Deck 21: Mineral Resources No Stone Unturned

Question 1

Which of the following was developed by Mark Hersam at Northwestern University in Chicago?

A)a technique using cyanide instead of mercury to process gold ores
B)thinner aluminum cans that require less raw material
C)carbon nanotubes to replace indium
D)fiber-optic cables to replace copper wiring
E)e-waste recycling

Answer 1

carbon nanotubes to replace indium

Question 2

__________ is the study of Earth's structure and the processes that shape it.

A)Biology
B)Chemistry
C)Physics
D)Engineering
E)Geology

Answer 2

Geology

Question 3

What happens at a divergent plate boundary?

A)The tectonic plates move toward each other.
B)The tectonic plates slide side to side relative to each other.
C)One tectonic plate moves below another.
D)The tectonic plates move away from each other.
E)A trench is formed.

Answer 3

The tectonic plates move away from each other.

Question 4

Which of the following correctly characterizes indium?

A)It is considered a renewable resource.
B)Its radioactivity provides a constant supply of electric power.
C)It is environmentally hazardous to mine.
D)It has been replaced in most electronic devices by carbon nanotubes.
E)It is common in nature.

Question 5

Metals are a critical part of nearly all electronic devices,largely because they are easy to shape and form and because of their ability to __________________.

A)emit radioactivity
B)reflect light
C)act as insulators
D)conduct electricity
E)None of these answers is correct.

Question 6

Gold and silver are commonly found in which of the following products?

A)electronics
B)paints
C)jewelry
D)electronics,paints,and jewelry
E)both electronics and jewelry

Question 7

Which of the following contains mineral resources?

A)electronics
B)construction materials
C)vehicles
D)paints
E)All of these answer choices are correct.

Question 8

Refer to Infographic 1.List five commonly used products that contain mineral resources.

Question 9

A(n)______ is a rock deposit that contains economically valuable amounts of a particular mineral,often a metal.

A)ore
B)formation
C)element
D)smelt
E)stone

Question 10

Tectonic plates are part of which layer of Earth?

A)asthenosphere
B)lithosphere
C)inner core
D)lower mantle
E)outer core

Question 11

Which characteristics of indium make it such a desirable ingredient in touchscreens and liquid crystal displays?

A)hard and flexible
B)high melting and boiling points
C)soft and malleable
D)renewable and plentiful

Question 12

Which of the following correctly lists the layers of Earth,starting with the core?

A)lithosphere,mantle,asthenosphere
B)asthenosphere,mantle,lithosphere
C)mantle,lithosphere,asthenosphere
D)mantle,asthenosphere,lithosphere
E)lithosphere,asthenosphere,mantle

Question 13

Where would you find a fault (a fracture in a tectonic plate)?

A)the asthenosphere
B)a convergent plate boundary
C)a transform plate boundary
D)the mantle
E)a divergent plate boundary

Question 14

The most abundant minerals on Earth include:

A)feldspar
B)europium
C)neodymium
D)copper
E)zinc

Question 15

Refer to Infographic 2.Describe how minerals are created.

Question 16

Which of the following is best described as a naturally occurring chemical compound that exists as a solid with a predictable,three-dimensional,repeating structure?

A)metal
B)rock
C)element
D)mineral
E)ore

Question 17

Explain why minerals are not distributed evenly throughout the planet's lithosphere.

Question 18

Which of the following is a nonmetallic mineral?

A)quartz
B)gold
C)zinc
D)lead
E)none of these answer

Question 19

When an oceanic plate meets a continental plate head-on,which of the following occurs?

A)The plates move apart from one another.
B)The plate edges buckle under the pressure.
C)Mountains form as the two plates collide.
D)A spreading ridge appears.
E)The denser oceanic plate slides beneath the continental plate.

Question 20

What characterizes a metal? List some examples of everyday products that contain metals.

Question 21

Which of the following is correct regarding the rock cycle?

A)Weathering leads to metamorphic rocks.
B)Cooling and crystallization lead to metamorphic rocks.
C)High heat and pressure lead to metamorphic rocks.
D)Sedimentary rocks result from high heat and pressure.
E)Igneous rocks result from melting and weathering.

Question 22

Which mining technique is best used when the top of a fairly deep ore deposit is found close to the surface?

A)placer mining
B)subsurface mining
C)strip mining
D)open-pit mining
E)mountaintop removal

Question 23

What are mill tailings?

A)finely ground rock left over from processing mineral ores
B)water that flows past exposed rock in mines,leaching out sulfates which react with water and oxygen to form acids
C)a method to process ore using less water than usual
D)a pond to store lightweight waste
E)pipes to take waste from one area to another

Question 24

Describe how geologists help determine the location of mineral deposits.

Question 25

More than half of all of the minerals used in the twentieth century were used between __________.

A)1995 and 2000
B)1900 and 1945
C)1945 and 1975
D)1985 and 1995
E)1975 and 2000

Question 26

Which of the following leads to the formation of sedimentary rock?

A)high heat and pressure
B)crystallization
C)melting
D)weathering
E)cooling

Question 27

Which type of rock forms where magma emerges and cools at a plate boundary?

A)igneous
B)metamorphic
C)sedimentary
D)igneous,metamorphic,and sedimentary
E)both igneous and metamorphic

Question 28

Weathering and erosion in combination form which of the following?

A)igneous rock
B)metamorphic rock
C)soil
D)sediment
E)mineral ores

Question 29

Name four mining techniques discussed in the module.Describe the nature of a mineral deposit appropriate for each technique.

Question 30

Rock is constantly made and destroyed in the process known as the __________.

A)tectonic cycle
B)mineral cycle
C)rock cycle
D)geological cycle
E)ore cycle

Question 31

Which of the following best describes the process known as smelting?

A)chemical testing to evaluate rock samples
B)the extraction of natural resources from the ground
C)the separation of metal from ore
D)the grinding of rock into a fine powder
E)smaller-scale mining

Question 32

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding rare earth elements (REEs)?

A)They are tightly bound to one another.
B)They are scattered diffusely through the ores that contain them.
C)They are always rare.
D)They tend to be attached to lots of radioactive substrate.
E)They do not occur in concentrated deposits.

Question 33

In addition to the waste produced by each of the steps outlined in Infographic 5 for processing rare earth minerals,what other environmental problems are often caused by large industrial mines?

Question 34

The breakdown of rock by physical or chemical forces is called __________.

A)weathering
B)erosion
C)metamorphosis
D)convergence
E)divergence

Question 35

Which of the following is a rare earth mineral that allowed for color television in the 1960s?

A)indium
B)tantalum
C)neodymium
D)palladium
E)europium

Question 36

Which mining technique is commonly used in developing countries when sediments contain heavy metals like gold?

A)placer mining
B)subsurface mining
C)strip mining
D)open-pit mining
E)mountaintop removal

Question 37

List the main steps generally involved in the extraction of rare earth minerals from ore.

Question 38

Subsurface mining is used for which of the following?

A)the top of a fairly deep ore deposit found close to the surface
B)a deposit deep underground or in a mountainous area
C)sediment containing heavy metals
D)a deposit seam close to the surface and fairly horizontal
E)both the top of a fairly deep ore deposit found close to the surface and a deposit seam close to the surface and fairly horizontal

Question 39

Infographic 3 illustrates how rocks constantly form and are transformed in the rock cycle.Since minerals are the building blocks of rocks,why are minerals considered nonrenewable resources?

Question 40

Neodymium is a key ingredient in wind turbines and hybrid car batteries because of its __________.

A)tendency to occur in concentrated deposits
B)extreme magnetic ability
C)ability to produce electric currents with very little material
D)tendency to occur in concentrated deposits,its extreme magnetic ability,and its ability to produce electric currents with very little material
E)extreme magnetic ability and its ability to produce electric currents with very little material

Question 41

A mining operation extracts copper ore from the ground.Without access to modern smelters,they dig pits and use them as open-air smelters.They harvest nearby trees for fuel in order to produce the high temperatures required for separating the copper metal from other components of the ore,such as sulfur.Describe some environmental consequences of such an operation.

Question 42

Replacement of copper wiring with fiber-optic cables is an example of __________.

A)redesign
B)recycling
C)reusing
D)refusing
E)reducing

Question 43

Which step(s)in rare earth mining generate(s)waste?

A)digging out ore
B)purification using chemical and physical separation techniques
C)smelting
D)crushing and grinding rock to a fine powder
E)All of these answer choices are correct.

Question 44

Use of mercury to extract metals like gold and silver is a problem because mercury __________.

A)can pollute areas around and downstream of mines
B)acidifies water in drainage areas
C)produces long-lasting radioactive waste
D)itself is nonrenewable
E)All of these answers are correct.

Question 45

The true cost of minerals takes into account __________.

A)human health and human rights
B)fuel,machinery,and labor
C)environmental impacts
D)human health and human rights,fuel,machinery,and labor,and environmental impacts
E)fuel,machinery,and labor and environmental impacts

Question 46

From Infographic 4,list and explain which mining technique would be considered most dangerous to a miner.

Question 47

__________ refers to unwanted electronic devices such as televisions,computers,and cell phones,which contain recoverable metals but also toxic chemicals.

A)Electric pollution
B)Manufactured waste
C)E-waste
D)Nanotube waste

Question 48

Describe the environmental disaster that occurred at Mountain Pass between 1984 and 1994.

Question 49

Which of the following statements best describes what is depicted in Infographic 8?

A)More aluminum cans are produced today from a pound of aluminum than in the past because today's cans are thinner.
B)The cost of manufacturing products using recycled aluminum is nearly twice what it costs using aluminum from dug-out bauxite ore.
C)Although aluminum can be recycled,it is not as pure as aluminum obtained directly from ore.
D)Recycling aluminum for reuse reduces the need to obtain it from mined ores and thus decreases impacts associated with mining and processing the ore.
E)Recycling of aluminum requires more energy and transportation than production from raw material.

Question 50

Which of the following describes an "artisanal" mine?

A)is highly mechanized
B)uses crude tools and simpler strategies
C)is larger scale
D)avoids harmful chemicals
E)is extraction-free

Question 51

Why is global demand for all types of minerals rising,and why is it critical to develop alternatives to minerals that are currently used in so many everyday products?

Question 52

"Blood diamonds" refer to which of the following?

A)children forced to work in mines
B)sulfur-containing rocks that acidify water
C)diamonds extracted with the use of mercury
D)diamonds taken from warlord-controlled areas
E)microscopic dust particles emitted by smelters

Question 53

What is the most recycled metal on Earth?

A)gold
B)aluminum
C)copper
D)silver
E)neodymium

Question 54

On a recent trip to the mall,a friend announces her need for the latest cell phone being released that day.This comes as a surprise to you,since her phone is less than a year old and is in working order.As a student of environmental science,describe how you could counsel this friend regarding the impact of acquiring and processing mineral resources.

Question 55

_________________ refer(s)to methods in mining and processing understood to be the most efficient and safest available at the current time.

A)Standard operating procedures
B)Best practices
C)Environmental redesigns
D)Conservation plans
E)Eco-mining

Question 56

Describe how Mark Hersam's work at Northwestern University helps address both resource scarcity and environmental pollution.

Question 57

Which of the following is viewed as a human-rights violation associated with mining?

A)displacement of farmers and entire communities
B)violence to discourage protest among local residents
C)child labor in mines
D)displacement of farmers and entire communities,violence to discourage protest among local residents,and child labor in mines
E)violence to discourage protest among local residents and child labor in mines

Question 58

Which of the following is a characteristic of surface mining?

A)It causes considerable habitat damage over the surface area mined.
B)There is a risk of chronic respiratory disease such as black lung.
C)Acid mine drainage as water is pumped out of underground mines.
D)Topsoil is left mostly intact.
E)All of these answers are correct.

Question 59

Despite the development of safer techniques to process ores containing gold and silver,many areas of Africa,South America,and Asia still use toxic chemicals in their smelting process.Describe why this situation exists in those countries.

Question 60

Which of the following will help make mineral resource usage become more sustainable?

A)recycling valuable metals
B)finding substitutes for scarce mineral resources
C)increasing government subsidies and tax breaks for mining companies
D)recycling valuable metals,finding substitutes for scarce mineral resources,and increasing government subsidies and tax breaks for mining companies
E)both recycling valuable metals and finding substitutes for scarce mineral resources

Question 61

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the following questions.
When high heat and pressure are added to igneous rock,what is formed?

A)sedimentary rock
B)more igneous rock
C)metamorphic rock

Question 62

You tell Sarah about different mining techniques,including the one which is usually used to mine rare earth roes used in making new cell phones.This technique is called __________ mining.

A)strip
B)open-pit
C)placer
D)subsurface

Question 63

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the following questions.
If you were a geologist looking for fossil remains,which type of rock would you focus on?

A)igneous
B)metamorphic
C)sedimentary

Question 64

Sarah asks what you meant when you said mining can have social impacts.You tell her that __________.

A)mining brings some communities closer together
B)miners are paid very well and have safe working conditions
C)there is a connection between mining and violence,especially in developing countries
D)mining companies are sensitive to communities and help protect the residents in mining areas

Question 65

What would be a best practice to reduce environmental impacts of mining you could tell Sarah about?

A)using fiber-optic cable instead of copper wire in a new house
B)using more sensitive equipment to reduce the need for extra drilling or digging
C)recycling aluminum cans
D)donating to a nonprofit to help restore areas destroyed by mining practices

Question 66

If Sarah continues to use her current cell phone instead of buying a new version,how could her decision affect mineral mining and processing?

A)Using her current phone lessens the need for more rare earth elements and reduces the pollution caused by mining and processing.
B)The effects of mineral mining and processing would increase to put out a newer version,since companies want Sarah and other cosumers to purchase a new phone.
C)There would be no effect on mining and processing of minerals,since consumers cannot make a difference.

Question 67

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the following questions.
What process will transform metamorphic rock into sedimentary rock?

A)weathering
B)melting
C)high heat and pressure
D)melting,then cooling and crystallization

Question 68

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the following questions.
High heat and pressure will lead to the formation of which type of rock?

A)igneous
B)metamorphic
C)sedimentary

Question 69

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the following questions.
If sedimentary rock is melted then cooled and crystalized,what is formed?

A)metamorphic rock
B)igneous rock
C)more sedimentary rock

Question 70

What are some problems with the current system in place for recycling e-waste? How could the system be improved?

Question 71

If Sarah does choose to buy the new version of her smart phone,what should she do with the old one?

A)throw it in the trash to go to a landfill
B)take to apart to find the rare earth elements
C)find a recycling program for e-waste
D)burn it

Question 72

Match each term in the left-hand column to the statement that it best exemplifies.