Deck 15: Riches in Rock: Mineral Resources

Question 1

The high electrical conductivity associated with metallic bonds is found in ____________.

A)all minerals that contain metallic ions,in any proportions
B)minerals that have a sufficient metal content to be considered ores
C)native metals and pure metals artificially derived from ores
D)magnetic minerals only

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The ability of a metal to be bent,molded,and stretched is termed ____________.

A)tempering
B)cold working
C)malleability
D)dexterity

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What native metal is most likely to occur within quartz veins?

A)aluminum
B)gold
C)copper
D)brass

Answer 3

B

Question 4

___________is a common metallic alloy.

A)Copper
B)Brass
C)Gold
D)Silver

Question 5

The high electrical conductivity associated with metallic bonds results from ____________.

A)the ability of outer electrons to move freely from atom to atom
B)their radioactive instability
C)the ability of nuclei to be discharged into the atmosphere
D)their relatively great atomic mass

Question 6

Most of the gold prospectors who arrived in California in 1849 were able to amass considerable fortunes.

Question 7

The presence of gold in western South America is unrelated to the subduction zone nearby.

Question 8

Most metals used by society are obtained from ____________.

A)native metals
B)ore minerals

Question 9

Which of the following is an alloy?

A)gold
B)silver
C)bronze
D)copper

Question 10

Nearly all of the minerals that are commercially exploited are either native metals or ore minerals.

Question 11

The stereotypical gold rush prospector panning for gold in a streambed is an example of exploiting ____________.

A)magmatic deposits
B)placer deposits
C)residual mineral deposits
D)sedimentary deposits

Question 12

Mineral-rich veins within plutons,deposited by hot groundwater into fractures within the rock,characterize ____________.

A)hydrothermal deposits
B)placer deposits
C)residual mineral deposits
D)sedimentary deposits

Question 13

MVT (Mississippi Valley-type)deposits are secondary enrichments primarily of ____________ and ____________.

A)gold;silver
B)tin;aluminum
C)copper;bronze
D)lead;zinc

Question 14

What kind of terrain would you expect to find a placer-type deposit?

A)dry lake bed
B)mountain peak
C)ocean floor
D)stream bed

Question 15

The first ores that were widely smelted by humans to produce metal were those of ____________.

A)bronze
B)copper
C)gold
D)iron

Question 16

The smelting of iron ore requires temperatures of _________.

A)2,250°C to 3,400°C
B)1,250°C to 1,400°C
C)250°C to 400°C
D)3,250°C to 3,400°C

Question 17

Because of their economic importance to society,copper and aluminum are considered precious metals.

Question 18

____________ deposits form where erosion produces clasts of native metals.

A)Secondary-enrichment
B)Placer
C)Mississippi Valley-type (MVT)
D)Magmatic

Question 19

Currently,igneous and metamorphic rocks are the only sources of commercially available minerals.

Question 20

The first widely used alloy in ancient civilizations was ____________.

A)bronze
B)copper
C)gold
D)iron

Question 21

Open pits on the surface of Earth,constructed to extract stone for building purposes,are called ____________.

A)open pit mines
B)underground mines
C)quarries
D)sedimentary deposits

Question 22

Which of the three most commonly used metals sometimes occurs as a native metal?

A)aluminum
B)copper
C)iron
D)None of the above are correct.

Question 23

Which list below places important pure metals and alloys in chronological order from first to last (most recent)in terms of their widespread use by humans?

A)bronze,copper,iron
B)iron,copper,bronze
C)copper,iron,bronze
D)copper,bronze,iron

Question 24

Nonmetals extracted from metals during smelting are termed ____________.

A)slag
B)cull
C)sludge
D)spar

Question 25

Which type of ores are most commonly concentrated in magmatic deposits?

A)oxides
B)sulfides
C)native metals
D)copper ores

Question 26

Metals can occur in native form or in ____________.

A)oxides
B)sulfides
C)salts
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 27

Stone is typically broken into slabs and blocks through the use of ____________.

A)mechanical splitting and chiseling
B)abrasion
C)heat
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 28

Smelting is a technique applied to ____________.

A)native metals
B)ore minerals
C)quarried stone

Question 29

Which property of magmatic ore deposits causes them to be concentrated by magmas?

A)low temperatures of crystallization
B)high temperatures of crystallization
C)low density
D)high density

Question 30

____________ is a nonmetal mineral formed by evaporation.

A)Sulfur
B)Gypsum
C)Zinc
D)Marble

Question 31

The metal ores that are found in veins within plutons typically occur ____________.

A)by themselves as pure mineral assemblages
B)together with other ores,but with no other minerals
C)alongside abundant calcite
D)alongside abundant quartz

Question 32

Which ore minerals are commonly found in ancient sedimentary deposits that are two billion years old?

A)copper sulfides
B)aluminum oxides
C)iron oxides
D)copper oxides

Question 33

Which of the three most commonly used metals must be smelted from its ore minerals in the presence of carbon monoxide gas (from the burning of carbon-based charcoal)?

A)aluminum
B)copper
C)iron
D)None of the above are correct.

Question 34

Commercial ore deposits are most likely to be found associated with ____________.

A)thick basinal sandstones and shales
B)blueschists
C)evaporite sequences
D)igneous rocks

Question 35

In magma chambers,sulfide materials typically ____________.

A)rise to the top
B)sink to the bottom
C)mix well with the rest of the magma
D)solidify and reside in the middle of the magma

Question 36

The blocks of rock used in construction are termed ____________.

A)dimension stone
B)gemstone
C)ore
D)lode stone

Question 37

Underground mining is considered the safest way to mine ore.

Question 38

Most of the metals currently in commercial use ____________.

A)were known to the ancients
B)are found only in North America and Asia
C)were discovered during the last two centuries
D)are excavated as native metals and do not require smelting

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT an important ore of iron?

A)magnetite (iron oxide)
B)hematite (iron oxide)
C)pyrite (iron sulfide)
D)All of the above minerals are important ores of iron.

Question 40

Open-pit mining utilizes ore that lies close to the ground surface.

Question 41

Because it can be split easily into thin sheets and is impermeable,____________ is commonly used to make roofing tiles.

A)limestone
B)sandstone
C)gneiss
D)slate

Question 42

Which of the following nonmetallic resources has an igneous origin?

A)salt
B)granite
C)limestone
D)gypsum

Question 43

A drawback to mining sulfides is the risk of____________.

A)underground fires
B)tunnel collapse
C)"rock bursts"
D)acid mine runoff

Question 44

The United States has active mines within its boundaries that are sufficient to maintain a steady supply of all strategically important metals.

Question 45

The most important mineral resources,including ores,can be expected to last for the next 1,000 years.

Question 46

Which mineral resources are considered renewable?

A)base metals only
B)nonmetallic minerals only
C)iron and aluminum ores
D)No mineral resources are renewable.

Question 47

As compared to coal mining,there is virtually no adverse environmental impact of mineral mining.

Question 48

Ore processing can have environmental consequences,including ____________.

A)acid rain
B)groundwater contamination
C)acid runoff
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 49

____________ are mined by the United States to alloy with iron in order to produce the special-purpose steel used in the aerospace industry.

A)Strategic minerals
B)Reserves
C)Native metals
D)Nonmetals

Question 50

Concrete is ____________.

A)synonymous with the term "cement"
B)synonymous with the term "Portland cement"
C)a combination of cement,sand,and gravel
D)powdered rock of any lithology mixed with water and allowed to set overnight