mining

Placer deposits are surface mineral deposits that have been concentrated by a. surface mining. c. movement of wind and water. b. subsurface mining. d. evaporation and condensation.

c

The _____ sets standards to minimize the surface effects of coal mining on the environment. a. Clean Water Act b. Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act c. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 d. Safe Drinking Water Act

C

1. Evaporites most commonly form in a. arid regions where rates of evaporation are high. b. rain forests where rates of evaporation are low. c. cold regions that receive significant snowfall. d. an area with frequent volcanic activity.

A

A quarry also could be called a. an open pit. c. a longwall. b. the overburden. d. a pillar

A

Acid mine drainage a. harms or kills aquatic life. c. causes acid rain. b. purifies streams. d. is unregulated in the United States.

A

From whom must mining companies obtain permits before mining a site? a. state and federal agencies c. local government only b. federal agencies only d. a bonding company

A

The first step in surface coal mining is a. to remove and set aside the soil that covers the area to be mined. b. to use heavy equipment to take core samples. c. to test to see if quarrying would be more effective. d. to make cuts in the coal for easier removal.

A

Through _____, mining companies can identify areas where there may be valuable mineral resources. a. mineral exploration c. mineral excavation b. smelting d. dredging

A

Which of the following are minerals that contain valuable substances? a. native minerals c. gangue minerals b. ore minerals d. longwalls

B

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mineral? a. naturally occurring c. usually an inorganic solid b. atoms in random geometric patterns d. orderly internal structure

B

Dredging streambeds may be an effective technique for mining a. salt. c. gold. b. coal. d. sulfur.

C

Reclamation is the process of a. removing coal from a subsurface seam. b. extracting ore minerals from gangue minerals. c. returning land to its original or better condition after mining. d. protecting the habitats of local wildlife.

C

Surface mining can cause a. only air pollution. c. both air and noise pollution. b. only noise pollution. d. neither air nor noise pollution.

C

What can contaminate a river during dredging? a. potash c. placer deposits b. sea water d. muddy sediments

D

What is one property that may be used to distinguish metallic from nonmetallic minerals? a. cost to extract c. carbon content b. value d. electrical conductivity

D

Which of the following is a water contaminant that can cause acid mine drainage? a. flux c. methane b. carbon dioxide d. sulfuric acid

D

Which of the following is not a method of subsurface mining? a. room-and-pillar mining c. solution mining b. longwall mining d. open-pit mining

D

Which of the following is not a regulation mining companies must follow? a. the Clean Water Act c. the Safe Drinking Water Act b. the Hazardous Products Act d. the Endangered Species Act

B

The layer of impurities on top of molten metal that forms during smelting is called a. smelt. c. slag. b. dredge. d. flux.

C

Which of the following would not likely be mined using solution mining? a. gypsum c. salt b. potash d. sulfur

A

Collapse of _____ can lead to subsidence. a. solar evaporation ponds c. open-pit mines b. pillars in abandoned mines d. placer deposits

B

Gangue minerals a. are valued for their rarity and durability. b. have no commercial value. c. are the most difficult to mine. d. are native elements

B

The _____ regulates the release of hazardous substances into the air, soil, and water by mining. a. Clean Water Act b. Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act c. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 d. Safe Drinking Water Act

B

What must hot subsurface waters contain in order to be considered hydrothermal solutions? a. crystallized minerals c. gangue minerals b. dissolved minerals d. inorganic solids

B

Which of the following is not one of the ways that ore minerals may form? a. cooling of magma b. circulation of hydrothermal solutions through rocks c. flooding of empty streambeds and rivers d. evaporation of water that contains salts

c