chapter 16 environmental science

Reclamation is the process of

c. returning land to its original or better condition after mining.

Which of the following is not a regulation mining companies must follow?

c. the Hazardous Products Act

Two or more atoms chemically bonded together form a(n) _.

compound

A floating barge on which buckets fixed onto a conveyor excavate sediments is called a(n) _.

dredge

Large piles of excess rock from mines are called _.

dumps

Metallic minerals conduct _.

electricity

A material that bonds with impurities and separates them from molten metal during smelting is called a(n) _.

flux

Gold, silver, and copper that occur in elemental form are called _.

native elements

The process where crushed ore is melted at high temperatures to separate impurities from molten metal is called _.

smelting

Solution mining is an economical mining method if mineral ores are _ in water.

soluble

Bends in rivers often have _.

stream placers

The sinking of regions of the ground with little or no horizontal movement is called _.

subsidence

A serious hazard of coal mining that can ignite and possibly burn for years is/are _.

underground mine fires

Ore deposits formed in cracks in rocks are called _.

veins

Acid mine drainage is contaminated _ that results when acid dissolves toxic minerals that exist in mine waste.

water

Acid mine drainage

a. harms or kills aquatic life.

What must hot subsurface waters contain in order to be considered hydrothermal solutions?

a. dissolved minerals

What can contaminate a river during dredging?

a. muddy sediments

Which of the following is not a method of subsurface mining?

a. open-pit mining

Which of the following are minerals that contain valuable substances?

a. ore minerals

The layer of impurities on top of molten metal that forms during smelting is called

a. slag.

State _ issue violations to mining companies that do not comply with regulations.

agencies

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mineral?

d. flooding of empty streambeds and rivers

Which of the following would not likely be mined using solution mining?

d. gypsum

From whom must mining companies obtain permits before mining a site?

d. state and federal agencies

The first step in surface coal mining is

d. to remove and set aside the soil that covers the area to be mined.

Minerals are made up of _ that are arranged in a regular, repeating geometric pattern.

atoms

Gangue minerals

b. have no commercial value.

Placer deposits are surface mineral deposits that have been concentrated by

b. movement of wind and water.

Collapse of _____ can lead to subsidence.

b. pillars in abandoned mines

In a(n) _, a mining company is required to post funds before beginning a mining project.

bond forfeiture program

The _____ regulates the release of hazardous substances into the air, soil, and water by mining.

c. Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act

The _____ sets standards to minimize the surface effects of coal mining on the environment.

c. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977

Surface mining can cause

c. both air and noise pollution.

What is one property that may be used to distinguish metallic from nonmetallic minerals?

c. electrical conductivity

Through _____, mining companies can identify areas where there may be valuable mineral resources.

c. mineral exploration

The Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act ensure that _ from mines do not threaten water quality.

contaminants

Evaporites most commonly form in

d. arid regions where rates of evaporation are high.

Nonmetallic minerals prized mainly for their beauty, rarity, or durability are called _.

gemstones

Wildlife _ are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

habitats

The minerals that conduct electricity well are called _.

metallic minerals

The first step in finding a(n) _ is exploring rock for mineralization.

ore deposit

Rocks that cover coal seams near the surface are called _.

overburden

An open pit used to mine minerals near the surface is called a(n) _.

quarry

The land recovery process required of mine operators is called _.

reclamation

Networks of entries in subsurface coal mines are called _.

rooms

A quarry also could be called

d. sulfuric acid