Verified Test Bank Ch12 Test Bank Mineral And Rock Resources

Chapter 12 Test Bank: Mineral and Rock Resources

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is a mineral resource?

A. rock body containing economically valuable minerals.

B. any rock or mineral that is useful to humans.

C. any rock or mineral that is non-organic.

D. minerals that contain useful metals.

E. sand and clay minerals used in construction.

2. 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. relative abundance

B. enrichment factor

C. geologic factor

D. concentration level

E. economic potential

3. 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. mineral deposit

B. ore deposit

C. placer deposit

D. mother lode

E. mineral resource

4. Which of the following statements is true regarding kimberlite pipes?

A. are produced by small, explosive volcanic eruptions

B. all of the answers listed here

C. are relatively rare types of igneous deposits

D. originate in the upper mantle

E. sometimes contain diamonds

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

A. form during high pressure metamorphic events

B. form in layered sedimentary rocks

C. form when crystals settle in a magma chamber

D. all of the answers listed here

E. form when magma is injected between layers within the crust

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

A. are the primary source of water-based minerals such as gypsum

B. easy to mine because they are found in aquifer materials

C. source of valuable metals such as copper, lead, and gold

D. sometimes contain diamonds

E. are the primary source of pure sulfur

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

A. small size and fibrous shape

B. readily dissolves and contains toxic elements

C. contain toxic elements and are chemically resistance

D. fibrous shape and are chemically resistance

E. contain toxic elements and was once widely used in society

8. 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. small grain size and well-rounded shape

B. high density and high chemical resistance

C. high solubility and high density

D. large grain size and high solubility

E. well-rounded shaped and high chemical resistance

9. 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. all of the answers listed here

B. mark the point in history when marine mammals were first beginning to evolve

C. provide evidence of the earliest known sedimentary rocks

D. represent the point in time when free oxygen was becoming more abundant

E. provide proof of the first known ice ages

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

A. minerals associated with hydrothermal activity.

B. minerals that remain within a soil during chemical weathering.

C. mineral crystals that settle in a magma chamber.

D. minerals accumulating in soils as water percolates downward.

E. minerals precipitating out of a solution.

11. 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. excess weight causes land subsidence

B. air and water pollution

C. all of the answers listed here

D. great height creates aviation hazards

E. excess weight causes small earthquakes

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

A. common technique for extracting low-grade ores

B. as the pit becomes deeper, the diameter of the hole must decrease

C. all of the answers listed here

D. has lower operating costs and fewer occupational hazards

E. involves excavating massive volumes of waste materials

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

A. hydration

B. dredging

C. leaching

D. smelting

E. ionization

14. Which of the following statements best describes strategic minerals?

A. minerals a country exports in a controlled manner for national security reasons.

B. minerals used to produce military weapons.

C. minerals a country considers essential for its national security.

D. minerals a country finds necessary, but must be imported.

E. minerals a country considers essential for its economy.

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

A. graphite to make pencils

B. phosphorites for making fertilizer

C. aluminum for making cans

D. diamond tipped cutting tools

E. limestone to make concrete

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

A. poorly ventilated underground mines

B. use of strong acids during mining operations

C. all of the answers listed here

D. excessive mining regulations

E. chemical breakdown of sulfide minerals

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

A. erosion of mining tunnels causing land subsidence

B. increased runoff leading to more frequent flooding

C. chemical burns of workers due to presence of alkaline minerals

D. release of heavy metals into the environment

E. acidic runoff causes aquifer materials to dissolve

True / False Questions

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

True False

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

True False

20. Ore deposits are randomly located around the world.

True False

Multiple Choice Questions