A1E Mining - improved exploitation methods

Improvements in exploratory techniques include

(multiple correct answers)

• Newer satellites with higher pixels

• Multispectral sensors - greater range of wavelengths of visible and infrared light

• Using underpaid bears to sniff out the mineral

• Portable field equipment (smaller/lighter)

  e.g. Infrared spectroscopy

  X-ray fluorescence

  Radiation detection

 Improvements in exploratory methods includes mechanisation, examples of this are:

(2 correct answers)

• Using robots to get mineral from the sun

• Closed-cast mining (small machines can get into smaller spaces)

• Open-cast mining (large machines are used to extract overburden  quickly and cost-effectively)

• Deep mining - use machines to go where humans can not (too deep/hot)

 Improvements in exploratory methods includes exploitation of low grade ore deposits. The 6 methods you need to know are:

• 1) Bioframing

  2) Phytoleaching

  3) Iron manufacture

  4) leachate collection

  5) bacteria adsorption of rare earth metals

  6) polymer adsorption

• 1) Biomaking

  2) Phytomining

  3) Iron displacement

  4) leachate formation

  5) bacterial digestion of rare earth metals

  6) polymer leaching

• 1) Bioleaching

  2) Phytomining

  3) Iron displacement

  4) leachate collection

  5) bacteria adsorption of rare earth metals

  6) polymer adsorption

• 1) Bioforming

  2) Phytomining

  3) Ironing

  4) leek growing

  5) digging up of rare earth metals

  6) polly forming

What is leachate?

• Solids that have percolated through another solid and dissolved some of the nutrients.

• water that has percolated through a solid and dissolved some of the minerals, carrying them in the liquid.

• a type of animal

• a type of mineral

Bioleaching is when...

• Living organisms are used to add mineral to ore

• Using living organisms (Bio) to extract metals from ores in solution (leachate).

  e.g. bacteria can break down ore to produce an acidic solution containing copper(II) ions.

• Using non-living organisms to extract metals from ore. This produces a leachate solution that can be purified.

• When Biological organisms are used to remove blood from a human

Bioleaching is when living organisms (e.g. bacteria) are used to extract metals from ores in solution (leachate). e.g. bacteria can break down ore to produce an acidic solution containing copper(II) ions. What happens next?

• The Copper can then be removed from the solution through electrolysis.

• The Copper is left in the leachate

• The Copper evaporates from the leachate

• The leachate is added to the Copper

Phytomining is

• using animals to extract metals from rock

• using plants to add metals to soil or water

• using plants to extract metals from the soil or water and concentrate them in their leaves

• Using light to form minerals

Phytomining is a good alternative to

• traditional open cast mining.

• traditional closed window mining.

• farming

• wind farms

what are the missing words to describe phytomining:

Absorbed by the roots of the plant. Copper ions become part of the plant. The plants are ____ and the Copper ions join with ____ ions from the air during burning. ___ containing copper is reacted with sulphuric acid and then filtered.

_________ of the copper sulphate solution to produce pure copper.

• cooled

  Carbon

  Ash

  Filtering

• Frozen

  oxide

  Debris

  Percolation

• burnt

  oxide

  Ash

  Electrolysis

• burnt

  Carbon

  Stuff

  Electrolysis

Exploitation of low grade ore deposits includes Iron displacement. This is when

• Iron is a less reactive metal than copper and will not displace copper ions from solution.

• Iron is an equally reactive metal to copper and will displace copper ions from solution.

• Iron is moved from one location to another by magic

• Iron is a more reactive metal than copper and will displace copper ions from solution.