Question 1

If a mineral is opaque, lustrous, malleable and can conduct heat and electricity, it is a(n) .

Accepted Answer

A)  crystal 
B)  element 
C)  gemstone 
D)  metal 
E)  radioactive element 
A)  crystal 
B)  element 
C)  gemstone 
D)  metal 
E)  radioactive element D

Question 2

Smelting of iron ore involves .

Accepted Answer

A)  dissolving the ore in hot water to separate iron and aluminum 
B)  crushing and heating the ore to its melting point 
C)  oxidizing iron to ferric oxide and then adding silicon and boron 
D)  washing the ore with acid to extract iron 
E)  heating the ore beyond iron's melting point and combining the material with carbon 
A)  dissolving the ore in hot water to separate iron and aluminum 
B)  crushing and heating the ore to its melting point 
C)  oxidizing iron to ferric oxide and then adding silicon and boron 
D)  washing the ore with acid to extract iron 
E)  heating the ore beyond iron's melting point and combining the material with carbon E

Question 3

Coltan ore contains .

Accepted Answer

A)  cobalt 
B)  coal 
C)  uranium 
D)  tantalum 
E)  aluminum 
A)  cobalt 
B)  coal 
C)  uranium 
D)  tantalum 
E)  aluminum D

Question 4

Examples of valuable nonmetallic minerals extracted by mining are .

Accepted Answer

A)  lead, cadmium, mercury 
B)  nitrogen, hydrogen, neon 
C)  diamonds, gravel, phosphate 
D)  gold, platinum, copper 
E)  radon, radium, sodium 
A)  lead, cadmium, mercury 
B)  nitrogen, hydrogen, neon 
C)  diamonds, gravel, phosphate 
D)  gold, platinum, copper 
E)  radon, radium, sodium

Question 5

According to the data, which of the following substances is most difficult to remove from fracking wastewater using this technique?

Accepted Answer

A)  water 
B)  barium 
C)  radium 
D)  sulfates 
E)  strontium 
A)  water 
B)  barium 
C)  radium 
D)  sulfates 
E)  strontium

Question 6

A useful benefit from mining profits could be .

Accepted Answer

A)  establishing high -end tourist hotels for visiting foreign mine executives and their families 
B)  permanent enclaves of foreign scientists and mine managers located near mining sites 
C)  using the U.S. military to provide security at mines 
D)  creation of improved roads into and around mining sites for corporate transport and mining machinery 
E)  training for Afghan mining technicians and establishing Afghan mining institutes 
A)  establishing high -end tourist hotels for visiting foreign mine executives and their families 
B)  permanent enclaves of foreign scientists and mine managers located near mining sites 
C)  using the U.S. military to provide security at mines 
D)  creation of improved roads into and around mining sites for corporate transport and mining machinery 
E)  training for Afghan mining technicians and establishing Afghan mining institutes

Question 7

It takes energy to produce aluminum from ore than to obtain it from recycled sources.

Accepted Answer

A)  roughly the same amount of 
B)  20 times more 
C)  7 times less 
D)  7 times more 
E)  20 times less 
A)  roughly the same amount of 
B)  20 times more 
C)  7 times less 
D)  7 times more 
E)  20 times less

Question 8

The dwindling supplies of rare metals such as indium, tantalum, and platinum may be extended if we rigorously _.

Accepted Answer

A)  exploit known deposits more efficiently 
B)  reduce demands for social and economic justice 
C)  relax environmental requirements for mining 
D)  recycle existing supplies 
E)  increase demand for the products in which they are used 
A)  exploit known deposits more efficiently 
B)  reduce demands for social and economic justice 
C)  relax environmental requirements for mining 
D)  recycle existing supplies 
E)  increase demand for the products in which they are used

Question 9

In Appalachia, many miners are out of work because .

Accepted Answer

A)  of local protests that shut down mining operations 
B)  they were fired for protesting mountaintop removal 
C)  of a moratorium on mountaintop removal 
D)  coal extraction has decreased because the region is beginning to run out of coal 
E)  they are not needed, since mountaintop removal is highly mechanized 
A)  of local protests that shut down mining operations 
B)  they were fired for protesting mountaintop removal 
C)  of a moratorium on mountaintop removal 
D)  coal extraction has decreased because the region is beginning to run out of coal 
E)  they are not needed, since mountaintop removal is highly mechanized

Question 10

Placer mining involves the use of .

Accepted Answer

A)  screens or pans and running water 
B)  draglines and heavy dump trucks 
C)  a pickaxe and rock hammer 
D)  explosives and support beams 
E)  seismic activators and thermal couplers 
A)  screens or pans and running water 
B)  draglines and heavy dump trucks 
C)  a pickaxe and rock hammer 
D)  explosives and support beams 
E)  seismic activators and thermal couplers

Question 11

The U.S. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 requires .

Accepted Answer

A)  20% of sales revenues to be donated to national park maintenance 
B)  no remediation of water pollution, except in the case of uranium mining 
C)  mining companies to post bonds to cover restoration of mined areas before permits are granted 
D)  all mined minerals to be processed and sold only within the United States 
E)  restoration of the identical ecosystem and biodiversity present before mining began 
A)  20% of sales revenues to be donated to national park maintenance 
B)  no remediation of water pollution, except in the case of uranium mining 
C)  mining companies to post bonds to cover restoration of mined areas before permits are granted 
D)  all mined minerals to be processed and sold only within the United States 
E)  restoration of the identical ecosystem and biodiversity present before mining began

Question 12

Bauxite ore is a source of .

Accepted Answer

A)  coltan 
B)  coal 
C)  aluminum 
D)  tantalum 
E)  lead 
A)  coltan 
B)  coal 
C)  aluminum 
D)  tantalum 
E)  lead

Question 13

A(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  alloy 
B)  ore is formed by the fusion of a metal with another metal or a nonmetal. 
C)  aggregation 
D)  tailing 
E)  smelting 
A)  alloy 
B)  ore is formed by the fusion of a metal with another metal or a nonmetal. 
C)  aggregation 
D)  tailing 
E)  smelting

Question 14

In 2010, geologists from the U.S. military discovered nearly $1 trillion worth of minerals in .

Accepted Answer

A)  Afghanistan 
B)  Vietnam 
C)  Nevada 
D)  Peru 
E)  Iraq 
A)  Afghanistan 
B)  Vietnam 
C)  Nevada 
D)  Peru 
E)  Iraq

Question 15

The newest bonanza for recycling scarce and toxic metals is to recover them from _ .

Accepted Answer

A)  compact discs, LPs and 8 -track tapes 
B)  e -wastes such as computers 
C)  closed landfills 
D)  car batteries 
E)  construction sites 
A)  compact discs, LPs and 8 -track tapes 
B)  e -wastes such as computers 
C)  closed landfills 
D)  car batteries 
E)  construction sites

Question 16

Many types of mining, such as for coal, produce a specific type of water pollution called .

Accepted Answer

A)  suspended limestone particles 
B)  sludge 
C)  acid drainage 
D)  eutrophication 
E)  chlorinated pesticides 
A)  suspended limestone particles 
B)  sludge 
C)  acid drainage 
D)  eutrophication 
E)  chlorinated pesticides

Question 17

Tantalum is used primarily for the manufacture of .

Accepted Answer

A)  pesticides, fertilizers, and biodiesel fuel 
B)  aerospace engines and aircraft hulls 
C)  plastics 
D)  high -quality steel 
E)  electronics such as cell phones, computers, digital cameras 
A)  pesticides, fertilizers, and biodiesel fuel 
B)  aerospace engines and aircraft hulls 
C)  plastics 
D)  high -quality steel 
E)  electronics such as cell phones, computers, digital cameras

Question 18

According to critics, the U.S. General Mining Act of 1872 .

Accepted Answer

A)  has pollution and remediation clauses that are too strict 
B)  practically gives away resources located on public land 
C)  opens mining rights to foreign nations which stake claims on U.S. land 
D)  has allowed mining in urban centers with dense commercial development 
E)  makes mining unprofitable except for the largest corporations 
A)  has pollution and remediation clauses that are too strict 
B)  practically gives away resources located on public land 
C)  opens mining rights to foreign nations which stake claims on U.S. land 
D)  has allowed mining in urban centers with dense commercial development 
E)  makes mining unprofitable except for the largest corporations

Question 19

According to the data shown, a 75% acid mine drainage mixture is most effective at removing from fracking wastewater and least effective at removing .

Accepted Answer

A)  sulfates; strontium 
B)  strontium; sulfates 
C)  radium; strontium 
D)  barium; sulfates 
E)  sulfates; barium 
A)  sulfates; strontium 
B)  strontium; sulfates 
C)  radium; strontium 
D)  barium; sulfates 
E)  sulfates; barium

Question 20

Longer projected lifetimes for scarce minerals can be achieved with all of the following, EXCEPT .

Accepted Answer

A)  recycling 
B)  lowering prices for products using these minerals 
C)  exploring for new mineral reserves 
D)  finding more available substitutes for these minerals 
E)  researching more efficient extraction techniques 
A)  recycling 
B)  lowering prices for products using these minerals 
C)  exploring for new mineral reserves 
D)  finding more available substitutes for these minerals 
E)  researching more efficient extraction techniques

Exam 23: Periodic Table of the Elements

If a mineral is opaque, lustrous, malleable and can conduct heat and electricity, it is a(n) .

Smelting of iron ore involves .

Coltan ore contains .

Examples of valuable nonmetallic minerals extracted by mining are .

According to the data, which of the following substances is most difficult to remove from fracking wastewater using this technique?

A useful benefit from mining profits could be .

It takes energy to produce aluminum from ore than to obtain it from recycled sources.

The dwindling supplies of rare metals such as indium, tantalum, and platinum may be extended if we rigorously _.

In Appalachia, many miners are out of work because .

Placer mining involves the use of .

The U.S. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 requires .

Bauxite ore is a source of .

A(n)

In 2010, geologists from the U.S. military discovered nearly $1 trillion worth of minerals in .

The newest bonanza for recycling scarce and toxic metals is to recover them from _ .

Many types of mining, such as for coal, produce a specific type of water pollution called .

Tantalum is used primarily for the manufacture of .

According to critics, the U.S. General Mining Act of 1872 .

According to the data shown, a 75% acid mine drainage mixture is most effective at removing from fracking wastewater and least effective at removing .

Longer projected lifetimes for scarce minerals can be achieved with all of the following, EXCEPT .

Science and Sustainability: an Introduction to Environmental Science

Environmental Systems: Matter, Energy, and Ecosystems

Evolution, Biodiversity, and Population Ecology

Species Interactions and Community Ecology

Economics, Policy, and Sustainable Development

Human Population

Soil, Agriculture, and the Future of Food

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Forests, Forest Management, and Protected Areas

Environmental Health and Toxicology

Geology, Minerals, and Mining

Fresh Water, Oceans, and Coasts

Atmospheric Science, Air Quality, and Pollution Control

Global Climate Change

Nonrenewable Energy Sources, Their Impacts, and Energy Conservation

Renewable Energy Alternatives

Managing Our Waste

The Urban Environment: Creating Sustainable Cities

Sustainable Solutions

Answers to Data Analysis Questions

How to Interpret Graphs

Metric System

Geologic Time Scale Glossary Credits Index

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