ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 13e CHAPTER 12: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral
Dec 25, 2015
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 13e
CHAPTER 12:Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral
Core Case Study: The Real Cost of Gold
• Two wedding rings = 6 tons of mining waste
• Gold mining pollutes air and water
• Toxic cyanide used to mine gold
• Gold mining harms wildlife
Fig. 12-1, p. 273
12-1 What Are the Earth’s Major Geological Processes and Hazards?
• Concept 12-1 Dynamic processes move matter within the earth and on its surface and can cause volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and earthquakes.
The Earth Is a Dynamic Planet
• What is geology?
• Earth’s internal structure– Core
– Mantle
– Asthenosphere
– Crust
– Lithosphere
Plate Tectonics
• Tectonic plates
• Divergent plate boundaries
• Convergent boundaries
• Transform fault boundaries
Fig. 12-2, p. 275
Mantle (asthenosphere)
Mantle (lithosphere)
Mantle (lithosphere)
Continental crust(lithosphere)
Continentalrise
Continentalslope
ContinentalshelfAby
ssal
pla
in
Foldedmountain belt
Abyssal plain
Oceanic crust(lithosphere)
Abyssal hillsAbyssal
floorAbyssal
floorOceanic
ridgeTrench
Craton
Volcanoes
Fig. 12-2, p. 275
Fig. 12-3, p. 275
Innercore
Hot outercore
Mantle
Continentalcrust
Cold densematerial fallsback through
mantle
Hot material rising through the mantle
Two plates movetowards each other.One is subductedback into the mantleon a falling convectioncurrent.
Mantleconvection
cell
Oceanic crustOceanic crust
Oceantrench
Spreadingcenter
Continentalcrust
Subduction zone
Material coolsas it reaches
the outer mantle
Fig. 12-3, p. 275
Fig. 12-4, p. 276
PACIFICPLATEPACIFICPLATE
JUAN DEFUCA PLATE
JUAN DEFUCA PLATE
CHINASUBPLATE
CHINASUBPLATE
PHILIPPINEPLATE
PHILIPPINEPLATE
INDIA-AUSTRALIANPLATE
INDIA-AUSTRALIANPLATE
AFRICANPLATE
AFRICANPLATE
ARABIANPLATE
ARABIANPLATE
SOMALIANSUBPLATESOMALIANSUBPLATE
ANATOLIANPLATE
ANATOLIANPLATE
CARIBBEANPLATE
CARIBBEANPLATE
EURASIAN PLATEEURASIAN PLATENORTHAMERICANPLATE
NORTHAMERICANPLATE
SOUTHAMERICANPLATE
SOUTHAMERICANPLATE
NAZCAPLATENAZCAPLATE
ANTARCTIC PLATE
Fig. 12-4, p. 276
Divergent plate boundaries Convergent plate boundaries Transform faults
Fig. 12-5, p. 277
Volcanoes
• Magma
• Lava
• Eruptions– Lava rock
– Hot ash
– Liquid lava
– Gases
Fig. 12-6, p. 277
Fig. 12-6, p. 277
Extinct volcanoes
Upwelling
magma
Partially molten
asthenosphere
Solid
lithosphere
Magma reservoirMagma reservoir
Magma conduitMagma conduit
Central ventCentral vent
AshAcid rain
Eruption cloud
Lava flow
Mud flow
Landslide
Ash flow
Earthquakes
• Stressed rocks shift or break
• Seismic waves
• Seismographs
• Richter scale to measure amplitude
• Tsunami
Fig. 12-7, p. 278
Fig. 12-7, p. 278
Earth movementscause flooding inlow-lying areas
Two adjoining platesmove laterally alongthe fault line
Landslidesmay occur onhilly ground
EpicenterFocus
Shockwaves
Liquefaction of recentsediments causesbuildings to sink
Fig. 12-8, p. 279
Fig. 12-9, p. 279
Fig. 12-10, p. 280
Fig. 12-10, p. 280
Undersea thrust fault
Earthquake in seafloor swiftlypushes water upwards, andstarts a series of waves
Waves move rapidly indeep ocean reachingspeeds of up to 890kilometers per hour.
As the waves near land theyslow to about 45 kilometers perhour but are squeezed upwardsand increased in height.
Waves head inlandcausing damage intheir path.
Malaysia
IndonesiaSumatra
Sri Lanka
India
Thailand
BangladeshBurma
December 26, 2004, tsunami
Earthquake
Upward wave
12-2 How Are Earth’s Rocks Recycled?
• Concept 12-2 The three major types of rock found in the earth’s crust are recycled very slowly by physical and chemical processes.
Rocks and Minerals
• Minerals
• Rock– Igneous
– Sedimentary
– Metamorphic
• Rock cycle
Sedimentary Rocks
• Sediments– Tiny particles of eroded rocks
– Dead plant and animal remains
• Transported by water, wind, or gravity• Pressure converts into rock
– Sandstone
– Shale
– Coal – some types
Igneous Rocks
• Forms from magma
• Can cool beneath earth’s surface– Granite
• Can cool above earth’s surface– Lava rocks
• Most of earth’s crust
Metamorphic Rocks
• From preexisting rocks– Pressure
– Heat
– Chemically active fluids
• Slate from shale
• Marble from limestone
Fig. 12-12, p. 282
Metamorphic rockSlate, marble,gneiss, quartzite
Melting
Magma(molten rock)
Cooling
Granite, pumice,basalt
Weathering
Erosion
Transportation
Deposition
Heat, pressure
Heat, pressure,stress
Sandstone, limestone
Sedimentary rock
Igneous rock
Fig. 12-12, p. 282
12-3 What Are Mineral Resources and What Are the Environmental Effects of Using Them?
• Concept 12-3 Some minerals in the earth’s crust can be made into useful products, but extracting and using these resources can disturb the land, erode soils, produce large amounts of solid waste, and pollute the air, water, and soil.
Nonrenewable Mineral Resources (1)
• Minerals
• Mineral resources– Fossil fuels
– Metallic
– Nonmetallic
• Reserves
Nonrenewable Mineral Resources (2)
• Ore– High-grade ore– Low-grade ore
• Examples of mineral resources– Aluminum– Iron – used for steel– Copper– Gold– Sand and gravel
Fig. 12-13, p. 283
Surfacemining
Metal ore Separationof ore fromgangue
Smelting Meltingmetal
Conversionto product
Discardingof product
Recycling
Fig. 12-13, p. 283
Conversionto product
Stepped Art
Surfacemining
Metal ore Separationof ore fromgangue
Smelting Meltingmetal
Discardingof product
Recycling
Fig. 12-13, p. 283
Fig. 12-14, p. 284
Extracting Mineral Deposits (1)
• Surface mining
• Overburden
• Spoils
• Open-pit mining
Extracting Mineral Deposits (2)
• Strip mining
• Area strip mining
• Contour strip mining
• Mountaintop removal
• Subsurface mining
Fig. 12-15, p. 284
Fig. 12-16, p. 285
Spoil banks
Bench
Undisturbed land
Overburden
Pit
Fig. 12-16, p. 285
Harmful Environmental Effects of Mining
• Disruption of land surface• Damage to forests and watersheds• Biodiversity harmed• Subsidence• Toxic-laced mining wastes• Acid mine drainage
Fig. 12-17, p. 285
Fig. 12-18, p. 286
Fig. 12-18, p. 286
Harmful Environmental Effects of Removing Metals from Ores
• Ore mineral – desired metal
• Gangue – waste material
• Smelting– Air pollution
– Water pollution
– Acidified nearby soils
– Liquid and solid hazardous wastes
12-4 How Long Will Supplies of Nonrenewable Mineral Resources Last?
• Concept 12-4 Raising the price of a scarce mineral resource can lead to an increase in its supply, but there are environmental limits to this effect.
Uneven Distribution of Mineral Resources
• Abundant minerals
• Scarce minerals
• Exporters and importers
• Strategic metal resources– Economic and military strength
– U.S. dependency on importing four critical minerals
Supplies of Mineral Resources
• Available supply and use• Economic depletion• Five choices after depletion
1. Recycle or reuse2. Waste less3. Use less4. Find a substitute5. Do without
Market Prices Affect Supplies of Nonrenewable Minerals
• Supply and demand affect price• Not a free market in developed countries
– Subsides, taxes, regulations, import tariffs
• Prices of minerals don’t reflect their true costs
• Developing new mines is expensive and economically risky
Science Focus: Nanotechnology
• 100 nanometers or less– 1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter
• Widespread applications
• Potential risks
• Need for guidelines and regulations
• Future applications
Case Study: U.S. General Mining Law of 1872
• Design: Encourage exploration and mining
• Mining claim can give legal ownership of land
• Abused: land used for other purposes• Low royalties to federal government• Leave toxic wastes behind• $32-72 billion est. to clean up abandoned
mines
Fig. 12-19, p. 289
Mining Lower-grade Ores
• Improved equipment and technologies• Limiting factors
– Cost
– Supplies of freshwater
– Environmental impacts
• Biomining– In-situ mining
– Slow
Ocean Mining
• Minerals from seawater• Hydrothermal deposits• Manganese-rich nodules• High costs• Ownership issues• Environmental issues
12-5 How Can We Use Mineral Resources More Sustainably?
• Concept 12-5 We can try to find substitutes for scarce resources, reduce resource waste, and recycle and reuse minerals.
Finding Substitutes for Scarce Mineral Resources
• Materials revolution– Ceramics
– Plastics
– Fiber-optic glass cables
• Limitations
• Recycle and reuse– Less environmental impact
Using Nonrenewable Resources More Sustainably
• Decrease use and waste
• 3M Company – Pollution Prevention Pays (3P) program
• Economic and environmental benefits of cleaner production
Fig. 12-20, p. 291
Case Study: Industrial Ecosystems (1)
• Mimic nature to deal with wastes – biomimicry
• Waste outputs become resource inputs
• Recycle and reuse
• Resource exchange webs
Case Study: Industrial Ecosystems (2)
• Reclaiming brownfields
• Industrial ecology
• Ecoindustrial revolution
Fig. 12-21, p. 292
Pharmaceutical plant Local farmers
Fish farming
Cement manufacturer
Area homes
Surplus natural gas
Surplusnatural gas
Surplussulfur
Waste heat
Wasteheat
Wasteheat
Wasteheat
Sludge
Sludge
Wasteheat
Wastecalciumsulfate
Electric power plant
Wallboard factory
Sulfuric acid producer
Fly ash
Greenhouses
Oil refinery
Fig. 12-21, p. 292
Electric power plant
Sulfuric acid producer
Surplussulfur
GreenhousesWasteheat
Cement manufacturer
Fly ash
Oil refinery
Waste heat
Surplusnatural gas
Area homes
Wasteheat
Fish farming
Wasteheat
Wallboard factory
Wastecalciumsulfate
Surplusnatural gas
Local farmers
Sludge
Sludge
Pharmaceutical plant
Wasteheat
Stepped Art
Fig. 12-21, p. 292
Three Big Ideas from This Chapter - #1
Dynamic forces that move matter within the earth and on its surface recycle the earth’s rocks, form deposits of mineral resources, and cause volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
Three Big Ideas from This Chapter - #2
The available supply of a mineral resource depends on how much of it is in the earth’s crust, how fast we use it, mining technology, market prices, and the harmful environmental effects of removing and using it.
Three Big Ideas from This Chapter - #3
We can use mineral resources more sustainably by trying to find substitutes for scarce resources, reducing resource waste, and reusing and recycling nonrenewable minerals.
Animation: Geological Forces
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Animation: Plate Margins
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Animation: Sulfur Cycle
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Animation: Resources Depletion and Degradation
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Video: Continental Drift
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Video: Asteroid Menace
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Video: Indonesian Earthquake
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Video: Tsunami Alert Testing
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Video: Mount Merapi Volcano Eruption
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