Natural Resources The big 3 resources: Why Water Resources ... · Natural Resources Water resource ... August 1985 North Colorado River Pacific Ocean Salton Sea ... (REEs?) U.S. energy

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Natural Resources

Water resource issues & trends

Scale of mineral and energy resource use

Major energy sources

Trends in mineral and energy resource use with time

Economic factors – resource costs, international relations

Sustainable resource use, energy efficiency, & recycling

The big 3 resources:

Water, Minerals, & Energy

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Everything that we do requires energy!

Almost everything requires mineral & rock resources!

Everyone needs water for basic survival.

Natural resources news and information (updated often by Dr. Kuehn):https://www.diigo.com/outliner/6ofcnh/Water-Resources?key=7z1clz4y3b

https://www.diigo.com/outliner/6pl8vh/Energy-Resources?key=lvvx05crt6

https://www.diigo.com/outliner/6p1uxv/Mineral-Resources-and-Conservation?key=86i7t7mx3p

Why Water Resources Matterand why they require careful, informed management

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Toward Water Sustainability: A Blueprinthttp://aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired/2016/03/wfi-report-toward-water-sustainability-a-blueprint-for-hydro-philanthropy.html

Why Water Resources Matterand why they require careful, informed management

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The Environmental Cost Of Growing Food http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/05/05/476600965/the-environmental-cost-of-growing-food

The Central Valley is sinking: drought forces farmers to ponder the abyss http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/28/california-central-valley-sinking-farmers-deepwater-wells

Draining Oregon – Creeks and wells in crisis (multi-part series) http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/page/draining_oregon_day_3.html

What Happens to the U.S. Midwest When the Water's Gone? http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/08/vanishing-midwest-ogallala-aquifer-drought/

A third of the world’s biggest groundwater basins are in distress - Reserves likely far smaller than previously thought http://news.agu.org/press-release/a-third-of-the-worlds-biggest-groundwater-basins-are-in-distress/

More than half of south Asia's groundwater too contaminated to use https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/30/more-than-half-of-south-asias-groundwater-too-contaminated-to-use-study?CMP=share_btn_tw

The demise of the Maya civilization: water shortage can destroy cultures http://blogs.agu.org/geospace/2016/08/30/the-demise-of-the-maya-civilization-water-shortage-can-destroy-cultures/

Israel Proves the Desalination Era Is Here (July 2016) https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/israel-proves-the-desalination-era-is-here/?WT.mc_id=SA_TW_ENGYSUS_NEWS

Vital Water Graphics – United Nationshttp://www.unep.org/vitalwater/

4Availability of Water Sources

Vital Water Graphics – United Nationshttp://www.unep.org/vitalwater/

5Availability of Water Sources

Fig. 10.17 Keller, Environmental Geology

Water Resource Use – by source: surface vs. ground water

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Worldwide, agriculture uses about 75% of global water consumption and industry 20% (electricity production is also a major user)

Fig. 12.17 Understanding Earth

7Water Resource Use – by purpose 8Water Resource Use and US Economic Growth

Via @PeterGleickhttps://mobile.twitter.com/azgeology/status/797613173951971329

Overuse of groundwater depresses the water table and can change the direction of groundwater flow. Water also can flow underground from wetlands toward the area of lowered water table, possibly causing the wetlands to go dry. Land areas can sink. Near oceans, sea water can seep in.

Fig. 15-18 Geology 2nd edition - Chernicoff

9Effects of Using Groundwater


Groundwater use exceeds recharge in much of the U.S. and many other places around the world. What are the consequences?

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Dropping well water levels in California

Vital Water Graphics – United Nations http://www.unep.org/vitalwater/

In many places, much of the water in the ground has been there for a very long time. Some of this water is left over from a time when the local climate was wetter than today. When this very old or “fossil” water is used, it is may not be replaced by modern-day recharge. Use of such water sometimes is called “water mining”since the resource is limited and may eventually run out just like when mineral resources are mined.

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Center-pivot irrigation in a desert region, Saudi Arabia, January 1990The water being extracted to irrigate these fields entered deep aquifers at a time when the climate was much wetter than it is today. The amount of this “fossil” water is limited, and eventually the wells may go dry. Water left behind by ancient wetter climates is being used in many parts of the world. image from NASA

12http://blogs.agu.org/geospace/2010/09/23/dangerous-dependence-on-virtual-water-deepens/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/05/100505-fossil-water-radioactive-science-

environment/

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13Global Use of Non-renewable Water Supplies

(by nation as a percent)

Wada,Y. 2012, ‘Non-sustainable groundwater sustaining irrigation’, GWF Discussion Paper 1205, Global Water Forum: http://www.globalwaterforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Non-sustainable-groundwater-sustaining-irrigation-12051.pdf

Also: http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2012/2011WR010562.shtml

Lighter Blue: irrigation using surface water and renewable groundwaterGreen: soil water from local rainfallDarker Blue: non-renewable water useLarger circles = more total water use

Irrigated agriculture in a desert, Southern California and Northwestern MexicoAgricultural field patterns stand out in contrast to the natural desert landscape. Two rivers, the Colorado and the Gila, are the major sources of water for this arid region. Because of water use for agriculture and other activities, the Colorado River usually goes dry before it reaches the ocean.

NASA photo taken August 1985

North

Colorado River

Pacific Ocean

Salton Sea

Overuse of water also occurs with our limited supplies of surface water San Diego

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http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/multimedia/california-drought-20140225/#.U1lEwF7o3eg

California Drought - Folsom Lake example

Left: July 20, 2011 - 97 percent of total capacity

Right: Jan. 16, 2014 - 17 percent of capacity

Why Mineral Resources Matter; Mining for Minerals; Economics16

Elemental Urgency: Most Metals Have Inadequate or Nonexistent Alternatives https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/elemental-urgency-most-metals-have-inadequate-or-nonexistent-alternatives/

A world of minerals in your mobile device https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/gip167

Inside the Billion-Dollar Dig to America’s Biggest Copper Deposit http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-arizona-copper-mine/

New technique to find copper deposits http://scienmag.com/new-technique-to-find-copper-deposits/

High in the Andes, A Mine Eats a 400-Year-Old City http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151202-Cerro-de-Pasco-Peru-Volcan-mine-eats-city-environment/

Think about a world without roads, rails & airplane runways https://mobile.twitter.com/meceducation/status/656838788971384832

Source: Mineral Information Institute

http://www.mii.org/

17At current rates of consumption,

See also: “The Importance of Minerals and Mining”http://www.mii.org/sites/default/files/uploads/July_2012_PowerPoint_Reid%2010_25_12.pdfThink about a world without roads, rails & airplane runways https://mobile.twitter.com/meceducation/status/656838788971384832


Stages and Flow of Materials in Resource Use

Mining's Hard Rock Legacy http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/inside-the-earth/hard-rock/

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Reichard Environmental Geology

19Resource Trends and Economics


U.S. Energy Use Trends – Long Term20

Fig. 22-3 Understanding Earth 3rd edition

Origin of stored energy in fossil fuels

fossil sunshine

Cycle of CO2 and H2O in the Production and Consumption of Organic Matter and Fossil Fuels

(Part of the global carbon cycle)

21Where our energy comes from


Renewable Energy Options

Other, non-solar sources:

• Geothermal• Tides• Etc.

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Classification of Mineral & Fossil Fuel Resources

Importance of Economics and Technology in Resource Extraction

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http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2011/10/28/cheap-oil-isnt-coming-back.aspx

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If the unconventional oil and more difficult/lower grade sources are included, we

won’t run out any time soon.

What are the costs?

Oil Cost of Production

It’s not just oil. Coal mining keeps getting more

expensive too.

What it costs to produce a barrel of oilhttp://money.cnn.com/2015/11/24/news/oil-prices-production-costs/This is a major control on who can make a profit as oil prices change.

In recent years, fracking has completely changed the economics of extracting oil and gas

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Efficiency has big potential to change

the energy and materials markets

too!

If only a fraction of the energy goes where we

need it, what happens to the rest?

Overall energy efficiency in the U.S. is estimated at less than

50%.

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LEDs are even better (REEs?)

(REEs?)

U.S. energy trends and efficiency: https://www.llnl.gov/news/newsreleases/2012/Oct/NR-12-10-08.html

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Mining for metals in society’s waste – A path to sustainability?https://theconversation.com/mining-for-metals-in-societys-waste-43766

Changing Energy Technology and Raw Materials Needed Rare-earth metals - an example28

Sourcing Rare Earths and Critical Minerals http://minesmagazine.com/1737

What are rare earth elements?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element

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Rare-earth metalsan example

Physics Today, May 2010

Rare Earths - Critical Resources for High Tech USGS FS-087-02 http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/fs087-02/

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Concern Grows of China’s Dominance of Rare-Earth Metals (May, 2010) http://ptonline.aip.org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_63/iss_5/22_1.shtml?bypassSSO=1

Sourcing Rare Earths and Critical Minerals http://minesmagazine.com/1737/

USGS Minerals Information: Rare Earthshttp://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/rare_earths/

WTO Rules Against China in Rare Earth Dispute (April 2014) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014EO140004/abstracthttp://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news14_e/431_432_433r_e.htmhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-26/wto-panel-sides-with-u-s-in-dispute-over-china-minerals.html

Essentially ruled that export restrictions which Chinaclaimed were a conservation measure actually favored their domestic manufacturers over others resulting in 3x higher prices for foreign manufacturers and unfair competition.


Three Possible Patterns of Resource Use

Sustainability

Minerals, Energy, Land, Oceans, Water supplies

Renewable vs. non-renewable resources

Cleaner Cars from Cradle to Gravehttp://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/electric-vehicles/life-cycle-ev-emissions?autologin=true

Total resource consumption matters. It’s not just about energy, minerals, or water. All three must be considered together. The full cycle of production, use, and disposal/recycling all matter too.

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Major Changes Underway in Energy Resources – News Headlines31

What is the role of shale as a source of oil and gas resources in the United States? http://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/what-is-the-role-shale

How super low natural gas prices are reshaping how we get our power (April 2016)https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/10/28/how-super-low-natural-gas-prices-are-reshaping-how-we-get-our-power/

Watch clean energy costs fall, in one chart (Sept 2016)http://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2016/9/30/13111088/cleantech-costs-falling-one-chart

U.S. Energy Shakeup Continues as Solar Capacity Triples (Oct 2016)http://www.climatecentral.org/news/us-energy-shakeup-continues-solar-triples-20802

Clean Energy Jobs Are Exploding in America. Why Don’t Mainstream Reporters Know? (Sept 2016) https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/why-dont-mainstream-reporters-know-clean-energy-jobs-are-booming

World’s Renewable Energy Capacity Now Beats Out Coal (Oct 2016)https://www.fastcoexist.com/3065047/the-worlds-renewable-energy-capacity-now-beats-out-coal

Companies race to make electric cars mainstream (Oct 2016)http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/companies-race-make-electric-cars-mainstream/

Why the Tesla Model 3 and Chevy Bolt are going to kill the gas station (May 2016)http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/05/why-the-tesla-model-3-and-chevy-bolt-are-going-to-kill-the-gas-station/

Exxon Concedes It May Need to Declare Lower Value for Oil in Ground (Oct 2016)http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/business/energy-environment/exxon-concedes-it-may-need-to-declare-lower-value-for-oil-in-ground.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

Renewable Energy Costs32

Watch clean energy costs fall, in one chart (Sept 2016)http://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2016/9/30/13111088/cleantech-costs-falling-one-chart

Coal Economics:

Coal Employment

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Complex Market Forces Are Challenging Appalachian Coal Mining (Oct 2014)https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2014/10/06/98371/complex-market-forces-are-challenging-appalachian-coal-mining/How Coal Workshttp://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels/how-coal-works.html#.WC2uYXfMync

Since 2014, there has been a major industry crash. Why?

Coal Economics: Coal vs. Gas for Electricity Generation34

Not Even Donald Trump Can Save the U.S. Coal Industry (Oct 2016)http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/10/06/donald-trump-cant-save-the-coal-industry.aspx

Natural Gas Production falling costs mirror this

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What is the role of shale as a source of oil and gas resources in the United States? http://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/what-is-the-role-shale

Coal Economics: U.S. Exports36


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Energy and Politics - War on Coal?

What is propaganda? What is reality? Whom should I believe?

37Headlines: Energy and Politics - War on Coal?

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Coal's decline forewarned – a century ago, and again in 1995 (Oct 2012)http://www.wvgazettemail.com/News/201210130087?page=1%27A=0

How Coal Works http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels/how-coal-works.html#.WC2uYXfMync

Complex Market Forces Are Challenging Appalachian Coal Mining (Oct 2014)https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2014/10/06/98371/complex-market-forces-are-challenging-appalachian-coal-mining/

Here’s why Central Appalachia’s coal industry is dying (Nov 2013)https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/11/04/heres-why-central-appalachias-coal-industry-is-dying/

The Coal Industry Isn’t Coming Back (Nov 2016)http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/16/opinion/the-coal-industry-isnt-coming-back.html?_r=1


Hard Truths for Trump’s America - Washington didn’t kill coal, but disaffected voters are being sold a story of victimhood http://www.wsj.com/articles/hard-truths-for-trumps-america-1473808938

Win over EPA won’t save Southern W.Va. coal, experts say (July 2014)http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20140731/GZ01/140739830

Hint: It's Not Obama That's Killing The Coal Industry - Peabody Energy's bankruptcy is further proof that coal is just not a viable U.S. industry

39Energy and Politics - War on Coal?

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Natural Resources The big 3 resources: Why Water Resources ... · Natural Resources Water resource ... August 1985 North Colorado River Pacific Ocean Salton Sea ... (REEs?) U.S. energy

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