Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources GLG Physical Geology Bob Leighty These lecture notes are very similar to the ones I use in my traditional classes. Youll find they are loaded with imagery and streamlined text that highlight the most essential terms and concepts. The notes provide a framework for learning and, by themselves, are not meant to be a comprehensive source of information. To take advantage of the global knowledge base known as the Internet, I have included numerous hyperlinks to external web sites (like the Wikipedia, USGS, NASA, etc.). Follow the links and scan them for relevant info. The information from linked web sites is meant to supplement and reinforce the lecture notes you wont be responsible for knowing everything contained in them. As a distance learning student, you need to explore and understand the content more independently than in a traditional class. As always, I will help guide you through this learning adventure. Remember,Dr. Bob if you have any questions about todays lecture Leave no questions behind! Explore and have fun! These notes and web links are your primary lecture content in this class. Additionally, various articles are assigned each week to supplement this lecture information. I believe youll have enough information to reference without having to purchase a costly textbook. Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Why Do We Care? Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources What is an Ore? Market-defined discovered & undiscovered deposits Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Ore Deposits Hydrothermal fluids deposit elements & minerals (ores) either in veins or larger volumes of rock Hydrothermal Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Ore Deposits Vein Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Ore Deposits Disseminated Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources galena (Pb) cinnabar (Hg) pyrite (Fe) sphalerite (Zn)galenacinnabarpyritesphalerite ? + S; commonly includes minerals with Fe, Pb, Ag, Au, Cu, etc. Sulfide Ores chrysocholla (Cu) malachitemalachite (Cu) ? + O; commonly includes Cu minerals Ore Deposits Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Oxide Ores Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Ore Deposits Sulfide Ore Processing Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Ore Deposits Oxide Ore Processing Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Arizona Ore Deposits Porphyry Copper Late Mesozoic/Early Cenozoic rocks Low grade disseminated ores mined by open pit methodsopen pit Mined mostly in Basin & Range and Transition Zone Morenci (the largest), Bisbee, Ray, etc. Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Arizona Ore Deposits Massive Sulfides Large amounts of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), gold (Au), & silver (Ag) Proterozoic rocks Mined mostly in Transition Zone Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Arizona Ore Deposits Massive Sulfides United Verde Mine Black smoker depositsBlack smoker Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Arizona Ore Deposits Asbestos Some fibers occur naturally in the air (we breathe ~1 million fibers per year) Removal is expensive (in $7 billion for removal) A general term for fibrous forms of several different minerals White asbestos not carcinogenic (in 95% of U.S. buildings) Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Arizona Ore Deposits Asbestos Proterozoic rocks Mined mostly in the Transition Zone Mined across Arizona Occurs mostly in sedimentary rocks Mineral Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Arizona Ore Deposits Uranium Non-renewable resources (fossil fuels, nuclear) Renewable resources (hydro, geothermal, solar, wind) Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Hydrocarbons = compounds of H + C, with O, N, S Hydrocarbons Forming oil & natural gas: 1) organic material 2) bury, compact, heat 3) migrate 4) trap Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Fossil Fuel Origins Petroleum, natural gas, coal, etc. generated from the remains of C-based organisms (oil and NG may also have other origins) Petroleumnatural gas Arizona produces minor amounts of oil (Four Corners area) Different types of hydrocarbon traps Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Petroleum & Natural Gas Fossil Fuels Organic matter must accumulate in O 2 -deficient conditions (otherwise it will decay) Burial causes increased T & P forces volatiles (O, N, H) out & concentrates C over a few million years Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Coal Fossil Fuels Provides ~20% of U.S. energy (mostly used for electricity) Abundant - main hydrocarbon resource of the future (may be #1 by 2020) Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Coal Fossil Fuels Mostly in Mesozoic rocks Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Coal Fossil Fuels Most Arizona coal mined in NE Colorado Plateau area (Black Mesa) Coal plants convert ~34% of coal energy to electricity Coal contains 0.2-7% S (+ O 2 = SO 2 = acidic rain) Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Producing Electricity Fossil Fuels Coal-fired, steam-electric power plants Nuclear fission - Isotopes of certain heavy elements are split into lighter elements & release lots of energy Nuclear fission 235 U = 0.7% of all U (expensive to separate) 1 gram of 235 U = 2.7 metric tons of coal Finite supply, waste disposal problems 103 nuclear units supply ~20% of U.S. electricity Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Nuclear $6 billion facility Arizonas Palo Verde Power Plant one of the largest nuke plants in the U.S. (3810 MW - three reactor units)Palo Verde Power Plant Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Nuclear Water spins turbines that spin generators to make electricity Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Hydroelectric Disrupts river system Colorado River Dams & Lakes Glen Canyon (Lake Powell) 1300 MW, but limited to waters heats up > retrieve steam Mostly restricted to the Basin & Range Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Geothermal Passive greenhouses, water heaters Clean, but PV cells are expensive & inefficient Active store in batteries & use later Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight to electricity Photovoltaic Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Solar Convert wind energy to electricity Energy Resources Arizonas Energy & Mineral Resources Wind Clean, but localized and marginally cost effective WWW Links in this Lecture > Ore -> Hydrothermal -> Galena -> Cinnabar -> Pyrite -> Sphalerite -> Malachite -> Porphyry copper -> Open-pit mining -> Massive sulfide -> Seafloor massive sulfide -> Asbestos -> Uraninite -> Petroleum -> Natural gas -> Hydrocarbon -> Coal -Energy & Mineral Resources WWW Links in this Lecture > Coal-fired power plant -> Nuclear power -> Nuclear fission -> Palo Verde power plant - > Hydroelectricity -> Glen Canyon dam -> Hoover Dam -> Parker Dam -> Geothermal power -> Solar power -> Photovoltaic cell -> Wind power -Energy & Mineral Resources