Mastery Check #1 - Natural Resources
What is a natural resource?
A natural resource is any materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain. As you can see in the picture to the right, there are many different things that would be considered natural resources. Why are natural resources important? Natural resources are vital to support our way of life. Wars have been, and will continue to be fought over every one of the natural resources in the picture to the right. Mineral resources (like gold, copper, gems, etc) contribute to the wealth of nations. Water is vital for life and is often fought over. This is a hot topic here in Utah. Read this article that shows the debate over water resources in Utah and Nevada. |
Natural Resources are not evenly distributed throughout the Earth.
Why are diamonds, gold, copper, and other minerals not evenly distributed throughout the earth? Geologic processes concentrate these things in certain areas. It is often the case that mineral deposits are associated with volcanic activity because magma can bring minerals from the inside of the Earth to the surface but there are other geologic processes that cause minerals to be found in certain areas. Below is a picture of several geologic processes that play a role in concentrating natural resources in certain areas. For example, in the California Gold Rush, weathering and erosion played a major role in concentrating the gold in the rivers and streams, but volcanic activity is often associated with other mineral deposits..
What geologic processes are involved in the formation of energy resources such as coal and crude oil?
Coal and oil (petroleum) both involve plants and animals dying and being buried by sediment. The pressure of those sediments changes the dead plants and animals into coal or oil. The layers of rock above the oil is also important because certain types of rock will trap oil and form large reservoirs (see picture on the right). Many geologist are experts in identifying rock layers that are likely to have oil trapped under them.
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