Question 1

What rock is most likely to be formed from compacted plant remains?​

Accepted Answer

Coal is formed from compacted and decomposed plant remains over time.

Question 2

Acid mine drainage involves ____.​

Accepted Answer

Acid mine drainage occurs when rainwater carrying sulfuric acid and other chemicals flows out of a mine and into nearby streams and groundwater. This acidic water can harm aquatic life and cause environmental damage. It is often associated with coal mining, but can occur with other minerals as well.

Question 3

The ____ cycle is the slowest of Earth's processes.​

Accepted Answer

The rock cycle is the slowest of Earth's processes as the transformation of one type of rock to another can take millions of years. The hydrologic cycle involves the continuous movement of water and the formation of different forms of precipitation, which occurs much more quickly than changes in rock. Convection refers to the movement of heat energy within Earth's mantle and is not a cycle of transformation. Mineral formation and metamorphic processes can be slow, but they are specific processes within the larger rock cycle.

Question 4

Sand is composed mostly of ____ and is used to make glass,bricks,and concrete for the construction of roads and buildings.​

Accepted Answer

Sand is mostly composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2), which is also known as silica. Silica is used to make glass, bricks, and concrete because of its hardness, strength, and resistance to weathering.

Question 5

What determines which part of a known ore supply is extracted and used?​

Accepted Answer

The economics of mining, including the cost of extraction and processing compared to the market value of the extracted metal, is the primary determining factor in which part of an ore supply is extracted and used. Geographic location, accessibility, and the specific characteristics of the geology may also play a role in determining which areas are targeted for extraction, but ultimately it is the economics that determine whether it is profitable to mine a particular area. Tax laws, subsidies, and environmental regulations may impact the costs associated with mining, but they do not directly determine which part of an ore supply is targeted for extraction.

Question 6

Experts are particularly concerned about the U.S.depletion and lack of national reserves of manganese,cobalt,chromium,and platinum because they are nonrenewable ____ resources.​

Accepted Answer

The term "strategic metal" is commonly used to describe nonrenewable resources that are important for national security and economic development. Manganese, cobalt, chromium, and platinum are all considered strategic metals due to their use in various industries such as aerospace, defense, and electronics. The lack of national reserves of these metals could potentially lead to supply chain disruptions and dependence on foreign sources.

Question 7

A(n)____ contains a large enough concentration of a particular mineral to make it profitable for mining and processing.​

Accepted Answer

An ore is defined as a mineral or rock that contains a sufficient amount of a valuable substance, such as a metal, to make it economically worth mining and processing. This distinguishes ores from minerals that are valuable only for their beauty or rarity, such as gemstones.

Question 8

What is the primary advantage of biomining?​

Accepted Answer

The primary advantage of biomining is the reduced environmental impact compared to traditional mining methods. This is because biomining uses naturally occurring microbes to extract minerals from ores, which reduces the need for harsh chemicals and energy-intensive processes. Additionally, biomining has the potential to extract minerals from lower-grade ores that would not be economically feasible to extract using traditional methods, which could result in less damage to the environment overall.

Question 9

According to the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),the resulting spoils from ____ have buried lengths of stream that are roughly equal to the distance between the two U.S.cities of New York and Chicago?​

Accepted Answer

Mountaintop removal mining involves using heavy machinery to remove the tops of mountains to access coal seams below. The resulting spoils (rock and soil) are often dumped in nearby valleys, burying streams and other important ecosystems. According to the EPA, the spoils from mountaintop removal have buried over 2,000 miles of streams, which is roughly the distance between New York City and Chicago.

Question 10

Lignite and bituminous coal are ____ rocks.​

Accepted Answer

Lignite and bituminous coal are both examples of sedimentary rocks, as they are formed from the accumulation and compression of plant and organic material over time.

Question 11

Slate and marble are ____ rocks.​

Accepted Answer

Slate and marble are types of metamorphic rocks. Metamorphic rocks are formed by the transformation of pre-existing rocks through intense heat, pressure, and/or chemical reactions. Slate is formed from shale or clay sedimentary rocks, while marble is formed from limestone sedimentary rocks.

Question 12

The U.S.dependence on foreign sources of ____ could be lessened by a new process that extracts the valuable material from the brine waste of geothermal plants.​

Accepted Answer

The article states that the new process extracts valuable material from the brine waste of geothermal plants. Lithium is a valuable material used in batteries for electronic devices and electric vehicles. Therefore, the process is likely extracting lithium from the brine waste.

Question 13

What industry produces more toxic emissions than any other in the U.S.?​

Accepted Answer

The answer of What industry produces more toxic emissions than...

Question 14

The 17 ____ include scandium,yttrium,and 15 lanthanide chemical elements,including lanthanum.​

Accepted Answer

The 17 chemical elements mentioned are rare earth metals, which are a group of elements that are crucial in the manufacturing of high-tech products such as smartphones, wind turbines, and electric car batteries. They are not semi-precious minerals, metallic ores, non-metallic ores, or strategically important minerals, although they do have strategic importance due to their industrial uses.

Question 15

Rare earth elements are not actually ____,but they are difficult to find in high enough concentrations and process at an economically viable price.​

Accepted Answer

Rare earth elements are actually not rare in the Earth's crust, but they are difficult to find in high enough concentrations and process at an economically viable price.

Question 16

The greatest environmental impact would be caused by mining for ____ ore.​

Accepted Answer

Low-grade ore requires a higher amount of resources, energy, and water to extract the desired mineral, leading to significant environmental impacts. This includes land degradation, water and air pollution, and ecosystem destruction. High-grade ores typically require less processing and energy, while biomining and hydrothermal mining are less damaging alternatives to traditional mining methods. The impact of moderate-grade ore would fall somewhere in between.

Question 17

The recycling process of what metal produces 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution,and uses 95% less energy than mining and processing its ore?​

Accepted Answer

Aluminum recycling produces 95% less air pollution, 97% less water pollution, and uses 95% less energy compared to mining and processing its ore. Recycling aluminum also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 95%.

Question 18

What types of mining operations produce three-fourths of all U.S.solid waste?​

Accepted Answer

The answer of What types of mining operations produce three-fourths...

Question 19

Most of the chemical elements and compounds found in ____ occur in such low concentrations that recovering these mineral resources takes more energy and money than they are worth.​

Accepted Answer

Seawater contains a vast array of chemical elements and compounds, but they are present in such low concentrations that extracting them is not economically viable.

Question 20

What is a mining technique in which shallow mineral deposits are removed by surface mining and involves the removal of vegetation,soil,and rock overlying a mineral deposit?​

Accepted Answer

Surface mining involves the removal of vegetation, soil, and rock overlying a mineral deposit.

Quiz 12: Geology and Nonrenewable Minerals

What rock is most likely to be formed from compacted plant remains?

Acid mine drainage involves ____.

The ____ cycle is the slowest of Earth's processes.

Sand is composed mostly of ____ and is used to make glass,bricks,and concrete for the construction of roads and buildings.

What determines which part of a known ore supply is extracted and used?

Experts are particularly concerned about the U.S.depletion and lack of national reserves of manganese,cobalt,chromium,and platinum because they are nonrenewable ____ resources.

A(n) ____ contains a large enough concentration of a particular mineral to make it profitable for mining and processing.

What is the primary advantage of biomining?

According to the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,the resulting spoils from ____ have buried lengths of stream that are roughly equal to the distance between the two U.S.cities of New York and Chicago?

Lignite and bituminous coal are ____ rocks.

Slate and marble are ____ rocks.

The U.S.dependence on foreign sources of ____ could be lessened by a new process that extracts the valuable material from the brine waste of geothermal plants.

What industry produces more toxic emissions than any other in the U.S.?

The 17 ____ include scandium,yttrium,and 15 lanthanide chemical elements,including lanthanum.

Rare earth elements are not actually ____,but they are difficult to find in high enough concentrations and process at an economically viable price.

The greatest environmental impact would be caused by mining for ____ ore.

The recycling process of what metal produces 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution,and uses 95% less energy than mining and processing its ore?

What types of mining operations produce three-fourths of all U.S.solid waste?

Most of the chemical elements and compounds found in ____ occur in such low concentrations that recovering these mineral resources takes more energy and money than they are worth.

What is a mining technique in which shallow mineral deposits are removed by surface mining and involves the removal of vegetation,soil,and rock overlying a mineral deposit?