Deck 15: Riches in Rock: Mineral Resources

Question 1

The first ores that were widely smelted by humans to produce metal were those of ________.

A) bronze
B) copper
C) gold
D) iron

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which list places important pure metals and alloys in chronological order from first to last (most recent)in terms of their widespread use by humans?

A) bronze,copper,iron
B) iron,copper,bronze
C) copper,iron,bronze
D) copper,bronze,iron

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of these commonly used metals sometimes occurs as a native metal?

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

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Alloys are useful because they ________.

A) can substitute for rare earth minerals
B) are easier to smelt
C) are the cheapest metals to produce
D) are stronger than either of their constituent metals alone

Question 5

Consult the figure below.What native metal is most likely to occur within quartz veins?

A) aluminum
B) gold
C) copper
D) brass

Question 6

Nonmetals extracted from metals during smelting are termed ________.

A) slag
B) cull
C) sludge
D) spar

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a mineral resource?

A) gypsum
B) sand
C) coal
D) copper

Question 8

Which of the following is a metallic mineral resource?

A) gypsum
B) aluminum
C) phosphate
D) gravel

Question 9

The ability of a metal to be bent,molded,and stretched is termed ________.

A) tempering
B) cold working
C) malleability
D) dexterity

Question 10

Which of the following is an alloy?

A) gold
B) silver
C) bronze
D) copper

Question 11

Most of the metals currently in commercial use ________.

A) were known to the ancients
B) are found only in North America and Asia
C) were discovered in the last two centuries
D) are excavated as native metals and do not require smelting

Question 12

The industrial process that separates metals from ore material is known as ____________.

A) quarrying
B) mountaintop removal mining
C) smelting
D) ore processing

Question 13

The high electrical conductivity associated with metallic bonds is found in ________.

A) all minerals that contain metallic ions in any proportions
B) minerals that have a sufficient metal content to be considered ores
C) native metals and pure metals artificially derived from ores
D) magnetic minerals only

Question 14

The first widely used alloy in ancient civilizations was ________.

A) bronze
B) copper
C) gold
D) iron

Question 15

________is a common metallic alloy.

A) Copper
B) Steel
C) Gold
D) Silver

Question 16

A mineral that consists of only metal atoms is known as a(n)________.

A) native metal
B) ore metal
C) industrial metal
D) rare earth metal

Question 17

Some metals are considered precious metals because of their ________.

A) concentration in the Earth's crust
B) durability
C) price per ounce
D) malleability

Question 18

Which of these commonly used metals must be smelted from its ore minerals in the presence of carbon monoxide gas (from the burning of carbon-based charcoal)?

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

Question 19

A metal MUST be all of the following EXCEPT:

A) opaque
B) solid
C) electrically conductive
D) malleable

Question 20

Smelting is a technique applied to ________.

A) native metals
B) ore minerals
C) quarried stone
D) alloys

Question 21

Secondary enrichment creates concentrations of metals by ________.

A) accumulating them around a black smoker vent
B) precipitating them into cracks in preexisting rocks
C) leaching them from one area and precipitating them elsewhere
D) accumulating them on the seafloor

Question 22

When would miners use an open pit mine?

A) when the ore deposit lies close to the surface
B) whenever the ore deposit is laterally extensive
C) when the ore is high-grade
D) when the ore is low-grade

Question 23

Consult the figure below.Which of these is NOT required for a Mississippi Valley-type deposit to form?

A) deep groundwater
B) hot groundwater
C) sedimentary rocks
D) native metals

Question 24

In magma chambers,sulfide ore minerals typically ________.

A) rise to the top
B) sink to the bottom
C) mix well with the rest of the magma
D) solidify and reside in the middle of the magma

Question 25

Commercial ore deposits are most likely associated with ________.

A) thick sandstones and shales
B) blueschists
C) evaporite sequences
D) igneous rocks

Question 26

The high electrical conductivity associated with metallic bonds results from ________.

A) the ability of outer electrons to move freely from atom to atom
B) their radioactive instability
C) the ability of nuclei to be discharged into the atmosphere
D) their relatively great atomic mass

Question 27

In what types of rocks are ore minerals found?

A) only in igneous rocks
B) only in igneous and sedimentary rocks
C) only in igneous and metamorphic rocks
D) in igneous,sedimentary,and metamorphic rocks

Question 28

Consult the figure below.In what kind of terrain would you expect to find a placer deposit?

A) a dry lake bed
B) a mountain peak
C) the ocean floor
D) a streambed

Question 29

Most metals used by society are obtained from ________.

A) native metals
B) ore minerals
C) precious metals
D) base metals

Question 30

Mineral-rich veins within plutons,deposited by hot groundwater into fractures within rock,characterize ________ deposits.

A) hydrothermal
B) placer
C) residual mineral
D) sedimentary

Question 31

Which ore minerals are commonly found in ancient sedimentary deposits that are two billion years old?

A) copper sulfides
B) aluminum oxides
C) iron oxides
D) copper oxides

Question 32

Waste rock left over after a mine has removed the ore is known as ________.

A) tailings
B) adits
C) ingots
D) slag

Question 33

Consult the figure below.These iron ore deposits,which started as sedimentary layers,are known as ________.

A) banded iron formations
B) jasper beds
C) manganese nodules
D) bauxite

Question 34

The metal ores that are found in veins within plutons typically occur ________.

A) by themselves as pure mineral assemblages
B) together with other ores but no other minerals
C) alongside abundant calcite
D) alongside abundant quartz

Question 35

The stereotypical gold rush prospector panning for gold in a streambed is an example of exploiting ________ deposits.

A) magmatic
B) placer
C) residual mineral
D) sedimentary

Question 36

Mississippi Valley-type deposits are secondary enrichments primarily of ________ and ________.

A) gold; silver
B) tin; aluminum
C) copper; bronze
D) lead; zinc

Question 37

Consult the figure below.________ deposits form where erosion produces clasts of native metals.

A) Secondary-enrichment
B) Placer
C) Mississippi Valley-type (MVT)
D) Magmatic

Question 38

Examine the image below.This is an example of a(n)__________.

A) tailing
B) adit
C) open-pit mine
D) slag deposit

Question 39

Which types of ores are most commonly concentrated in magmatic deposits?

A) oxides
B) sulfides
C) native metals
D) copper

Question 40

Consult the figure below.Although granite contains iron atoms,we do not mine granite to produce iron because ________.

A) granite is too difficult to mine
B) the concentration of iron is too small to be economical
C) iron cannot be separated from the granite
D) iron is found only in isolated veins

Question 41

What is a metal? Why do metals behave differently from nonmetals? Could a base metal ever be considered a precious metal? Explain

Question 42

Aluminum atoms are found in feldspars,which are a component of granite.Why then is granite NOT mined for aluminum? If not from granite,how do we obtain metals like aluminum?

Question 43

Stone used for buildings,chemicals in fertilizers,and sand used to make glass are all examples of mineral resources known as ________.

A) tailings
B) industrial minerals
C) clinker
D) slag

Question 44

Stone extraction from the Earth's surface for building purposes occurs in ________.

A) stone mines
B) underground mines
C) quarries
D) sedimentary deposits

Question 45

Acid mine runoff results from the oxidation and the dissolution of ________ ores.

A) sulfide
B) oxide
C) carbonate
D) manganese

Question 46

How and where does a placer deposit form?

Question 47

Contrast renewable and nonrenewable resources.Which type are mineral resources? Why?

Question 48

Consult the figure below.Which type of mineral resource do humans use in the greatest quantities?

A) stone
B) phosphates
C) aluminum
D) clay

Question 49

A drawback to mining sulfides is the risk of ________.

A) underground fires
B) tunnel collapse
C) rock bursts
D) acid mine runoff

Question 50

Are ore deposits evenly distributed around the globe? Why or why not?

Question 51

Which of these is true about mineral resources?

A) They are renewable because they are naturally formed.
B) They are renewable because we use them at slower rates than they are formed.
C) They are nonrenewable because they are formed at slower rates than we use them.
D) They are nonrenewable because they are no longer formed.

Question 52

Look around you.Discuss at least three mineral resources essential to life as you know it.

Question 53

Contrast the two categories of mineral resources.Provide two examples of each.

Question 54

________ is a nonmetal mineral formed by evaporation.

A) Sulfur
B) Gypsum
C) Zinc
D) Marble

Question 55

You discover a body of ore close to the surface.What technique are you going to use to mine this resource? Why? What are two environmental ramifications of this decision?

Question 56

The blocks of rock used in construction are termed ________.

A) dimension stone
B) gemstone
C) ore
D) lodestone

Question 57

Which of these statements about the U.S.supply of strategically important metals is true?

A) The United States has ample domestic supplies of strategic minerals.
B) The United States imports a small amount of some strategic minerals.
C) The United States imports 100% of many strategic minerals.
D) The United States has access to abundant supplies of strategic minerals with its open trade partners.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT a likely environmental issue associated with mining operations (both underground and on the surface)?

A) acid mine runoff
B) acid rain
C) earthquakes
D) large manmade topographic depressions (holes)on the Earth's surface

Question 59

Concrete is ________.

A) synonymous with the term cement
B) synonymous with the term Portland cement
C) a combination of cement,sand,and gravel
D) powdered rock of any lithology mixed with water and allowed to set overnight

Question 60

Distinguish between cement and concrete.Describe why cement and concrete are so important to society.

Question 61

Examine the photograph below taken near Sudbury,Ontario.Why is this region devoid of vegetation?