Deck 14: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

Question 1

What element below makes up 71% of the earth's crust?

A) oceanic crust
B) asthenosphere
C) lithosphere
D) continental crust
E) geosphere

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What type of rock is formed from the weathered remains of other rocks?

A) igneous
B) mineral
C) metamorphic
D) sedimentary
E) organic

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Identified deposits from which we can extract the minerals profitably at current prices are referred to as ____.

A) placers
B) estimates
C) deposits
D) resources
E) reserves

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Which of the following is known to be true concerning the possible mining of the ocean floor?

A) Experts believe that working around volcanic vents is too dangerous.
B) Countries cannot come to an agreement about who owns the minerals.
C) Disturbance of the sea floor may release dangerous chemicals.
D) No one has the ability to mine the deep ocean floor.
E) Giant squid may interfere with the mining.

Question 5

Suppose that consumers pay the full market cost of mineral extraction and processing.What will be the least likely outcome?

A) Harmful environmental effects will be reduced.
B) Economies will collapse.
C) Recycling will increase dramatically.
D) Minerals will be replaced with less harmful substitutes.
E) Reuse will increase.

Question 6

What moves large volumes of rock and heat within the mantle,much like gigantic conveyor belts?

A) convection cells
B) concurrent cells
C) magma chambers
D) convergent plates
E) divergent plates

Question 7

Tectonic plates can move in opposite but parallel directions along a fracture or fault at a boundary called a ____.

A) divergent plate boundary
B) convergent plate boundary
C) subduction zone
D) mantle fault
E) transform fault

Question 8

What is the zone of hot,partly melted rock that flows and that can be deformed?

A) crust
B) asthenosphere
C) core
D) mantle
E) lithosphere

Question 9

Large sections of the earth's crust,called ____,slowly separate,collide,or grind along against each other at the earth's surface.

A) tailings
B) mantle
C) tectonic plates
D) low-grade core
E) oceanic ridges

Question 10

Experts are particularly concerned about four strategic metal resources that are important for the U.S.economy and military strength,and that must be imported.What percentage does the U.S.import?

A) 25%
B) 35%
C) 90%
D) 80%
E) 70%

Question 11

Some analysts suggest we can increase supplies of some minerals by extracting lower grades of ore.Which factor would not limit the mining of lower- grade ores?

A) increased cost of mining and processing the larger volumes of ore
B) increasing shortage of freshwater needed to mine and process ore
C) lack of new earth-moving equipment and mining techniques
D) environmental impact of increased land disruption
E) pollution produced during the mining and processing of ore

Question 12

Of the 20 key nonrenewable mineral resources it needs,what percentage does the U.S.import?

A) 15%
B) 25%
C) 40%
D) 80%
E) 100%

Question 13

Which of the following is a type of metallic mineral?

A) iron
B) sand
C) limestone
D) coral
E) coal

Question 14

The interaction of physical and chemical processes that change rocks from one type to another type is known as ____.

A) metamorphism
B) the rock cycle
C) petrography
D) consolidation
E) hydrogeology

Question 15

A naturally occurring,chemical element or inorganic compound that exists as a solid with a regular repeating internal arrangement of its atoms or ions is called a(n)____.

A) isotope
B) crystal
C) mineral
D) element
E) oxide

Question 16

What type of rock is granite?

A) igneous
B) mineral
C) metamorphic
D) sedimentary
E) organic

Question 17

Limestone,when exposed to heat and pressure,becomes ____.

A) salt
B) quartzite
C) granite
D) marble
E) bituminous coal

Question 18

The slowest of the earth's cyclic processes is the ____.

A) hydrological cycle
B) carbon cycle
C) rock cycle
D) phosphorus cycle
E) nutrient cycle

Question 19

When an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate,the continental plate usually slides up and over the denser oceanic plate,pushing it down into the mantle,a process called ____.

A) production
B) subduction
C) induction
D) convection
E) trenching

Question 20

The second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century occurred in 1991 when ____ erupted.

A) Mt.Pinatubo
B) Mt.McKinley
C) Mt.St.Helens
D) Mt.Everest
E) Humphrey's Peak

Question 21

The life cycle of a metal product ends with ____.

A) converting the metal to a product
B) recycling of the product
C) discarding of the product
D) separation of the ore from waste material
E) melting the metal

Question 22

When a resource has been economically depleted,we can do something about it.Which of the following is not suggested as an appropriate action to take to mitigate this issue?

A) Find alternative supplies of the resource.
B) Recycle existing supplies.
C) Waste less.
D) Use less.
E) Do without.

Question 23

The U.N.International Seabed Authority began issuing seabed mining permits in what year?

A) 1990
B) 1999
C) 2001
D) 2010
E) 2011

Question 24

Surface mining is used to extract what percentage of nonfuel resources in the U.S.?

A) 50
B) 60
C) 70
D) 80
E) 90

Question 25

Because of the rising prices of many metals,there is now particular interest in pursuing mining in what location?

A) Antarctica
B) China
C) Under volcanoes
D) The Arctic Circle
E) The ocean floor

Question 26

According to the USGS,each person in the United States uses an average of how many metric tons of mineral resources each year?

A) 2
B) 12
C) 22
D) 32
E) 42

Question 27

Surface mining,when compared to subsurface mining,____.

A) is more dangerous.
B) is more expensive
C) produces less waste material
D) disturbs more land
E) causes subsidence

Question 28

Which procedure would most likely be used to mine coal on hilly terrain?

A) open-pit mining
B) contour mining
C) area strip mining
D) strip mining
E) mountain-top removal

Question 29

China has lower costs for the mining of rare earth minerals because of ____.

A) their fewer environmental regulations
B) their larger deposits
C) the proximity of their deposits to the earth's surface
D) the accessibility of their minerals without subsurface mining
E) their low labor costs

Question 30

Mining causes long-term harm to the environment in a number of ways.What is not one detrimental effect of mining?

A) scarring and disruption of the land surface
B) large amounts of radioactivity
C) subsidence
D) large amounts of solid waste
E) toxic chemical releases into the atmosphere

Question 31

One way of increasing our supplies of rare earth minerals is to ____.

A) import them from asteroids
B) extract and recycle them from discarded electronics
C) grow them chemically in a lab
D) require manufacturers to use a different material
E) buy more from China

Question 32

The United States subsidizes mining companies through depletion allowances that amount to ____% of their gross income from mining and processing.

A) 2-4
B) 4-8
C) 5-10
D) 5-22
E) 6-33

Question 33

Which toxic substance is often used to extract gold and results in harmful environmental effects?

A) acid mine drainage
B) carbon dioxide
C) sulfur dioxide
D) cyanide
E) fluoride

Question 34

The materials revolution ____.

A) uses recycled material exclusively
B) substitutes silicon and other materials for metals
C) relies on only low-grade ores
D) involves the use of renewable resources instead of nonrenewable resources
E) is focused on creating new minerals in a lab setting

Question 35

Depletion time is the time it takes to use up approximately ____% of the mineral reserves at a given rate of use.

A) 30
B) 50
C) 60
D) 70
E) 80

Question 36

Acid mine drainage occurs when ____.

A) mines use acid to clean equipment
B) acid is used to remove rare earth minerals from mines
C) acid is used to detect low grade mineral ores
D) naturally-occurring acids are uncovered during the mining process
E) rainwater seeps through spoils piles and produces sulfuric acid

Question 37

Why does subsurface mining have less of an environmental impact than surface mining?

A) Subsurface mining uses less than one-tenth as much land.
B) Subsurface mining does not produce any water pollution.
C) Subsurface mining does not produce acid mine drainage.
D) Subsurface miners are not exposed to air pollution.
E) Subsurface mining is guaranteed to produce less waste product.

Question 38

The majority of the earth's rare earth minerals are found in ____.

A) China
B) Saudi Arabia
C) United States
D) Canada
E) Russia

Question 39

The time it takes to use up a certain proportion of the reserves of a mineral at a given rate is referred to as the ____.

A) life cycle
B) depletion time
C) long term estimate
D) depletion curve
E) strategic reserve

Question 40

Waste soil and rock removed during surface mining is called ____.

A) hazardous waste
B) gangue
C) spoil
D) tailings
E) smelt

Question 41

Each year,scientists measure the magnitude of how many earthquakes?

A) 10,000
B) 100,000
C) 250,000
D) 500,000
E) 1,000,000

Question 42

Reserves of minerals increase when new,profitable sources are identified,and when technologies make it profitable to extract deposits formerly considered too expensive to remove.

Question 43

Two commonly used nonmetallic minerals are sand and gravel.

Question 44

Minerals are considered nonrenewable resources because they take so long to form.

Question 45

Recycling aluminum produces 97% less water pollution than mining and processing aluminum ore.

Question 46

Adding chemicals to remove metals from their ores is called smelting.

Question 47

The rate that the tectonic plates move is comparable to ____.

A) how fast a snail moves
B) the rate that fingernails grow
C) the rate that the moon is moving away from the earth
D) the rate that the earth rotates
E) the rate erosion of a mountain

Question 48

The place where an earthquake begins is called its ____.

A) start
B) focus
C) magnitude
D) epicenter
E) fault

Question 49

The largest recorded loss of life from a tsunami was ____.

A) in the 2011 in Japan
B) in 1964 in Alaska
C) after a volcano erupted in Pompeii
D) in 2004 in Indonesia
E) in 1989 in San Francisco

Question 50

At least 500 mountaintops in West Virginia and other Appalachian states have been removed by mining activities in the region.

Question 51

There are many advantages to using microorganisms for mining.Which of the following is not one of these?

A) reduced land disturbance
B) reduced air pollution
C) faster removal of the mineral
D) reduced use of hazardous chemicals
E) reduced water pollution

Question 52

What is one breakthrough material in the materials revolution that is being used for bridges and buildings?

A) zinc
B) plastics
C) graphene
D) potash
E) limestone

Question 53

A major earthquake is one that measures in what range on the Richter scale?

A) 4.0 to 4.9
B) 5.0 to 5.9
C) 6.0 to 6.9
D) 7.0 to 7.9
E) over 8.0

Question 54

Vibrations caused when energy accumulated over time is released are called ____.

A) fractures
B) seismic waves
C) glaciations
D) tsunamis
E) drift

Question 55

What are a series of large waves generated in the ocean by an earthquake,landslide,or volcanic activity?

A) pipe waves
B) quake waves
C) seismic waves
D) rollers
E) tsunamis

Question 56

The higher the grade of ore,the higher the environmental impact.

Question 57

Rocks can be converted from one type to another.

Question 58

The severity of an earthquake is a measure of its seismic waves,and is called ____.

A) epicenter
B) focus
C) magnitude
D) ridges
E) valleys

Question 59

The oceanic crust makes up less than 30% of the earth's crust.

Question 60

The slowest of the earth's cyclic processes is the carbon cycle.

Question 61

Tsunamis in the open ocean can travel as fast as jet airplanes.

Question 62

Natural Capital Depletion

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper. Identify the correct curve (curve A, curve B, and or curve C) that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.


-Recycle,reuse,reduce consumption;increase reserves by improved mining technology,raising prices,and new discoveries.

Question 63

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper.Identify the correct curve (curve A,curve B,and or curve C)that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.
The environmental impact of mining depends on the percentage of metal content,or ____________________.

Question 64

The ____________________,which measures the magnitude of an earthquake,has units that are each 10 times stronger than the one below it.

Question 65

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper.Identify the correct curve (curve A,curve B,and or curve C)that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.
A mineral becomes ____________________ when it costs more than it is worth to find,extract,transport,and process it.

Question 66

Most earthquakes occur near the center of a tectonic plate.

Question 67

Natural Capital Depletion

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper. Identify the correct curve (curve A, curve B, and or curve C) that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.


-Mine,use,throw away;no new discoveries;rising prices.

Question 68

A(n)____________________ is an element or inorganic compound that occurs naturally in the earth's crust as a solid with a regular internal crystalline structure.

Question 69

An active volcano forms where magma reaches the earth's surface through a vent or a fissure.

Question 70

Using natural or genetically engineered bacteria to remove desired metals through wells bored into the deposits is known as _____________________.

Question 71

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper.Identify the correct curve (curve A,curve B,and or curve C)that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.
____________________ are permission from the government to deduct from mining company taxes their costs of developing and extracting mineral resources.

Question 72

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper.Identify the correct curve (curve A,curve B,and or curve C)that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.
In the United States,the mining industry releases almost ____________________ of all toxic emissions.

Question 73

Nanotechnology is proving to be a likely answer to the possible shortage of mineral resources,particularly in light of the fact that it has no known disadvantages.

Question 74

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper.Identify the correct curve (curve A,curve B,and or curve C)that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.
Identified resources from which the mineral can be extracted profitably at current prices are called ____________________.

Question 75

Magma that manages to reach the surface of the earth is called ____________________.

Question 76

Natural Capital Depletion

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper. Identify the correct curve (curve A, curve B, and or curve C) that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.


-Recycle;increase reserves by improved mining technology;higher prices and new discoveries.

Question 77

When energy that has accumulated over time along a fault is released,the result is vibrations called ____________________.

Question 78

Soil that forms from the weathering of volcanic lava is not very fertile.

Question 79

The accompanying figure shows the depletion curves for a nonrenewable resource such as aluminum or copper.Identify the correct curve (curve A,curve B,and or curve C)that corresponds to each statement in the following questions.
The United States has little or no reserves of four _______________ - cobalt,chromium,manganese,and platinum - which are vital to the country's economic and military strength.

Question 80

Sandstone and shale are types of ____________________ rock.