Resource UseResource Use

Resource UseResource Use PA StandardsPA Standards

• 4.6.12.A: Ecosystems and 4.6.12.A: Ecosystems and their Interactionstheir Interactions

• 3.3.12.B: Biological Sciences3.3.12.B: Biological Sciences• 3.4.12.B: Physical Science, 3.4.12.B: Physical Science,

Chemistry, and PhysicsChemistry, and Physics

““The first law of ecology is that The first law of ecology is that everything is related to everything is related to everything else.”everything else.”- - Barry Commoner, Barry Commoner, The Closing Circle: The Closing Circle:

Nature, Man and TechnologyNature, Man and Technology, 1971, 1971

Analyze the Analyze the relationships among relationships among biotic and abiotic biotic and abiotic components of an components of an ecosystemecosystem..

Analyze the chemical Analyze the chemical basis of living basis of living organisms.organisms.

Apply and analyze Apply and analyze energy sources and energy sources and conversions.conversions.

Key QuestionsKey Questions

What are renewable and What are renewable and nonrenewable resources and where nonrenewable resources and where are they found?are they found?

How do we extract mineral resources How do we extract mineral resources from the earth’s crust?from the earth’s crust?

Will there be enough nonrenewable Will there be enough nonrenewable resources for future generations?resources for future generations?

What are renewable and What are renewable and nonrenewable resources and nonrenewable resources and

where are they found?where are they found?

Natural ResourcesNatural Resources

RenewableRenewable• Resources that can be replenished Resources that can be replenished

rapidly through natural processes as rapidly through natural processes as long as it is not used up faster than it is long as it is not used up faster than it is replaced.replaced.

Ex. Forests, wild animals, waterEx. Forests, wild animals, water

• Maximum sustained yield that can be Maximum sustained yield that can be harvested without depleting the harvested without depleting the productive capacity.productive capacity.

Natural ResourcesNatural Resources

NonrenewableNonrenewable• Resource that exist in a fixed amount Resource that exist in a fixed amount

(stock) in the earth’s crust and has the (stock) in the earth’s crust and has the potential for renewal by geological, potential for renewal by geological, physical, and chemical processes taking physical, and chemical processes taking place over hundreds of millions to place over hundreds of millions to billions of years.billions of years.

Ex. Fossil fuels, aluminum, copperEx. Fossil fuels, aluminum, copper

• Can be recyclable or nonrecyclable.Can be recyclable or nonrecyclable.• Optimal extraction rates over time.Optimal extraction rates over time.

Class ActivityClass Activity

Resource Use – Raw MaterialsResource Use – Raw Materials• Identify a Product.Identify a Product.• On your own, list all of the raw materials On your own, list all of the raw materials

necessary for you to buy the product necessary for you to buy the product from a store.from a store.

• With a partner, expand your list from With a partner, expand your list from the previous step.the previous step.

• As a class, make a comprehensive list of As a class, make a comprehensive list of all of the raw materials necessary for all of the raw materials necessary for you to buy this product from a store.you to buy this product from a store.

Mineral ResourcesMineral Resources

The earth’s crust consists of solid The earth’s crust consists of solid inorganic elements and compounds inorganic elements and compounds called minerals that can sometimes called minerals that can sometimes be used as resources.be used as resources.• Mineral resourceMineral resource: is a concentration : is a concentration

of naturally occurring material in or on of naturally occurring material in or on the earth’s crust that can be extracted the earth’s crust that can be extracted and processed into useful materials at and processed into useful materials at an affordable cost.an affordable cost.

Classification of Nonrenewable Classification of Nonrenewable Mineral ResourcesMineral Resources

The U.S. Geological Survey classifies mineral The U.S. Geological Survey classifies mineral resources into four major categories:resources into four major categories:• IdentifiedIdentified: known location, quantity, and : known location, quantity, and

quality or existence known based on direct quality or existence known based on direct evidence and measurements.evidence and measurements.

• UndiscoveredUndiscovered: potential supplies that are : potential supplies that are assumed to exist.assumed to exist.

• ReservesReserves: identified resources that can be : identified resources that can be extracted profitably.extracted profitably.

• Other: undiscovered or identified resources Other: undiscovered or identified resources not classified as reservesnot classified as reserves

General Classification of General Classification of Nonrenewable Mineral ResourcesNonrenewable Mineral Resources

Examples are Examples are fossil fuels fossil fuels (coal, oil), (coal, oil), metallic metallic minerals minerals (copper, iron), (copper, iron), and nonmetallic and nonmetallic minerals (sand, minerals (sand, gravel).gravel).

How do we extract mineral How do we extract mineral resources from the earth’s resources from the earth’s

crust?crust?

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF USING MINERAL RESOURCESUSING MINERAL RESOURCES

The extraction, processing, and use of The extraction, processing, and use of mineral resources has a large mineral resources has a large environmental impact.environmental impact.

Natural Capital Degradation

Extracting, Processing, and Using Nonrenewable Mineral and Energy Resources

Steps Environmental EffectsMining Disturbed land; mining

accidents; health hazards, mine waste dumping, oil spills and blowouts; noise; ugliness; heat

Exploration, extraction

Processing

Solid wastes; radioactive material; air, water, and soil pollution; noise; safety and health hazards; ugliness; heat

Transportation, purification, manufacturing

Use

Noise; ugliness; thermal water pollution; pollution of air, water, and soil; solid and radioactive wastes; safety and health hazards; heat

Transportation or transmission to individual user, eventual use, and discarding

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF USING MINERAL RESOURCESUSING MINERAL RESOURCES

Minerals are removed through a variety of Minerals are removed through a variety of methods that vary widely in their costs, methods that vary widely in their costs, safety factors, and levels of safety factors, and levels of environmental harm.environmental harm.

A variety of methods are used based on A variety of methods are used based on mineral depth.mineral depth.• Surface miningSurface mining: shallow deposits are : shallow deposits are

removed.removed.• Subsurface miningSubsurface mining: deep deposits are : deep deposits are

removed.removed.

Open-Pit Mining Area Strip Mining Contour Strip Mining

Mountaintop Removal Mining Impacts

Will there be enough Will there be enough nonrenewable resources for nonrenewable resources for

future generations?future generations?

ActivityActivity

Economic GoodsEconomic Goods• Science and technology have lead to Science and technology have lead to

developments that have made our lives easier, developments that have made our lives easier, but does that make them necessary? but does that make them necessary?

• Make a list of all of the economic goods that Make a list of all of the economic goods that you use on a daily basis. you use on a daily basis.

• Record an example of each of the following Record an example of each of the following technology categories: Necessary, Useful, and technology categories: Necessary, Useful, and Luxury. Luxury.

• For each example, name For each example, name threethree benefits of the benefits of the technology and technology and threethree ways your life would be ways your life would be different without the technology. different without the technology.

SUPPLIES OF MINERAL SUPPLIES OF MINERAL RESOURCESRESOURCES

The future supply of a resource The future supply of a resource depends on its affordable supply and depends on its affordable supply and how rapidly that supply is used.how rapidly that supply is used.

A rising price for a scarce mineral A rising price for a scarce mineral resource can increase supplies and resource can increase supplies and encourage more efficient use.encourage more efficient use.

Natural Resources EconomicsNatural Resources Economics

Price of a natural resource reflects its Price of a natural resource reflects its scarcity or availability of substitutes.scarcity or availability of substitutes.• Increased scarcity means increased Increased scarcity means increased

price.price.• Increased use of substitutes in Increased use of substitutes in

production.production.

SUPPLIES OF MINERAL SUPPLIES OF MINERAL RESOURCESRESOURCES

Depletion curves Depletion curves for a renewable for a renewable resource using resource using three sets of three sets of assumptions. assumptions. • Dashed vertical Dashed vertical

lines represent lines represent times when times when 80% depletion 80% depletion occurs.occurs.

Thought ProblemsThought Problems If it meant having a resource supply for a longer If it meant having a resource supply for a longer

period of time, would you be willing to pay higher period of time, would you be willing to pay higher prices to help develop better mining technology? prices to help develop better mining technology? Why or why not?Why or why not?

Should hardrock mining companies have to pay Should hardrock mining companies have to pay an 8-12% royalty on the wholesale value of an 8-12% royalty on the wholesale value of minerals they remove from public lands in the minerals they remove from public lands in the United States and take full responsibility for any United States and take full responsibility for any environ mental damage caused by their environ mental damage caused by their activities?activities?• (U.S. General Mining Law of 1872 – modified in 1992)(U.S. General Mining Law of 1872 – modified in 1992)

Review Key QuestionsReview Key Questions

What are renewable and What are renewable and nonrenewable resources and where nonrenewable resources and where are they found?are they found?

How do we extract mineral resources How do we extract mineral resources from the earth’s crust?from the earth’s crust?

Will there be enough nonrenewable Will there be enough nonrenewable mineral resources for future mineral resources for future generations?generations?

ProjectProjectBuying a Car: Product Development ProjectBuying a Car: Product Development Project

““Everything is connected to everything else” is the first law of ecology. This is an Everything is connected to everything else” is the first law of ecology. This is an important concept when making decisions about ourselves, our future, and the important concept when making decisions about ourselves, our future, and the resources we depend on. This research will analyze the many cause-and-effect resources we depend on. This research will analyze the many cause-and-effect relationships that can be drawn between science, technology, and society. relationships that can be drawn between science, technology, and society.

At some point in the future you will have to make a decision on what type of car to At some point in the future you will have to make a decision on what type of car to buy. Beyond considering the brand, price and model, you may also consider the buy. Beyond considering the brand, price and model, you may also consider the “green” factor in the next car that you buy. Would it be better for you to buy a “green” factor in the next car that you buy. Would it be better for you to buy a regular gas car over an electric or hybrid car? Maybe bio-diesel or flex fuel is a better regular gas car over an electric or hybrid car? Maybe bio-diesel or flex fuel is a better option for you, or maybe even a PZEV. But you may not want to buy new and instead option for you, or maybe even a PZEV. But you may not want to buy new and instead consider a used car to be a better option.consider a used car to be a better option.

In this project, you will research vehicles and determine how they are connected with In this project, you will research vehicles and determine how they are connected with science, technology and society. You will explain the connections by considering science, technology and society. You will explain the connections by considering impacts on the human population, resources and the environment.impacts on the human population, resources and the environment.

Explain this connection by considering impacts on:Explain this connection by considering impacts on:• The human populationThe human population• Raw materials/resourcesRaw materials/resources• The environmentThe environment

ProjectProject Criteria in your research should include: Criteria in your research should include:

Raw Materials/ResourcesRaw Materials/Resources• Identify raw materials and identify each as renewable or non-Identify raw materials and identify each as renewable or non-

renewable.renewable. ProductionProduction

• Identify where any factories/production plants are located.Identify where any factories/production plants are located.• Describe the impact that the factory has on the local Describe the impact that the factory has on the local

community.community. TransportationTransportation

• Describe how raw materials are transported to the factory.Describe how raw materials are transported to the factory.• Describe how the product is distributed.Describe how the product is distributed.

Environmental ImpactEnvironmental Impact• Describe how the company is impacting the environment.Describe how the company is impacting the environment.

Positive ImpactsPositive Impacts Negative ImpactsNegative Impacts

• Propose ways that the company can improve its impact on the Propose ways that the company can improve its impact on the environment.environment.