Term
| What are mineral resources? |
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Definition
*soil to metals like tin, copper, lead, etc. to various precious metals or gems like gold or diamonds
*they are non-renewable |
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Term
| Wide vs. Restricted Range |
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Definition
*Wide Ranging= can be found in several locations globally
ex:copper, iron ore
*Restricted= very restricted in geographical extent
ex. chronium, tungston |
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Term
| Four Processes that form mineral deposits |
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Definition
1. igneous processes
2. metamorphic processes
3.Sedimentary Processes
4.chemical weathering |
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Term
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Definition
*as the magma cools & the minerals crystallize they may settle to form thick layers or deposits
*when the mineral layers form near the base of a cooling igneous body. EX:chromium, nickel |
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Term
| Hydrothermal ore deposits |
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Definition
*hot water-rich solutions or hydrothermal fluids, rich in
soluble minerals, may intrude into the surrounding rock
forming veins
ex:gold, silver, copper |
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Term
| porphyritic igneous intrusions |
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Definition
other situations these deposits may form within the pluton
*account for over 50% of the world’s copper production. |
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Term
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Definition
Diamond crystals, formed deep in the mantle, may be brought to or near the surface through this as part of exotic
ultramafic volcanic rocks. |
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Term
| 3 types of Metamorphic Processes |
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Definition
1. Regional Metamorphism
2.Contact
3. Seafloor |
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Term
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Definition
-occurs at convergent plate margins during mountain building due to pressure and can form deposits of asbestos, talc, graphite, corundum
-Gold, Copper & tungsten deposits may also form from hydrothermal fluids in these areas |
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Term
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Definition
*between the igneous intrusion and the surrounding zone
*the heat & flow of chemically active fluids (hydrothermal fluids) from the cooling magma may alter the adjacent rock by adding or removing elements
EX: calcium in limestone formations may be replaced by iron deposits |
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Term
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Definition
*caused by hot hydrothermal fluids moving through the ocean crust
*metals and minerals are leached from the crust & transported to hotspring vents on the ocean floor |
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Term
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Definition
| segregation & concentration of mineral grains according to size and density is an important result of erosion, transport and deposition of sediments |
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Term
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Definition
*sand & gravel deposited in rivers, beaches, deltas, etc. are
important in the construction & glass-making industries |
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Term
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Definition
bits & pieces of gold, diamonds, tin oxides and others are
eroded from mountains and transported by rivers &
deposited in point bars, beaches, midstream bars and
elsewhere |
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Term
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Definition
*minerals originally dissolved in water can produce large deposits once the water evaporates
EX:banded iron formations of Precambrian age (about 2 bya) formed from chemical precipitates in seawater. |
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Term
| what is chemical weathering a important component of? |
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Definition
| erosion of materials, and breakdown into sediments |
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Term
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Definition
*soluble materials are moved by water which leaves insoluble materials as a residue which may form concentrated deposits
*in tropical areas, granite is often weathered in this way leaving deposits of aluminum as bauxite |
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Term
| Four Categories of Energy Resources |
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Definition
1. Coal
2. Petroleum & Natural Gas
3. Nuclear
4. Geothermal |
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Term
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Definition
| forms from the deposition of organic matter in ancient swamps especially in low-lying flood plains and delta areas, thus they are hydrocarbons |
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Term
| How long has coal been possible and what are the two important coal forming episodes? |
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Definition
1.only been possible in the last 450 million years
2.important coal forming episodes were during the Pennsylvanian & Permian Periods. |
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Term
| Steps of Coal Formation & the 3 types of coal |
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Definition
1. first forms as peat (which has a carbon content of about 50%), which becomes covered with sand, mud, & other sediment
2.with increased pressure & Tº, water and organic gases are
cooked and squeezed out. This increases the carbon content
of the material
3.this forms different types or stages of coal: Ignite (72% carbon content), Bituminous(85%” “), Anthracite (93% “ “) |
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Term
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Definition
| hydrocarbons, but unlike coal, originate from he deposition of microscopic algae that lived in oceans & large lake and didn't decompose |
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Term
| 4 conditions to make P& NG |
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Definition
1) source beds (layer of rock) must have sufficient organic matter in fine-grained sediments & it must be an oxygen poor environment
2) beds must be deep (>500m or 1640 feet) for heat &
pressure to cause the transformations that form
hydrocarbons
3) oil material must then migrate from its source beds into
more porous & permeable rock layers (sandstone,
limestone, etc.) or reservoir rocks
4)there must be an impermeable layer, or hydrocarbon trap, above the collecting oil and natural gas to keep it from reaching the surface |
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Term
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Definition
hydrocarbons in solid form, not liquid, formed similarly to petroleum
*still quite expensive to change from solid to liquid. |
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Term
| Key element of Nuclear Energy & how it collects and what is it associated with? |
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Definition
1)Uranium
2)is concentrated in rhyolithic magma. When an eruption spreads this to the surface the uranium is weathered and leached out of the rock. This then collects & concentrates in permeable sed. rock
3) associated with ancient stream beds, as in the Colorado Plateau, as uranium oxides |
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Term
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Definition
*may also be associated w/ magma near surface such as at subduction zones, mantle plains and continental rifts
*must have permeable rock so water can collect near the heat source, but with rock of low permeability on top to keep most of the water and steam trapped |
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Term
| Underground Temperature Gradient |
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Definition
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Term
| Why are plate boundaries are important areas for mineral concentration? |
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Definition
| due to the dynamic processes of magma infusion, faulting & folding which occur here |
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Term
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Definition
*usually of mafic magma and prime areas of magmatic segregation often yeilding rich ore deposits of platinum and copper
*evaporites may also build-up in these areas producing deposits of salt, potash & gypsum such as in eastern Africa and western U.S
*rifted continental margins are often shallow and lead to deposits of oil, gas, and coal |
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Term
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Definition
*many ores are found near areas of diorite and granite ntrusions common at convergent plate margins
EX: copper, lead, zinc, silver, gold, tin and others
*volcanoes are also areas of these deposits. Numerous copper deposits are within the volcanic regions along the North & South American west coasts |
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Term
| Petroleum traps in folded beds |
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Definition
| commonly formed at convergent plate margins |
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Term
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Definition
*basins b/w offsets of strike-slip faults are good for trapping pockets of oil & natural gas
EX: San Andreas fault system in southern California
*metallic ore deposits are rare due to a lack of igneous rock |
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Term
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Definition
*stable platforms of sedimentary rock may yield areas of
lead,zinc, fluorine, gold and sometimes coal, oil &
natural gas (if organic material is present)
EX: deposits in Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee,
central Europe
*hotspots and mantle plumes under these areas may also form metallic ore deposits |
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