1. I. Content Questions A:
   

Introduction:

     Mining and Metals - Uses, Demands

Metals such as iron, copper, aluminum, and many others are an important factor in an industrial society. From a chemistry perspective, metals are interesting because of the properties that they exhibit. All metals except for gold and in rare cases copper are in the oxidized or ion state in nature. The major chemical processes after mining the ore is to convert to the metal form through a process called reduction. Many rare and "exotic" metals find uses in many hidden aspects of modern society. Good foreign relations are very important to enable the importation of strategic metals which are not found in the U. S.

 
Text: Chap 2  Planet Earth: Rocks, Life, and Energy

Metals and mineral resources:

Short video from Idaho - 10 minutes gives a good overview
Common Minerals and their uses - brief description of each.
USGS maps and yearbooks for each state listing mineral resource locations and facts.  Click on state, then pdf of last year report.
Listing of metal resources needed by each person - very “eye opening” revelation.
A baby’s lifetime use of mineral resources - more detailed than the previous site.

QUES. 1: How many different elements are used to make a light bulb? Make a list. Pick two of the metals and find a state or country, if not the U.S., where they are mined.

 Use of metals that are mined - metals in an electric light bulb - metals mined in Nevada. This graphic may be hard to read. Hereis another light bulb site with more info and even harder to read graphic, but contains more info on countries where the metals are found.
USGS maps and yearbooks for each state listing mineral resource locations and facts.  Click on state, then pdf of last year report.

QUES. 2: How many minerals (elements) are used to make glass? Make a list. Pick two of the metals and find a state or country, if not the U.S., where they are mined.

Minerals in glass -
USGS maps and yearbooks for each state listing mineral resource locations and facts.  Click on state, then pdf of last year report.

QUES. 3: How many minerals (elements) are used to make toothpaste? Make a list. Pick two of the metals and find a state or country, if not the U.S., where they are mined.

What metals and minerals are in toothpaste?
and Rocks in your mouth
USGS maps and yearbooks for each state listing mineral resource locations and facts.  Click on state, then pdf of last year report.

QUES. 4: Make some comments about the use of elements required by you in one year or in one life time. Where do you use these elements? Do you believe it? Consider that a lot of industry may use these elements in support of our life style.  Pick two of the metals and find a state or country, if not the U.S., where they are mined.

Listing of metal resources needed by each person - very “eye opening” revelation.
A baby’s lifetime use of mineral resources - more detailed than the previous site.
USGS maps and yearbooks for each state listing mineral resource locations and facts.  Click on state, then pdf of last year report.

QUES. 5:  How many elements are used to make an automobile?  Make a list. Pick two of the metals and find a state or country, if not the U.S., where they are mined.

Listing of metal resources needed by each person - go to second page for the automobile.
USGS maps and yearbooks for each state listing mineral resource locations and facts.  Click on state, then pdf of last year report.

QUES. 6: What are the lessons to be learned about supply and demand of metals in the U. S.? Economics, political - if some countries refused to export to the U. S. as in time of war.  Pick two of the metals and find a state or country, if not the U.S., where they are mined.

Strategic Metals - Time Mag.
Listing of metal resources needed by each person - very “eye opening” revelation. Scroll down to page 3 to see percentages of elements that must be imported.

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II.  Content Question B:  Section 3. A-E are to be included in the Part III. Metal Report below

1. Origin of Mineral Resources (ores) and distribution

 Resource is anything we get from living and nonliving environment to meet our needs and wants.

Nonrenewable , or exhaustible, resources exist in a fixed amount in the Earth's crust.

Mineral resources include: energy resources (coal, oil, natural gas, uranium, geothermal);

Metallic minerals : iron, copper, aluminum, etc.;

Nonmetallic minerals: salt, gypsum, clay, sand phosphates, soil, water.

Renewable Resources: Those that potentially can last indefinitely because it is replaced as or more rapidly than it is used. Examples include solar energy, trees in forests, grasses in grasslands, wild animals, fresh surface water in lakes and streams, fresh air, and fertile soil. If the natural replenishment rate is exceeded beyond a sustainable yield, the resource becomes nonrenewable and leads to environmental degradation.

 A. Rock Cycle - Processes that make rocks and minerals

Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic

  Text p. 29-30, 32

 B. Formation and Concentration of mineral resources

Magmatic concentration - molten rock stratifies by gravity as it cools and concentrates metals
Hydrothermal solutions in late stages of cooling magma- sulfides of Pb, Cu, Ag, Zn, Au
Black smokers undersea hot springs - sulfide ores
Sedimentation - minerals dissolve in warm water and reprecipitate in cooler water
Brines/seawater; laterites-weathering in the tropics - oxides of Fe, Al, Mn, Ni;
Placer deposits from eroded rocks carried to streams
Evaporites - from sea water - salt gypsum, potash. soda ash (sodium sulfate), phosphates

List of Minerals - Brief uses, pictures, may be slow to Load
Second list of MInerals - Brief Uses

 C. Ores

High grade (high percentage of metal)

Low grade (very low percentage of metal)
Ores in the form of sulfides or oxides mixed with silicates. Low grade ores become uneconomical if the time, effort, cost, high energy needed and costs, amount of waste material - do not yield a selling price to recover the costs.

 2. Reserves, Economic resources, Depletion Time
Text p. 37

Identified resources - known location, quantity, and quality

Reserves - are identified resources that can be extracted economically at present prices & technology

Undiscovered - potential supplies based upon geologic knowledge, but location and quantity unknown.

 A. Location of Reserves imports from many countries

 

 B. Critical and strategic minerals:

Cr, Mn, Co, Al, Ta, Sn, Pt, Pd

 C. Mining low grade deposits requires larger amounts of energy, more tailings, more water

500. D.Minerals from the sea water and
     

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3.  (Info here is to be used in Part III. Metal Report below)
Extraction and Concentration Methods  of Metals  -
General Methods
Text p. 35-37

Mining methods - Wikipedia

 A. Subsurface or underground mining

General Methods of Mining - Look at a series of sub pages
Types of Coal Mining w/pictures
Mining Machinery - picture

 B. Surface or strip mining - (same as open cut mining)

General Methods of Mining - Look at a series of sub pages
Mountain Top Removal - coal mining - Washington Post
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition - anti-mountain top mining - explore some of the links
Diamond Mine - Pictures of the deepest hole on earth.
Coal Strip Mine - Picture
Giant Earth Mover - Picture
Gem of Egypt - Pictures

C.  In-situ Mining - In-situ means mining in place without digging, a minimum of the surface is disrupted.  A series of wells are drilled in the mining area, then solutions are pumped underground and then pumped out again from a different well.  The solutions are designed to dissolve the mineral of interest and then pump it to the surface for further treatment.
In-situ Uranium Mining -

ProfO Notes: In-situ Mining - Florence, AZ - no surface mining, but weak acid is injected into wells and recovered in other wells. The rock is not moved from underground.

 D. Concentration of ore

 Use physical and chemical methods to increase concentration of metal,

Leaching of low grade ores.
Use of Cyanide in heap leaching of Gold

Flotation Process -

Separation of the Metal -

 E. Impact on the Environment - (info here is to be used in Part III. Metal Report below)

 Mining is one of the most environmentally damaging activities carried out by humans. In the United States mining produces at least six times the amount of solid waste produced by towns and cities.  Overburden, tailings, acid mine drainage, more acid mine drainage, leaching of other metals from tailings, erosion/sedimentation, landslides, tailings dam failure, reclamation.

Environmental mining problems - Wikipedia - scroll about half way down.
Mountain Top removal -
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition - anti-mountain top mining - explore some of the links
Reclamation- National Mining Association - Pictures - Some models of reclamation sites -

Environmental Concerns -
Dirty Gold - Look at some of the links

Reclamation Stories - many links to case studies - click on some of the links.

Content Question B: (Include your answer to this question in the Metal Report below: For this question wait until you have chosen your metal for the metal report,  then choose ONE of the lettered parts (3A - 3D) that applies to the metal the you choose for the metal report - about 4 students for each, again free choice.  Give a brief description of the mining method.  What is it?  How is it done?  In brief for (3A-D), what are the chemical and physical environmental effects of mining? Give some specific chemical names if you can find any. 

For question 3E, be brief on the type of mining and concentrate on the environmental impacts, give both the pro and cons for environmental impacts.  What are they?  Water pollution?  Solids pollution?  Past problems?  Current practice for reclamation?

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III.  Molecule or Report of the Week:  Metal/Mining Report  (Worth 8 points)

4. General Methods to Convert Ore to Metals

General Resources
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia which can be used to find a lot of info about specific chemicals and many other things as well.
Wikipedia - Chemistry Portal

ProfO Notes: Iron Blast Furnace and process explanation
Aerial View of an Iron Ore Mine in Brazil

HAMERSLEY BASIN IRON ORE MINE, AUSTRALIA

Locations: Utah, Arizona, Chile
Morenci Copper Mine, Arizona

Copper ores many:

chalcopyrite (CuFeS2); Chalcocite (Cu2S); Malachite Cu2CO3(OH)2; azurite (Cu(CO3)2(OH)2

 Bingham Copper Mine photo - largest copper mine in the world.

History and Modern Methods to Extract Copper from ore

ProfO Notes: Copper Mine and Smelter - extensive explanations of Asarco Mission Mine, Ray Mine, and Hayden Smelter in Arizona.

Asarco Discovery Center - Look at mining for a virtual tour of all phases of mining operations courtesy of Asarco Mineral Discovery Center

Copper Production - From Ore to Finished Products

 

Ores: Bauxite (50-60% Al)-clay mixture of hydrous oxides of Al; mixed with orange iron oxides

Location: Western Hemisphere 70% - Arkansas, Jamaica, Surinam, British Guiana

Chemical concentration of metal oxide ; electrolysis - 1 pop can = 300 watt-hr or 1000 kcal

ProfO Notes: Bauxite to Aluminum Process

Aluminum Production with Chemical Equations

CBG BAUXITE (ALUMINUM ORE) MINING OPERATIONS, GUINEA
Aluminum Encyclopedia

Chemical Processing of Jamaican Bauxite - usually slow to load, but has good information.

 D. Gold Mining

Cortez Gold Mine, Nevada

ProfONotes: Gold Extraction
Martha Mine, New Zealand - Gold Processing

Nevada MIning - go to home page and click on information - there is a 15 min. video on gold mining. Complete processes

Gold Encyclopedia

5. E.Lead
   
   

LAISVALL LEAD MINE, SWEDEN

Lead Encyclopedia

 F. Zinc

KIDD CREEK MINE, ONTARIO, CANADA

zinc, copper, silver, indium

Zinc Encyclopedia

 G. Titanium

Titanium Encyclopedia

New Process - click on Technology

Magnesium

Magnesium Encyclopedia

Manganese

Assmang Manganese Mine, South Aftrica
Manganese Encyclopedia -

 H. Tin

Tin Encyclopedia

 I. Silver

 CANNINGTON SILVER AND LEAD MINE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Silver Encylodedia -

 J. Nickel

NORILSK MINING CENTRE

Nickel Encyclopedia

Mond Process

 K. Calcium in Limestone

 Limestone mining and uses

 L. Uranium

Uranium - Wikipedia

Uranium Encyclopedia

III.  Molecule or Report of the Week:  Metal/Mining Report  (Worth 8 points)

Minerals - both brief and longer reports - gives uses, background, sources, pictures of the minerals.
Wikipedia - Chemistry Portal
Use sites above first in parts A-L.

Each person should pick one of the metals not already completed from section 4.  A-L above. Prepare a brief summary report (6 paragraphs) about the metal which includes ALL of the following information:
Think of this as a Life Cycle Analysis of the metal or product.  Just use the graphic for this assignment.

1. Location and sources of the ore (how was the ore formed over geologic time?).

2. Include Content Question B here (see info above in section # 3):  For this part, choose ONE of the lettered parts (section 3. Extraction and Concentration Methods  of Metals General Methods 3A - 3E) that applies to your metal.  Give a brief description of the mining method.  What is it?  How is it done?  In brief for (A-D), what are the chemical and environmental effects of mining process? Give some specific chemical names if you can find any.

3. Methods to purify or concentrate the ore (give some chemistry names and/or formulas of the processes).

4. Reduction methods to obtain the metal form from the compound ion form, (give some chemistry names and/or formulas of the processes).

5. Uses of the metal.

6. Environmental Impacts of mining:  (section 3 E) Environmental impacts of mining and processing into the metal. This is general info about almost all of the metals.

You may use the internet sources listed above (section 4. A-L) or a science encyclopedia in the reference section of the library - hard copy.

 Assignments: Pick one that is not already completed. If need to double up, pick Fe, Al, or Cu for further discussion or try to add new information to an existing report of another element OR you may pick a metal not listed above.

4. IV.Issue Question:  Should more of the Public/U.S. Government owned lands be opened for mining?
   

Use the internet sites below and take a side in the issue "Should more of the Public/U.S. Government owned lands be opened up for mining?”
We are NOT talking about mining in the National Parks or  National Monuments. In the western U.S., much of the land is owned by the U.S. government or the states.  This land is controlled by the U.S. Forestry Service or the Bureau of Land Management. 

Issue Report:  For this question, you may take one of three approaches: 

Talk about mining in general (may include specific examples),
OR talk about the proposed Resolution Copper Mine in Arizona, 
OR talk about the Cortez Gold Mine in Nevada, which was recently approved. 

Do you support the YES or NO side - Give reasons.  Four to six paragraphs for full credit.

For any of the three approaches, include most of the following:
a. about the need, uses, benefits for metals
b.  about how mining is carried out
c.  how the environment is impacted or how it can be impacted less than previously
d.  reasons why mining should or should not be done
e.  overall conclusions to support your argument.

Short video from Idaho - 10 minutes gives a good overview - a must see to get perspective.

America’s Strength - American Minerals -

Strategic Metals - Time Mag.

Mining Law of 1872 - still in effect!
Mining Law Reform -

YES -
General Methods of Mining - Look at a series of sub pages
Responsible Mining - a contribution from Rob Vugteveen Director, Asarco Mineral Discovery Center, Copper mine
General Overview of the Mining Process
General Testimony to Congress on benefits of mining
General overview of mining and environmental impacts
ProfO Notes: Copper Mine and Smelter - extensive explanations of Asarco Mission Mine, Ray Mine, and Hayden Smelter in Arizona.
ProfO Notes: In-situ Mining -BHP Florence, AZ

Resolution Copper Company -  Here is the company perspective.  This is a current hot topic in the news in Arizona.  This involves a land exchange, where some protected land in the Tonto National Forest is deeded to the company in exchange for land that the company bought to be used for a conservation area in another part of the state.  This will be an under ground mine with not a much impact on the land above.
Resolution Copper Company - commitment to protecting a specific area.
Barrick Gold Mining - Cortez Hills, NV;  Environmental Responsibility Report -

NO -
Resolution Copper mine in Superior, AZ
Dirty Gold - shows stories from around the world - If we do not mine in the U.S., then this is what happens in developing countries.
Western Shoshone resists gold mine expansion at Cortez Hills, NV

Environmental Mining Hazards -
Crandon Mine in Wisconsin - an example where enough public protests stopped a mine from starting up.

MIning Without Harm - Sierra Club - relates to resisting mining in Minnesota.

5. V.   Response or Ask a Question - respond or comment to someone else, or use General Questions to ask a general question that the Prof or others might answer.  Extra responses earn extra credit (1 pt/ques. up to 2 points)
   
   Response Format:  What or why is something interesting?  Then add a new perspective or viewpoint.  Needs to be longer than one sentence.
   
   Ask a question Format:  Give a little background of what you already know or what is your interest, then add what you already know, then finally ask your question.
   

Charles E. Ophardt, Professor of Chemistry, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL 60126, charleso at elmhurst.edu, Copyright 2009