Chapter 12: Geology & Resources

A major environmental implication of the quest for more gold at lower concentrations in the ore compared to higher concentrations is that
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A major environmental implication of the quest for more gold at lower concentrations in the ore compared to higher concentrations is that
more material has to be moved to get to the gold
Which environmental impact would not be a result of placer mining?
contamination of underground aquifers
Pressurized fluid injected into a well is used in a mining process called
fracking
Which of the following is NOT a result of mountaintop removal mining?
It has increased the amount of cleared land available for development after the mine closes.
The "ring of fire" is the source of more earthquakes and volcanic activity than any other place on earth. What causes the ring of fire?
The subduction of Pacific plates under continental plates
Which resource has the highest recycling rate?
Aluminum
Evaporites, formed from ___________, are important economically because they are often found at or above 97% purity and are __________.
evaporation of mineral solutions such as salt water; therefore concentrated in economically recoverable levels
Which of the following factors were not in your explanation?
As supplies decrease and prices rise it is less rewarding to explore for new sources of the gold.
The physical breakdown of a rock into smaller pieces is called
mechanical weathering
Problems associated with gemstones and precious metals such as gold and diamonds would not be attributed to which of the following?
Their distribution to developed nations is often banned.
The need for extraction of raw metals for making steel has been reduced due to theincrease in minimills.Building and farming on a flood plain decreases the land's ability to absorb flood waters.TrueRocks are _______ in the process called the rock cycle.broken down and converted to new types of rock________ in the mantle and core make tectonic plates move.convection currentsA giant sea swell known as a tsunami is caused byearthquakesRock formed from magma extruded to the surface through volcanic vents is classified asIgneousMetamorphic rocks are produced when rocks areFormed by heat and pressureCoal would be obtained throughmountain top removalHalf the coal used in the United States comes from this extraction process:strip miningHeap-leach extraction involves piling crushed ore into large piles and spraying it with ________________.an alkaline-cyanide solutionThe continental crust of the earth is _____________ while the oceanic crust is _____________.thicker and lighter than the oceanic crust; similar in composition to the mantleThe United States keeps large stockpiles of bauxite to ensure a supply of aluminum. This is an example ofa strategic metal__________ rocks are often the source of metal ores such as gold, silver, and copper.MetamorphicWhich is not a major category of economic minerals?none of theseWhich of the following would you not use to classify a rock you found on a recent hike?colorWhy is recycling metals an economic benefit as well as a tool for conservation of resources?It takes much less energy to produce metal products from scrap than to mine new metal ore.Which of the following statements regarding tectonic plate movement is true?When oceanic plates collide with continental plates, the continent usually rides up over the seafloor.The eruption of a volcano can cause global climate changes by causing stratospheric ozone reduction, allowing increased ultraviolet light to reach the Earth's surface.FalseWhat gas is released in the process of smelting?sulfur dioxideIf metals are deposited in streambeds _____ would probably be used.placer miningNuees ardentes are sonic waves associated with earthquakesFalseStarting at the Earth's surface and going towards the center of the Earth, what is the correct order of Earth's layers that make up the Mantle?crust, uppermost mantle, asthenosphereSmelting releases metals from ore.TrueOne of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in North America occurred around New Madrid Missouri in 1812.TrueWhat is thought to be the cause of earthquakes in Oklahoma?deep injection of wastewaterWhy would the environmental degradation associated with mining be a low priority for a less-developed country?The country relies on the export of a mineral for the majority of their foreign exchange.The most abundant element in the Earth's crust is _________.Oxygen