Env. Sci. Ch. 12: Geology & Earth Resources

Tectonic plates

3 major rock classification

•Igneous rocks are solidified from hot, molten magma or lava.

•Metamorphic rocks form from the melting, contorting, and recrystallizing of other rocks.

•Sedimentary rocks are formed when loose grains of other rocks are consolidated by time and pressure.

What products are rare metals used in?

transportation, electronics, food and beverage packaging, steel alloys, chemicals, medical products and equipment, machinery, gasoline, etc.

tectonic plates

huge blocks spanning across Earth’s crust which slide slowly across its surface

What are earthquakes caused by?

jerking as tectonic plates grind past each other

magma

molten rock

rock cycle

a relentless cycle of formation and destruction

mineral

a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a specific internal crystal structure

metals

(such as iron, copper, aluminum, or gold) come from mineral ores, but once purified, are no longer crystalline and thus are not mineral

rock

a solid, cohesive aggregate of one or more minerals

sedimentation

deposition of particles of rock

Impacts of fracking operations

pollution, earthquakes,

Types of mining

surface mining: mountaintop mine, contour mine, highwall/auger mine, area mine

underground mining: shaft mine, slope mine, drift mine

Open-pit mines

are used to extract massive beds of metal ores and other minerals, accumulates groundwater which turns into toxic soup

strip mining

The entire land surface is stripped away to cheaply and quickly expose the coal

smelting

roasting ore to release metals—is a major source of air pollution

chemical extraction

is used to dissolve or mobilize pulverized ore but it uses and pollutes a great deal of water. Chemicals used include toxins like cyanide

Where do earthquakes most frequently occur?

frequently occur along the edges of tectonic plates, but sometimes also occur in the centers of continents

landslides

are sudden collapses of hillsides

core

dense, hot, metal center of Earth composed of mostly iron, 3rd layer of Earth

mantle

surrounds molten hot core, hot pliable layer of rock, 2nd layer of Earth

crust

cool, outer brittle layer of Earth, 1st and outermost layer of Earth