Ecology Chapter 16- Mining and Mineral Resources

1. air and noise pollution 2. water contamination 3. wildlife displacement 4. erosion and sedimentation 5. soil degradation 6. subsidence 7. underground fires

List the seven environmental impacts of mining that we discussed in class.

rooms

Networks of entries in subsurface coal mines are called ___

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

Reclamation is the process of

overburden

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

gemstones

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

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977

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

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

The first step in surface coal mining is _____

ore minerals

____ are minerals that contain valuable substances.

nonmetals

____ tend to be good electrical insulators, may have shiny or dull surfaces, and may allow light to pass through them.

gangue minerals

______ minerals have no commercial value.

metals

_______ conduct electricity, have shiny surfaces, and are opaque.

dredge

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

flux

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

an open pit

A quarry also could be called

harms or kills aquatic life.

Acid mine drainage ____

naturally occuring, inorganic soilds, orderly internal structure, chemical composition, set of physical properties

Characteristics of minerals:

pillars in abandoned mines

Collapse of ____ can lead to subsidence.

gold

Dredging streambeds may be an effective technique for mining ____.

arid regions where rates of evaporation are high

Evaporites most commonly form n

veins

Ore deposits formed in cracks in rocks are called ____

slag

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

metallic minerals

The minerals that conduct electricity well are called ___

smelting

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

subsidence

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

1. remove and set aside the soil that covers the area 2. remove the rock (overburden) that covers the coal 3. pile the overburden alongside the cut 4. remove the exposed coal seam (using loaders) 5. refill the pit with the overburden 6. lay the soil on top of the overburden

The steps of coal surface mining:

mineral exploration

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

compound

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

cooling of magma, circulation of hydrothermal solutions through rocks, evaporation of water that contains salts

Ways that ore minerals form:

Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Endangered Species Act

What are a few regulations that mining companies must follow?

muddy sediments

What can contaminate a river during dredging?

electrical conductivity

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

native elements

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

movement of wind and water

Placer deposits are surface mineral deposits that have been concentrated by ____.

contaminants

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

Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act

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

dissolved minerals

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

Endangered Species Act

Wildlife habitats are protected by the ______