Deck 12: Mineral and Rock Resources

Question 1

Placers are sedimentary deposits where valuable minerals have been hydraulically sorted. Which of the following mineral properties are required for hydraulic sorting by streams to be effective?

A) high density and high chemical resistance
B) high solubility and high density
C) well-rounded shaped and high chemical resistance
D) small grain size and well-rounded shape
E) large grain size and high solubility

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true with respect to layered intrusions?

A) form when crystals settle in a magma chamber
B) form in layered sedimentary rocks
C) form during high pressure metamorphic events
D) form when magma is injected between layers within the crust
E) all of the answers listed here

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following describes why hydrothermal vein and disseminated deposits are important to society?

A) source of valuable metals such as copper, lead, and gold
B) easy to mine because they are found in aquifer materials
C) are the primary source of pure sulfur
D) sometimes contain diamonds
E) are the primary source of water-based minerals such as gypsum

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Once a mineral resource becomes economically viable to mine, it remains that way until the majority of the deposit has been extracted.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best describe how evaporite deposits form?

A) minerals precipitating out of a solution.
B) minerals accumulating in soils as water percolates downward.
C) minerals associated with hydrothermal activity.
D) mineral crystals that settle in a magma chamber.
E) minerals that remain within a soil during chemical weathering.

Question 6

Which of the following describes the degree to which geologic processes have concentrated a mineral resource above its average concentration in Earth's crust?

A) enrichment factor
B) concentration level
C) economic potential
D) relative abundance
E) geologic factor

Question 7

Much of the world's supply of iron comes from banded iron deposits that formed between 1.8 and 2.6 billion years ago. In addition to being a source of iron, why are these deposits important in geology?

A) represent the point in time when free oxygen was becoming more abundant
B) provide proof of the first known ice ages
C) mark the point in history when marine mammals were first beginning to evolve
D) provide evidence of the earliest known sedimentary rocks
E) all of the answers listed here

Question 8

Which of the following statements best describes strategic minerals?

A) minerals a country finds necessary, but must be imported.
B) minerals a country considers essential for its economy.
C) minerals a country exports in a controlled manner for national security reasons.
D) minerals a country considers essential for its national security.
E) minerals used to produce military weapons.

Question 9

Which of the following describes the mineral processing technique whereby a chemical solution percolates through crushed ore and liberates the desired elements?

A) leaching
B) smelting
C) dredging
D) ionization
E) hydration

Question 10

Which of the following terms describes a rock body where the concentration of a mineral is high enough that it is profitable to mine?

A) ore deposit
B) placer deposit
C) mineral resource
D) mineral deposit
E) mother lode

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the primary cause of the environmental problem known as acid-mine drainage?

A) chemical breakdown of sulfide minerals
B) use of strong acids during mining operations
C) excessive mining regulations
D) poorly ventilated underground mines
E) all of the answers listed here

Question 12

Some minerals are economical to mine at lower concentrations because of their higher value to society and relatively low extraction costs.

Question 13

In addition to lowering the pH of nearby streams, which of the following is an environmental problem associated with acid mine drainage?

A) release of heavy metals into the environment
B) erosion of mining tunnels causing land subsidence
C) chemical burns of workers due to presence of alkaline minerals
D) increased runoff leading to more frequent flooding
E) acidic runoff causes aquifer materials to dissolve

Question 14

Which of following best describes why asbestos minerals are hazardous to humans?

A) fibrous shape and are chemically resistance
B) contain toxic elements and are chemically resistance
C) readily dissolves and contains toxic elements
D) small size and fibrous shape
E) contain toxic elements and was once widely used in society

Question 15

Which of the following statements is true regarding kimberlite pipes?

A) all of the answers listed here
B) are produced by small, explosive volcanic eruptions
C) sometimes contain diamonds
D) originate in the upper mantle
E) are relatively rare types of igneous deposits

Question 16

What is a mineral resource?

A) any rock or mineral that is useful to humans.
B) rock body containing economically valuable minerals.
C) minerals that contain useful metals.
D) sand and clay minerals used in construction.
E) any rock or mineral that is non-organic.

Question 17

Mine tailings represent the waste material from mining operations that must be permanently stored on the land surface. Which of the following is the primary environmental problem associated with mine tailings?

A) air and water pollution
B) excess weight causes land subsidence
C) excess weight causes small earthquakes
D) great height creates aviation hazards
E) all of the answers listed here

Question 18

Ore deposits are randomly located around the world.

Question 19

Which of the following statements are true regarding open-pit mining?

A) all of the answers listed here
B) as the pit becomes deeper, the diameter of the hole must decrease
C) common technique for extracting low-grade ores
D) has lower operating costs and fewer occupational hazards
E) involves excavating massive volumes of waste materials

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT an example of a mineral resource being used in a consumptive manner?

A) aluminum for making cans
B) phosphorites for making fertilizer
C) limestone to make concrete
D) graphite to make pencils
E) diamond tipped cutting tools