ES Chapter 16

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

Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act

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

Dissolved minerals

Wildlife habitats are protected by

Endangered Specie Act

What process do mining companies use to identify areas where there may be valuable mineral resources?

Mineral exploration

Placer deposits are surface mineral deposits that have been concentrated by what process:

Movement of wind & water

dredge

a floating barge on which buckets fixed onto a conveyor excavate sediments

flux

a material that bonds with impurities and separates them from molten metal during smelting

Surface mining can cause what types of pollution?

air and noise pollution

quarry

an open pit used to mine minerals near the surface

Evaporites most commonly form in

arid regions with high evaporation

dumps

large piles of excess rock from mines

. The process where a shearer moves back and forth across a coal seam and deposits coal on a conveyor

longwall mining

Ore Minerals

minerals that contain valuable substances

. List several characteristics of a mineral

naturally occurring, inorganic, orderly internal structure

. A quarry also could be called

open pit

The land recovery process required of mine operators

reclamation

overburden

rocks that cover coal seams near the surface

List the different methods of subsurface mining

room-and-pillar, longwall, solution

. Networks of entries in subsurface coal mines

rooms

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

water

Describe gangue minerals

: minerals with no commercial value

. List all the acts that regulate mining companies

Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Comprehensive Response Compensation & Liability Act

What effect does acid mine drainage have on aquatic life?

Harm or kill it

. From what agencies must mining companies obtain permits before mining a site?

State & Federal agencies

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

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

How can surface mining completely transform ecosystems, even after reclamation?

The soil is stripped away, along with plant life. When soil is replaced, a new ecosystem may take over.

sulfuric acid

a water contaminant that can cause acid mine drainage

Describe properties that may be used to distinguish metallic from nonmetallic minerals

ability to conduct electricity, ability to pass light

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

agencies

the products of quarrying ( like sand, gravel and crushed rocks)

aggregates

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

atoms

. List the ways that ore minerals may form

coding of magma, hydrothermal solutions, evaporation of salt water

Two or more atoms chemically bonded together form a

compound

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

contaminants

A floating barge on which buckets fixed onto a conveyor excavate sediments is called

dredge

. Large piles of excess rock from mines

dumps

Metallic minerals conduct

electricity

the first step in finding an ore deposit

exploring rock for mineralization

. A material that bonds with impurities and separates them from molten metal during smelting is called

flux

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

gemstones

Dredging streambeds may be an effective technique for mining what substance?

gold

The minerals that conduct electricity well are called

metallic minerals

. Collapse of _________________ can lead to subsidence

mine pillars

rooms

networks of entries in subsurface coal mines

The first step in finding an _____ _______is exploring rock for mineralization

ore deposit

Rocks that cover coal seams near the surface

overburden

. An open pit used to mine minerals near the surface

quarry

The first step in surface coal mining is

remove & set aside the soil covering area being mined

. Reclamation is the process of

returning land after mining to original or better condition

. Give examples of materials that would likely be mined using solution mining

salt, sulfur, potash

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

slag

a layer of impurities that form on the top layer of molten metal.

slag

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

smelting

. Bends in rivers often have

stream placers

The sinking of regions of the ground with little or no horizontal movement

subsidence

smelting

the process where crushed ore is melted at high temperatures to separate impurities from molten metal

subsidence

the sinking of regions of the ground with little or no horizontal movement

compound

two or more atoms chemically bonded together

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

underground fires

muddy sediments

usually contaminates a river during dredging

Ore deposits formed in cracks in rocks are called

veins