Deck 18: Energy and Mineral Resources

Question 1

Which of the following commodities do we use the most of (by weight)?

A)coal
B)natural gas
C)iron ore
D)sand,gravel,and stone
E)clays

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What would be required for an unconformity to trap oil at depth?

A)permeable units above the unconformity and impermeable units below the unconformity
B)permeable units below the unconformity and impermeable units above the unconformity
C)permeable units above and below the unconformity
D)impermeable units above and below the unconformity
E)any of these

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following sites is the least common place in which oil is trapped?

A)the flanks of a salt dome
B)the upper part of a lens of permeable rock
C)the top of an anticline
D)the bottom of a syncline

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which site in the accompanying cross section is the most likely setting for an oil field?

A)limestone at A
B)shale at B
C)sandstone at C
D)limestone at D
E)thick shale at E

Question 5

What types of features are present in the area of the Saudi Arabian oil fields?

A)folds
B)salt domes
C)sedimentary rocks
D)all of these

Question 6

Which of the following must be present to form an oil field at depth?

A)a salt dome
B)a fold or fault
C)an impermeable reservoir to contain the oil
D)an impermeable unit above the oil

Question 7

Which site would most likely contain oil in the subsurface?

A)A,a permeable sandstone
B)B,an impermeable shale
C)C,a permeable sandstone
D)D,an impermeable shale

Question 8

The best place to look for petroleum in this figure is in the:

A)lower right part of the sandstone lens
B)middle of the sandstone lens
C)upper left part of the sandstone lens
D)shale directly below the sandstone lens

Question 9

If it contained oil,which layer would most likely produce an oil seep on the surface?

A)A,a permeable sandstone
B)B,an impermeable shale
C)C,a permeable sandstone
D)D,an impermeable shale

Question 10

Oil and gas form from:

A)accumulation of inorganic material,such as clay particles in shale
B)oxidation of organic material at the surface
C)heating of rocks to metamorphic temperatures (at least 400 $\degree$ C)
D)heating and breakdown of long hydrocarbon chains into smaller molecules

Question 11

Which site in the accompanying figure is the most likely setting for an oil field?

A)limestone at A
B)limestone at B
C)shale at C
D)sandstone at D
E)granite at E

Question 12

Which of the following is an explanation for why the Arabian Peninsula is tilted?

A)the western part has a thick cover of sedimentary rocks
B)the eastern part subsided beneath the weight of thrust faults
C)Africa is being pushed under the western edge of the peninsula
D)oceanic crust in the Mediterranean Sea is subducted under the peninsula
E)none of these

Question 13

How can a fault help trap oil?

A)it can place a permeable rock against truncated oil-bearing layers
B)movement of layers over a bend in a fault can form an anticline
C)faulting can grind up and heat quartzite,producing oil
D)all of these

Question 14

Which of the following parts of the U.S.do NOT have abundant oil fields?

A)Texas
B)Gulf Coast area
C)Rocky Mountain area
D)Pacific Northwest
E)California

Question 15

Which site in the accompanying figure is the most likely setting for an oil field?

A)shales at 1,3,and 5
B)limestone at 2
C)sandstone at 4
D)both 2 and 3
E)both 2 and 4

Question 16

What happens during the maturation of coal?

A)impurities are driven off
B)the coal is buried and squeezed to a smaller volume
C)the energy content of the coal increases
D)methane is driven off
E)all of these

Question 17

Organic material in oil mostly comes from:

A)plants on land
B)hydrogen rising from Earth's mantle
C)marine organisms
D)calcite that has been heated to a high-enough temperature

Question 18

What mineral resource do we use the most of (by weight)?

A)salt
B)iron ore
C)cement
D)petroleum
E)sand,gravel,and stone

Question 19

Oil that reaches the surface can form:

A)an oil seep
B)tar sands
C)tar pits
D)all of these

Question 20

Once oil and gas are formed,they:

A)rise toward the surface
B)are lighter than water
C)flow most easily through permeable rocks,such as sandstone
D)can be prevented from reaching the surface if they are trapped by impermeable layers
E)all of these

Question 21

Some coal mines are called strip mines because:

A)the carbon is stripped from the hydrogen during burning of the coal
B)the uranium is separated (stripped)from the coal
C)large underground machines strip away thin seams of coal
D)a mine on the surface mines a single long strip at any time

Question 22

Where are the world's most important reserves of oil shale?

A)associated with coal mines in many regions of the U.S.
B)along deep oceanic trenches that are not adjacent to continents
C)in Africa and Australia
D)in lake deposits in the Rocky Mountains

Question 23

Which of the following types of information would NOT be useful when exploring for fossil fuels?

A)the sequence and thickness of rock layers
B)a map showing the strike and dip of beds
C)the results of a seismic-reflection study
D)a geologic cross section
E)all of these would be useful

Question 24

Which of the following mostly occurs within ocean-floor sediments?

A)coal-bed methane
B)gas hydrate
C)oil shale
D)tar sands

Question 25

What is the starting material for coal?

A)limestone with abundant shells
B)sandstone formed in certain environments
C)plants
D)black shale
E)any of these

Question 26

Which of the following makes a site more suitable for a dam?

A)1,a deep canyon
B)2,strong,impermeable rocks in the abutment
C)3,impermeable rocks in the floor of the reservoir
D)all of these

Question 27

What is the ultimate test of a geologist's interpretation of the subsurface?

A)how well the geologic interpretation matches what is seen at the surface
B)a nicely colored geologic cross section showing the interpretation
C)a computer model showing an interpretation of rock layers at depth
D)drilling an exploration hole into the subsurface

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT an environment issue associated with nuclear energy?

A)uranium mining and milling can contaminate water and land
B)fuel rods are stored on site and so pose a risk of radioactive contamination
C)Yucca Mountain,the designated repository for spent fuel rods,had a large nuclear explosion
D)the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in the Ukraine had explosions and a reactor meltdown and killed at least 56 people

Question 29

How do most uranium deposits form?

A)granites solidify,trapping uranium within the crystals
B)volcanic pipes bring uranium to the surface from deep in the mantle
C)uranium is transported and deposited by groundwater
D)there are no natural deposits because uranium is produced in the laboratory

Question 30

Which of the following makes a site more suitable for a dam?

A)1,a deep canyon
B)2,permeable rocks in the abutment
C)3,permeable rocks in the floor of the reservoir
D)4,fractured rocks next to a fault
E)5,soft rocks that can mold to the dam

Question 31

How does uranium ore form in a breccia pipe?

A)a volcanic eruption forms a crater that collects rainwater
B)toxic gases that accumulate in a cave cause an explosion
C)a cave collapses and groundwater deposits the uranium
D)collapse of a magma chamber forms a circular caldera and water from the magma deposits the uranium

Question 32

What is the most technically challenging part of using uranium to generate electricity?

A)mining and milling the radioactive material,because of environmental regulations
B)separating the uranium from the rock in which it occurs
C)using gas centrifuges to preferentially enrich the more energetic uranium isotope (²³⁵U)
D)finding a material to moderate the reaction within the reactor

Question 33

Which of the following settings would be the most favorable for fossil fuels?

A)fractured granitic rocks that allow oil and gas to enter
B)metamorphosed rocks that have been heated to 400 $\degree$ C
C)sedimentary rocks that contain folds and faults
D)sandstone that was deposited in a large desert
E)hydrothermal rocks,like hot spring deposits

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT an environmental consequence of using coal?

A)mining coal in underground mines causes explosions and cave ins
B)coal mining can devastate the landscape,leaving piles of mine waste on the surface
C)burning coal can release sulfur dioxide,a leading cause of acid rain
D)burning coal removes carbon dioxide,a greenhouse gas from the atmosphere

Question 35

How does tar sand used for production of energy form?

A)humans add oil to quartz sand to make the material easier to move
B)oil spills from supertankers washes up on beaches
C)oil generated through normal processes is degraded by bacteria
D)oil combines with ice in colder parts of the ocean

Question 36

What does the shape of a uranium roll-front deposit record?

A)folding of beds in a sandstone
B)folding of quartzite derived from a sandstone
C)the boundary between two types of groundwater
D)the rolling of the front of a sandstone bed

Question 37

Which of the following provides a significant amount of energy to the United States?

A)coal and coal-bed methane
B)gas hydrate
C)oil shale
D)all of these

Question 38

Which of the following makes a site unsuitable for a dam?

A)1,weak,fractured rocks in the abutment
B)2,permeable rocks in the abutment
C)3,permeable rocks in the floor of the reservoir
D)4,fractured rocks next to a fault
E)all of these

Question 39

What is the most expensive part of exploring for fossil fuels?

A)hiring geologists to do geologic field work
B)money for four-wheel-drive vehicles
C)geophysical surveys and drilling
D)gas taxes

Question 40

How is nuclear energy produced to generate electricity?

A)lead is heated until it becomes molten and turns into uranium
B)hydrogen and helium are combined in the process of nuclear fusion
C)uranium decays into two smaller particles,releasing heat in the process
D)large panels collect light from the nuclear-powered Sun

Question 41

Which of the following indicates that a site may be favorable for geothermal energy?

A)a lack of hot springs indicating that the hot water is all trapped at depth
B)an area without recent volcanism which can disrupt the flow of groundwater
C)a shallow magma chamber,even one that is recently solidified
D)an area that lacks recent faulting,which can disrupt the continuity of aquifers

Question 42

Copper deposits form in black smokers because:

A)seawater is heated by hot rocks and rises to the seafloor
B)a change in Earth's atmosphere caused copper to be deposited by groundwater
C)large magma chambers have crystal settling that concentrates the copper
D)weathering leaches the top of the deposits and concentrates the copper downward

Question 43

Which side of a tidal barrier (used to generate hydroelectric power)has the highest water level during rising tides?

A)the side toward the ocean
B)the side toward the land
C)which side is highest depends on whether it is day or night
D)none of these,the water is at the same level on both sides

Question 44

How is electricity generated from hydroelectric dams or ocean tides?

A)water is pumped upward and then back down
B)turbines are used to pump the water upward and generators produce the electricity
C)water piles up behind a dam or tidal barrier and flows down because of gravity
D)all of these

Question 45

Which of the following factors make a site more suitable for a hydroelectric dam?

A)numerous faults and fractures that allow groundwater to flow into the reservoir
B)permeable rocks next to and beneath the dam to keep pressures from building up
C)a canyon that is wide so that a large dam can be built
D)weak units in the abutments to make construction easier
E)none of these

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT a common setting for gold deposits?

A)veins,which represent fractures in which hot waters deposited minerals
B)the base of modern stream gravels
C)ancient river gravels that have been buried to great depths
D)large deposits that contain low concentrations of gold
E)all of these are environments in which gold deposits form

Question 47

Which of the following does NOT determine whether a rock is an ore?

A)the grade of the ore
B)the type of ore,such as oxide versus sulfide types
C)size and depth of the mineral deposit
D)the location of the deposit
E)all of these factors determine whether a rock is an ore

Question 48

Which of the following is NOT an advantage associated with hydroelectric dams?

A)the amount of electricity can be changed rapidly
B)there are no emissions of greenhouse gases or toxic contaminants
C)the dam traps sediment that otherwise would be transported down the river
D)the main source of energy,gravity,is free

Question 49

Large copper deposits,called porphyry copper deposits,form because:

A)copper accumulates within and near intrusions that have a porphyritic texture
B)seawater is heated and rises to the surface,forming black smokers
C)a change in Earth's atmosphere caused copper to be deposited by groundwater
D)deep groundwater,rich in lead and zinc,encounters buried hills of granite

Question 50

Which of the following is an advantage of wind power?

A)it can be used nearly everywhere because all areas are windy enough
B)wind power is renewable and can be used in remote locations
C)variable winds allow variable amounts of power generation
D)wind turbines are attractive in scenic places,like off Cape Cod
E)it already provides a large percentage of the world's power requirements

Question 51

How do modern gold placer deposits form?

A)hot water circulates around a magma
B)hot water flows along the margins of a caldera
C)hot water rising through veins encounters buried gravels
D)pieces of gold are weathered and eroded from bedrock and carried and deposited by streams.

Question 52

Which of the following is NOT true about alternative sources of energy?

A)using solar energy requires a large investment in photovoltaic panels and other infrastructure
B)biomass energy can involve burning scrap wood and methane from landfills
C)ethanol is mostly produced from corn and sugar cane,which can also be foods
D)fuel cells use oxygen and hydrogen as a fuel

Question 53

Which of the following processes CANNOT form a mineral deposit?

A)igneous crystallization
B)metamorphism
C)precipitation at low temperatures
D)weathering
E)all of these processes can form a mineral deposit

Question 54

Most of the world's platinum comes from?

A)the base of ancient stream gravels
B)veins formed by metamorphism
C)veins formed in calderas
D)large mafic to ultramafic intrusions
E)none of these

Question 55

Why would deposits of iron ore form in the setting shown here?

A)Hot water circulates along the margins of a caldera.
B)Magma releases metal-rich fluids that react with rocks like limestone.
C)Seawater is heated and rises to the surface,forming black smokers.
D)Pieces of iron are weathered from the top of the granite and deposited as limestone.

Question 56

For a rock to be considered an ore,it must:

A)contain either quartz or sulfide minerals
B)contain enough of a commodity to be mined at a profit
C)contain some copper or gold
D)be shiny or otherwise noteworthy
E)be located in a mine

Question 57

What is the main way that gold ore forms in association with a caldera?

A)hot water flows along the margins of a caldera
B)pieces of gold are weathered from the rim of the caldera and deposited in the center
C)pyroclastic eruptions throw rock fragments into the air,and the heavier gold pieces settle first
D)calderas can form lakes and gold precipitates from the evaporating water

Question 58

The most common geologic setting of diamonds is:

A)crystallization of the water-rich parts of a granite magma,forming pegmatite crystals
B)deposition of minerals by hot waters,such as in a vein
C)replacement of a rock by ore minerals due to hot fluids
D)formation in the mantle and subsequent rise in pipe-like volcanic conduits
E)none of these

Question 59

How did large iron deposits,called banded iron formations,form?

A)hot water circulates along the margins of a caldera
B)groundwater mixes with seawater in the subsurface
C)magma releases metal-rich fluids that replace reactive rocks
D)an increase in oxygen in Earth's atmosphere caused seas to precipitate beds of iron-rich minerals

Question 60

What is the main way that gold-bearing conglomerate beds,such as those in South Africa,form?

A)hot water flows along the margins of a caldera
B)hot water circulates around a magma
C)magma bakes nearby limestone and other reactive rocks
D)pieces of gold are carried by streams and later buried

Question 61

Where in Wyoming are there large coal deposits?

A)in the uplifted blocks within the mountains
B)beneath the large volcanic field in the center of the state
C)near areas where the rocks have been heated by uranium deposits
D)in sedimentary rocks buried within the basins
E)none of these-Wyoming does not have significant coal

Question 62

Which of the following does NOT seem to be present in the Investigation area?

A)coal
B)oil shale
C)oil seeps
D)a layer of salt at depth
E)uranium

Question 63

Where in Wyoming are the large oil and gas fields?

A)in the uplifted blocks within the mountains
B)beneath the large volcanic field in the center of the state
C)near areas where the rocks have been heated by uranium deposits
D)in sedimentary rocks buried within the basins

Question 64

Which of the following would NOT be very useful in exploring for mineral deposits?

A)a geologic map
B)chemical analyses of samples of rocks and soils
C)a study of alteration minerals
D)a study of deposits and events that occurred after formation of the mineral deposit
E)all of these would be useful

Question 65

Which setting in this cross section of Wyoming would most likely trap oil in the subsurface?

A)1,the overthrust belt,which has shuffled sedimentary rocks
B)2,where sedimentary rocks of the Green River Basin have been overridden beneath the Wind River Range
C)3,the top of the Wind River Range,which is an anticline composed of Precambrian granite and metamorphic rocks
D)the Powder River Basin,which has coal bends in a syncline
E)both 1 and 2

Question 66

How do many copper deposits form?

A)near intermediate to felsic intrusions that have a porphyritic texture
B)in massive sulfide deposits formed as black smokers on the seafloor
C)from mixing of different types of groundwater
D)all of these

Question 67

What are the main features of the geology of Wyoming?

A)a large volcanic field that covers most of the state
B)recently formed sedimentary deposits that blanket all but the western part of the state
C)mountain ranges that contain Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks
D)a surprisingly small number of insignificant basins
E)all of these

Question 68

Which type of mine is the most cost effective to operate?

A)a shallow underground mine
B)a deep underground mine
C)an underground mine where milling is done underground
D)an open-pit mine

Question 69

The main geologic structure that are present in the Investigation area are:

A)anticlines and synclines
B)a series of thrust faults
C)a large volcanic center
D)flat-lying sedimentary and volcanic rocks
E)metamorphic rocks with veins and granitic intrusions

Question 70

What are the main types of geologic structures shown on a cross section across Wyoming?

A)large calderas and other volcanic features
B)flat-lying sedimentary layers that are not disrupted by geologic structures
C)folds and reverse faults
D)normal faults that form a series of horsts and grabens

Question 71

Lead-zinc deposits,like those along the Mississippi Valley,form when:

A)lead and zinc minerals have a low density and rise to the top of crystallizing magma chambers
B)lead and zinc minerals are deposited by hot waters released from crystallizing granite
C)a change in Earth's atmosphere caused lead and zinc minerals to be deposited by seawater
D)deep groundwater,rich in lead and zinc,encounters buried hills of granite

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT considered to be an industrial rock and mineral?

A)gypsum
B)salt
C)clay
D)silica sand
E)iron ore

Question 73

How do iron-ore deposits form?

A)as iron-rich layers,called iron formations,in sedimentary sequences
B)within granite or sandstone
C)the mixing of different types of groundwater
D)groundwater that encounters ancient buried hills
E)all of these

Question 74

The main material used to produce cement and concrete is:

A)salt
B)phosphate
C)limestone
D)iron ore
E)well-cemented quartz sandstone

Question 75

What process can enrich a copper deposit,perhaps making it profitable?

A)intense fracturing associated with meteoroid impacts,like at Sudbury
B)deposition of large amounts of quartz and calcite in the rock
C)dispersing the copper-rich grains by wind and water
D)leaching by weathering and redeposition at the water table

Question 76

What would be the best strategy to use to find a mineral deposit that has been buried by a thick section of younger sediments?

A)closely examine rocks on the surface
B)study how much soil has developed on the surface
C)begin drilling in any site just to see what is down there
D)conduct some type of geophysical survey

Question 77

Which of the following is an environmental advantage of mining?

A)Mines can leave large pits in the ground that can be used for other purposes.
B)Crushing and pulverizing ore produces lots of powdery mill tailings.
C)Sulfide minerals in dumps,tailings,and mineralize rock contribute beneficial sulfur and other chemicals to water.
D)Smelters release sulfur-dioxide gas that can help neutralize alkaline soils.
E)None of these.

Question 78

The material in wallboard mostly comes from:

A)ground up granodiorite
B)limestone deposited in marine settings
C)phosphate from marine settings
D)gypsum formed by the evaporation of water
E)silica sand from wind-blown deposits

Question 79

Which setting in this cross section of Wyoming would be least likely to have petroleum,including coal-bed methane?

A)1,the overthrust belt,which has shuffled sedimentary rocks
B)2,where sedimentary rocks of the Green River Basin have been overridden beneath the Wind River Range
C)3,the top of the Wind River Range,which is an anticline composed of Precambrian granite and metamorphic rocks
D)the Powder River Basin,which has coal bends in a syncline

Question 80

If you were looking for methane in Wyoming,where would be the best place to look?

A)in the uplifted blocks within the mountains
B)beneath the large volcanic field in the center of the state
C)near areas where the rocks have been heated by uranium deposits
D)where coal deposits are present in the subsurface
E)near the hot springs of the Yellowstone hydrothermal system