1. What does it mean when a mineral is economically depleted? When a mineral rea
ID: 111144 • Letter: 1
Question
1. What does it mean when a mineral is economically depleted? When a mineral reaches that point, what are two choices we have?
2. In some cases alternatives to nonrenewable mineral resources have been developed. Name one of these alternatives and the mineral or minerals that can be replaced.
3. Explain the concept of net-energy yield. Why is it important to evaluate the net-energy yield of an energy resource?
4. Give two advantages and two disadvantages of nuclear energy. Do you think the benefits of nuclear power outweigh the costs or vice versa?
5.Explain why energy efficiency can be considered an energy resource. Give three examples of how energy could be used more efficiently.
Explanation / Answer
1. Minerals becomes economically depleted when the cost of extraction equals the cost that extracted resource can be sold for. In terms of mining for example a mine has to go deeper as time goes on which becomes more expensive so at some point the mine will be shut down, not because the ore is gone but because to continue mining would be to lose money.
Two choices we have -
1. The mineral can be recycled and reused
-For example, metals and plastics can be melted down after they have outlived their use, and used to create new products.
2. A substitution for the mineral can be found, and/or
-For example, during the materials revolution, the use of metals was replaced in many cases by the use of silicon, ceramics and/or plastics instead. Substitutions, however, are not always feasible or even possible.
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