Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources

Non-Renewable Resources

• Material or energy source that cannot be replaced in a human lifespan.

Earth’s Minerals

• Metallic elements are very important to the earth’s economy.

• Elements are extracted from the rocks where they are found.

• Ore- rock with enough of a metallic element to be used.

• Ore mineral- the metallic element being removed from the ore.

Ore Extraction• 3 methods of extracting ores

• Pyrometallurgy- ore is heated in order to extract minerals. Oldest method

• Electormetallurgy- use electricity to extract minerals. Used to make steel and other high purity metals.

• Hydrometallurgy- reactants are used in a water solution to extract minerals. Expensive, used for small amounts of minerals

Use of Minerals

• U.S. is one of the largest consumers of the earth’s minerals

• World’s reserves could be used up in the next 60 years if we continue at this rate.

• ** What are some common uses of metals and non-metal elements?**

Fossil Fuels

• Formed from remains of living organisms.

– Petroleum, coal, and natural gas.

• Energy is released by burning fuel.

– In US coal is used primarily in electrical power plants.

Coal Formation

• Composed of carbon

• Buried under sand or clay and decay slowly over time.– Lose H2O and form into peat, then lignite, and

finally coal.

Stages of Coal Formation

• Peat is first stage- plant parts recognizable, 50% carbon.

• Lignite is 2nd stage- more compressed, 70% carbon, soft and brown

• Bituminous is 3rd stage- 85% carbon, soft coal

• Anthracite is final stage- hard coal, >90% carbon. Clean burning.

Coal Formation

Mining Coal

• Underground

• 2 types

• Room and pillar method

• Longwall method

Room and Pillar Method

Room and pillar

• Most common method• rooms are 20-30 feet wide and the

pillars up to 100 feet wide • Once they hit the end of a corridor

start retreat mining• In retreat mining, the workers mine as

much coal as possible from the remaining pillars until the roof falls in.

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Longwall Mining

Longwall Mining

• Coal is removed allowing ceiling to collapse.

• Yields more coal but causes more damage to the surface.

Surface Mining

• Strip Mining- coal is removed from the surface.

• Causes damage to earth’s surface and increases erosion.

Acid Mine Drainage

• Pyrite is exposed PbS2

• Reaction with air form sulfuric acid H2SO4

• Seeps into water

• Lowers pH

• Major source of Pa pollution

Petroleum and Natural Gas

• Remains of plants, bacteria, and algae.

• Liquid and gas form when more organic material is produced then destroyed.

• Form in source rocks and migrate to reservoir rocks.

Oil formation

Natural Gas

• Fracking- Hydraulic fracturing– Process of pumping millions of gallons of

water and sand underground to fracture rock and allow natural gas to escape.

– Very controversial due to impact on the environment.

Renewable Resources

• Any material or energy source that cycles or can be replaced within the period of a human life span.

• Ex.- crops, soil, wind, water, sunlight, organic matter and geothermal energy

Food and Fiber

• Crops are renewable– Includes livestock

• If resources used faster then re-growth they will become depleted.

Renewable Resources

• In groups you will investigate the value and disadvantages of the following types of renewable resources:– Wind power, hydropower, biomass, solar,

geothermal, nuclear and hydrogen fuel.