Mining Impacts and Regulations

Mining

What is Mined?

What is mined?

• Ores

• Nonmetallic minerals

• Fossil fuels

• Groundwater

Open Ended

List one natural resource that can be mined

Ores: Groups of minerals that are mined so metal or metals can be removed

Multiple Choice

Ores are ________

• One mineral that is mined from the ground

• Groups of minerals that are mined so metal or metals can be removed

Nonmetallic minerals: Minerals, including gemstones, that as a whole have valuable properties

Multiple Choice

Nonmetallic minerals include____

• Iron

• Silver

• Gemstones

Fuels: substances that can be used to generate energy

Ex. Petroleum, Coal and natural gas

Open Ended

List one example of a fossil fuel.

Groundwater

Open Ended

is it possible for mining to be harmful to the environment?

Why?

Steps of the Process of Mining and Mineral Use

Multiple Choice

How many of the steps of the mining process produce waste?

• 2

• 3

• 4

 Strip mining

Occurs in shallow horizontal deposits near the surface. During strip mining layers of surface soil and rock are removed to expose the resource.

Subsurface mining

is the extraction of minerals and ores from underground.

Subsurface mining is the removal of deposits from the earth by drilling underneath layers of rock and dirt.

Multiple Choice

The extraction of minerals and ores from underground is called ______

• Strip mining

• Subsurface mining

Open pit mining

Extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. 

Mountaintop removal

a form of extracting coal in which companies use heavy explosives to blast off hundreds of feet from an ancient mountain ridge to access thin seams of coal below.

Multiple Choice

Extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow is called______

• Open pit mining

• Mountain top removal

Undersea mining

is the process of retrieving mineral deposits from the deep sea

Mining Impacts on environment and humans 

Open Ended

List some mining impacts on human health

Open Ended

List some mining impacts on the environment

Open Ended

Think of some consequences of mining on the environment and on society and list it here

Solutions