MiningHow we get our minerals and rocks

What things can form minerals?

• Surface water carrying dissolved minerals

• When salt water evaporates

• Presence of groundwater• Magma can carry crystals

ORE: A natural material whose concentration of economically valuable minerals is high enough for

the mineral to be mined profitably

• A material that is not man-made,• It is pure and worth lots of money• and companies can sell it to make a profit

What affects how much ore is worth?

• Cost of extracting vs the value of the ore

• Usually have to be processed

Gold ore

How can we mine for ore?

• Surface mining (pits, surface coal mines, quarries)• Subsurface mining

a. Open Pits

• To remove large, near-surface deposits of things like gold and copper

• Explosives• Transport away

b. Surface Coal Mines

• Aka “strip mining”

c. Quarries

• Open pits that are used to mine building stone, crushed rock, sand, gravel

2 mining methods:

• Surface mining• Subsurface mining

Subsurface Mining

• When mineral deposits are too deep

• Dig passageways into the Earth

What is responsible mining?

• Mining can destroy or disturb habitats of plants and animals

• Waste products can pollute water

Ways to fix:

• Reclamation: the process by which land used for mining is returned to its original state or better– Required by law

Ways to fix:

• Another way to be responsible: reduce mineral product use, recycle, etc

Your Job:

• Read 78-79• Fill in the notes as you read• Homework: – Page 79– #s: 1-4, 8