Deck 16: Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

Question 1

Which scale is used to measure the strength of an earthquake? 

A) the Miller scale 
B) the Richter scale 
C) the Mercalli scale 
D) the Geiger scale

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which one of the following is a secondary effect of earthquakes? 

A) urban fires 
B) horizontal displacement of the ground 
C) shaking of the ground 
D) release of ejecta

Answer 2

A

Question 3

What is the most direct cause of an earthquake? 

A) the creation of a fault 
B) the greenhouse effect 
C) the dumping of toxic wastes 
D) a change in ocean currents

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Where is the asthenosphere located? 

A) in the inner core 
B) in the outer atmosphere 
C) in a plastic region in the crust 
D) in a plastic region in the mantle

Question 5

Which pair of energy sources are among those primarily responsible for Earth's external geological processes? 

A) energy from gravity and magnetism 
B) energy from the sun and heat from Earth's interior 
C) energy from the sun and magnetism 
D) energy from the sun and gravity

Question 6

Which statement best describes the Earth's core? 

A) The core of the Earth occupies most of the Earth's volume. 
B) Extreme pressure makes the interior of the Earth liquid. 
C) The most common element in the centre of the Earth's core is iron. 
D) The Earth's inner core is liquid, whereas the outer core is solid.

Question 7

Which statement characterizes tectonic plates? 

A) They move in the atmosphere. 
B) They produce mountains. 
C) They are composed of core. 
D) They produce ocean water.

Question 8

What is ejecta? 

A) It is the material released from rifts on the floor of the ocean. 
B) It is a substance injected into faults to relieve pressure. 
C) It is the depressed region inside the cone of an inactive volcano. 
D) It is the debris released from a volcano.

Question 9

Which type of rock includes sandstone and shale? 

A) igneous 
B) crystal 
C) metamorphic 
D) sedimentary

Question 10

Which statement describes a magnitude 9.0 earthquake? 

A) It is nine times as strong as a magnitude 1.0 earthquake. 
B) It is great. 
C) It is minor. 
D) It is insignificant.

Question 11

Which classification includes lava rock? 

A) metamorphic 
B) crystal 
C) igneous 
D) sedimentary

Question 12

Where do the majority of the Earth's earthquakes and volcanoes occur? 

A) along the edges of continents 
B) in the open ocean 
C) on oceanic islands 
D) in the interior areas of continents

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the Earth's mantle? 

A) The mantle is Earth's smallest zone. 
B) Ozone is a major constituent of the Earth's mantle. 
C) The outermost part of the Earth's mantle is rigid. 
D) The outermost part of the Earth's mantle is partially melted rock.

Question 14

Which Earth zone has the most volume and mass? 

A) the crust 
B) the lithosphere 
C) the core 
D) the mantle

Question 15

What is the source of most of the nonrenewable resources people use? 

A) the mantle 
B) the asthenosphere 
C) the core 
D) the crust

Question 16

What is released by an erupting volcano? 

A) oil 
B) carbon dioxide 
C) ozone 
D) organic matter

Question 17

Which of the following is a characteristic of a mineral? 

A) A mineral is organic. 
B) A mineral has a regular crystalline structure. 
C) A mineral can be liquid. 
D) A mineral can only be made by humans.

Question 18

What is one of the Earth's interior concentric zones? 

A) the asthenosphere 
B) the crust 
C) the ionosphere 
D) the biosphere

Question 19

Which occurrence is explained by the theory of plate tectonics? 

A) the occurrence of blizzards 
B) the occurrence of volcanoes 
C) the occurrence of droughts 
D) the occurrence of the moon's phases

Question 20

Which term refers to rocks that change from one type to another type? 

A) rock consolidation 
B) petrography 
C) the rock cycle 
D) rock metamorphism

Question 21

What is one example of subsurface mining? 

A) area strip mining 
B) contour strip mining 
C) dredging 
D) longwall mining

Question 22

What is smelting? 

A) It is the process used to locate mineral deposits. 
B) It is the storage of toxic mining wastes in holding ponds. 
C) It is the removal of minerals from the earth. 
D) It is the separation of metals from the other elements in ore.

Question 23

Which statement characterizes igneous rocks? 

A) They include limestone and shale. 
B) They are an important source of many nonfuel mineral resources. 
C) They can be derived from plant remains. 
D) They are always formed on the surface.

Question 24

Which rock classification includes slate,anthracite,and marble? 

A) igneous rock 
B) primary rock 
C) metamorphic rock 
D) secondary rock

Question 25

Which of the following is a nonmetallic mineral resource? 

A) iron 
B) copper 
C) aluminum 
D) phosphates

Question 26

What is the fraction of ore containing waste minerals called? 

A) tailings 
B) spoil 
C) gangue 
D) hazardous waste

Question 27

Which statement best describes reserves? 

A) They are identified and subeconomic. 
B) They are identified and profitably extractable. 
C) They are unidentified and subeconomic. 
D) They are unidentified and profitably extractable.

Question 28

Which type of rock is most likely formed from compacted plant remains? 

A) limestone 
B) salt 
C) marble 
D) coal

Question 29

What can be caused by mining? 

A) habitat regeneration 
B) large-scale earthquakes 
C) tsunamis 
D) water contamination

Question 30

Which of the following is an igneous rock? 

A) limestone 
B) basalt 
C) shale 
D) sandstone

Question 31

What is waste soil and rock removed during surface mining called? 

A) tailings 
B) hazardous waste 
C) gangue 
D) spoils

Question 32

Which of the following characterizes acid mine drainage? 

A) It neutralizes the pH of surface waters. 
B) It enhances aquatic life. 
C) It may contaminate groundwater. 
D) It occurs when anaerobic bacteria produce nitric acid from nitrogen oxides.

Question 33

Which type of rock covers most of Earth's land surface? 

A) gemstones 
B) metamorphic 
C) sedimentary 
D) igneous

Question 34

Which type of rock is most likely formed from compacted shells and skeletons? 

A) marble 
B) salt 
C) coal 
D) limestone

Question 35

Which term refers to the waste that results from processing ore? 

A) tailings 
B) gangue 
C) acid mine drainage 
D) spoil

Question 36

Which conversion takes place under heat and pressure? 

A) Sedimentary rock converts into metamorphic rock. 
B) Sedimentary rock converts into igneous rock. 
C) Igneous rock converts into sedimentary rock. 
D) Metamorphic rock converts into igneous rock.

Question 37

Which of the following is a type of subsurface mining? 

A) strip mining 
B) room-and-pillar mining 
C) contour mining 
D) mountaintop removal

Question 38

Which statement most accurately compares subsurface mining to surface mining? 

A) Subsurface mining produces more waste material than surface mining. 
B) Subsurface mining extracts more of the resource than surface mining. 
C) Subsurface mining is more dangerous than surface mining. 
D) Subsurface mining disturbs more land than surface mining.

Question 39

Which rock classification includes lignite and bituminous coal? 

A) sedimentary 
B) metamorphic 
C) igneous 
D) tectonic

Question 40

What might be carried by runoff from an underground mine? 

A) exotic species 
B) sulfuric acid 
C) soil nutrients 
D) carbon dioxide

Question 41

What would have the greatest negative effects on the natural environment? 

A) mining high-grade ore 
B) mining moderate-grade ore 
C) mining low-grade ore 
D) mining plentiful ore

Question 42

What is a typical use of a depletion curve? 

A) to project remaining undiscovered resources 
B) to predict when a resource will become a reserve 
C) to project the depletion time for a resource 
D) to project when uneconomic resources will become economically feasible

Question 43

What accounts for over 50% of the copper use in Canada? 

A) the fabrication of utensils 
B) the fabrication of wire 
C) the fabrication of pennies 
D) the fabrication of automobiles

Question 44

According to geological theory,if there were 10 000 sites where a deposit of a particular resource might be found,only 10 would become producing mines.

Question 45

In Canada,metallic minerals are concentrated in the Canadian Shield.

Question 46

Some advantages of using microorganisms for mining include reduced land disturbance,air pollution,and water pollution.

Question 47

What is one way that depletion time can be extended? 

A) through acid mine drainage 
B) by strip mining 
C) by using better mining technology 
D) by increasing production rates

Question 48

High-temperature ceramic superconductors carry electricity without resistance.

Question 49

Market prices clearly reflect dwindling mineral supplies.

Question 50

Scarcity of minerals does not raise the price of material goods much because raw materials typically account for only a small fraction of the price of consumer goods.

Question 51

Most of the world's easily accessible high-grade mineral deposits have not been discovered.

Question 52

When has a mineral resource been economically depleted? 

A) When it costs more to mine the mineral than it is worth. 
B) When 50% of the minerals have been mined. 
C) When 80% of the minerals have been mined. 
D) When there is no mineral left to mine.

Question 53

Diamonds are mined in Yellowknife and zinc is mined in New Brunswick.

Question 54

Copper mining illustrates that it can be profitable to mine low-grade ores.

Question 55

What is the definition of depletion time? 

A) the time it takes to use up about 80% of the mineral reserves at a given rate 
B) the time it takes to use up about 70% of the mineral reserves at a given rate 
C) the time it takes to use up about 60% of the mineral reserves at a given rate 
D) the time it takes to use up about 50% of the mineral reserves at a given rate

Question 56

Which of the following is a metallic mineral mined in Canada? 

A) coal 
B) potash 
C) diamonds 
D) zinc

Question 57

According to some analysts,mining of low-grade ores may be limited by energy costs and the environmental effects of the resultant pollution.

Question 58

High-strength plastics and composite materials strengthened by carbon and glass fibres are advantageous because they are stronger than metal and easily moulded into any shape.

Question 59

Which statement best describes the relationship between depletion time and mining? 

A) The depletion time depends on the amount of known reserves. 
B) Mines with recycling measures have continuous production growth. 
C) Recycling measures give mines a longer depletion time. 
D) Mines with recycling measures have a higher short-term production rate than those which do not.

Question 60

Salt deposits are found in the Canadian Prairies and Maritimes.

Question 61

____________________ is mined for the steel industry,usually from open-pit mines such as in Newfoundland and Labrador,Quebec,and British Columbia.

Question 62

Scientists use the _____________ _______________ to measure the strength of earthquakes.

Question 63

___________ ______________ mining is used on hilly or mountainous terrain.A power shovel cuts a series of terraces into the side of a hill.

Question 64

Metamorphic rock is formed from sediment that is produced when existing rocks are weathered and eroded into small pieces and then transported away from their sources.

Question 65

____________________ is the waste material found in ore.

Question 66

The outermost and thinnest zone of the Earth is called the mantle.

Question 67

A mineral is an element or inorganic compound that occurs naturally and is solid with a regular internal crystalline structure.

Question 68

____________________ rock is formed below or on the Earth's surface when molten rock wells up from the Earth's upper mantle or deep crust and then cools and hardens.

Question 69

The theory explaining the movements of the Earth's plates and the processes that occur at their boundaries is called plate tectonics.

Question 70

____________________ time is how long it takes to use up a certain proportion of the reserves of a mineral at a given rate of use.

Question 71

The core is the Earth's innermost zone.

Question 72

Smelting is used to separate the metal from the other elements in the ore mineral.

Question 73

Tectonic plates are composed of the continental and oceanic crusts and the rigid outermost part of the mantle,a combination which is called the ____________________.

Question 74

____________________ consists of the physical,chemical,and biological processes that break down rocks and minerals into smaller particles that can subsequently be eroded.

Question 75

Identified resources are deposits of a nonrenewable mineral resource with a known location,quantity,and quality,or whose existence is based on direct geologic evidence and measurements.

Question 76

Dredging is used to scrape up underwater mineral deposits.

Question 77

Faulting,or a later abrupt movement on an existing fault,causes an earthquake.

Question 78

____________________ is a rock containing enough of one or more metallic minerals to be mined profitably.

Question 79

Shallow deposits are removed by ____________________ mining.

Question 80

____________________ is used to separate the metal form the other elements in the ore.