Environmental Science: Chapter 16 Test
A quarry also could be called
an open pit
Evaporates most commonly form in
arid regions where rates of evaporation are high
The minerals that conduct electricity well are called
metals
What can contaminate a river during dredging?
muddy sediments
Which of the following is not a method of subsurface mining?
open-pit mining
Which of the following is a water contaminant that can cause acid mine drainage?
sulfuric acid
Which of the following are minerals that contain valuable substances?
ore minerals
Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mineral?
atoms in random geometric patterns
Surface mining can cause
both air and noise pollution
Two or more atoms chemically bonded together form a(n)
compound
Acid mine drainage
harms or kills aquatic life
Gangue minerals
have no commercial value
Collapse of _____ can lead to subsidence.
pillars in abandoned mines
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
Reclamation is the process of
returning land to its original or better condition after mining
Which of the following would most likely be mined using solution mining?
salt
The layer of impurities on top of molten metal that forms during smelting is called
slag
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
The first step in surface coal mining is
to remove and set aside the soil that covers the area to be mined
Acid mine drainage is contaminated _____ that results when acid dissolves toxic minerals that exist in mine waste.
water
What is one property that may be used to distinguish metallic from nonmetallic minerals?
electrical conductivity
Metallic minerals conduct ____________________
electricity
A serious hazard of coal mining that can ignite and possibly burn for years is/are ______________________________
fires
Which of the following is not one of the ways that ore minerals may form?
flooding of empty streambeds and rivers
Nonmetallic minerals prized mainly for their beauty, rarity, or durability are called
gemstones
Through _____, mining companies can identify areas where there may be valuable mineral resources.
mineral exploration
Placer deposits are surface mineral deposits that have been concentrated by
movement of wind and water
From whom must mining companies obtain permits before mining a site?
state and federal agencies
