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks formed from existing rock through heat and/or pressure causing changes in the rock crystals without melting.

Prospecting

The process of searching for minerals by examining the surface of the rocks.

Remote Sensing

A process of gathering information about the Earth's surface from above, such as through aerial photography or satellite signals.

Geochemical Analysis

The method of analyzing the chemical properties of rocks by taking samples and assessing their content.

Surface Mining

Extraction methods that involve removing the top layers of soil and rock to reach desired minerals near the Earth's surface.

Sub-surface Mining

Mining techniques that involve digging deep into the Earth via a vertical shaft to extract minerals.

Bioremediation

The process of using microorganisms to neutralize or remove contamination from waste.

Sustainable Resource

A resource that can be continuously replenished, such as agriculture and forestry.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Environmental Impact Assessment

A plan that mining companies must prepare to evaluate and minimize the loss of habitat from mining activities.

Supply and Demand

The relationship between the availability of a commodity and the desire for that commodity, affecting its price.

Bioaccumulation

The process whereby organisms absorb toxic substances from the environment, leading to higher concentrations in their bodies.

Biomagnification

The increase in concentration of toxins in the bodies of organisms at higher levels of the food chain, often causing death.

Geophysics

Methods to identify mineral ores present in rocks using their physical properties and vibrations sent through the Earth.