Unit 07 Section 23 Non-Renewable Energy Sources

23.01 Environmental Effects of Extracting Minerals

• Rock vs. Ore

  • Rocks are inorganic solids containing one or more minerals.

  • Ore: A type of rock with a high concentration of a specific mineral (often a metal), making it valuable for extraction.

• Earth's Crust Composition

  • Composed of solid inorganic compounds and elements (rocks and minerals).

  • Source of soil and non-renewable resources.

  • Types of Rocks:

    • Igneous

    • Sedimentary

    • Metamorphic

  • Minerals: Pure inorganic compounds or elements with predictable crystalline structures.

  • Mineral Resource: Concentration of naturally occurring material that can be economically extracted.

    • Examples: Non-metallic minerals (sand, gravel, limestone) and metallic minerals (aluminum, copper, iron).

• Non-Renewable Mineral Resources

  • Finite amounts present in Earth's crust; only reaccumulate slowly through geological activity.

  • Classifications by USGS:

    • Identified: Known quality, quantity, and location.

    • Undiscovered: Presumed resources that exist.

    • Reserves: Profitably extractable resources.

    • Other: Identified resources not yet classified as reserves.

  • Distribution and abundance vary; examples include plentiful aluminum and iron, but scarce platinum, cobalt, chromium, and manganese.

  • The US depends on imports for 50% of its essential non-renewable mineral resources.

• Strategic Metal Concerns

  • Experts express concerns about the viability of platinum, chromium, cobalt, and manganese due to their roles in economic and military applications.

• Environmental Impacts of Extraction

  • Processes to obtain minerals greatly impact the environment.