Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the purpose of tailings in the mining process?
What is the purpose of tailings in the mining process?
What is the main factor that determines the growing season in agriculture?
What is the main factor that determines the growing season in agriculture?
What percentage of Canada's land is classified as Class 1, ideal for farming?
What percentage of Canada's land is classified as Class 1, ideal for farming?
What is the primary reason why exploration for mineral reserves is critical in Canada?
What is the primary reason why exploration for mineral reserves is critical in Canada?
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What is the contribution of crop and animal production to Canada's GDP?
What is the contribution of crop and animal production to Canada's GDP?
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What is the name of the process that calculates the amount of heat required for crop growth?
What is the name of the process that calculates the amount of heat required for crop growth?
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What is the primary purpose of using a magnetometer in mineral exploration?
What is the primary purpose of using a magnetometer in mineral exploration?
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Which type of mining is used to extract minerals that are found near the surface but also extend deep into the ground?
Which type of mining is used to extract minerals that are found near the surface but also extend deep into the ground?
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What is the percentage of Canadian jobs related to agriculture when including the entire food production chain?
What is the percentage of Canadian jobs related to agriculture when including the entire food production chain?
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Which of the following is NOT a type of metallic mineral?
Which of the following is NOT a type of metallic mineral?
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What percentage of Canada's minerals are exported?
What percentage of Canada's minerals are exported?
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What is the ranking of Canada in terms of global mineral production?
What is the ranking of Canada in terms of global mineral production?
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Study Notes
Minerals in Canada
- Minerals are naturally occurring, non-living substances found in rocks, divided into three groups: metallic minerals, fossil fuels, and industrial materials.
- Canada ranks 3rd in the world for mineral production and 1st in mineral exports, exporting 80% of its minerals.
Metallic Minerals
- Examples: silver, gold, iron, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, platinum, uranium, and zinc.
- When refined, they yield the group of materials known as metals.
- Exploration is critical to find more reserves, as minerals are non-renewable resources.
Mining Metallic Minerals
- Strip mining: removes trees, earth, and rock, sometimes using blasting, and loads material onto trucks for processing.
- Open pit mining: used for minerals near the surface, removes trees, earth, and rocks, and blasts ore into trucks.
- Underground mining: extracts minerals deep underground, using elevators and drilling.
Processing Metallic Minerals
- Milling: separates valuable minerals from waste ore through crushing, separating, filtering, and drying.
- Tailings: dangerous waste materials left after milling, dumped into tailing ponds to eventually turn into solid waste.
Mining Issues
- Acid precipitation
- Abandoned mines
- Exported jobs
Agriculture
- Two climate variables that affect agriculture: solar energy and moisture.
- Growing degree days: calculates the amount of heat by determining the number of degrees the average temperature exceeds 6°C on a given day.
- The growing season: the number of days the crop can ripen.
- The frost-free period: the number of days between the last frost in the spring and the first frost in the autumn.
Soil and Agriculture
- Soil is composed of minerals, water, air, bacteria, and humans.
- Biology: some organisms are highly beneficial to farming, such as earthworms and bees.
- Topography: level, well-drained land is generally best for farming, with fertile valleys and deltas being excellent.
Importance of Agriculture
- Crop and animal production contribute about 1.4% to Canada's GDP.
- About 20% of Canadian jobs are related to agriculture when involving the growing, processing, transportation, and selling of food.
- Land: the basic resource, with Class 1-Deep soils being excellent for farming, representing 0.5% of Canada's land, and Class 7- no capability for farming, representing 86.6% of Canadian land.
Types of Farming
- Natural factors: soil fertility, precipitation levels, and the length of growing season.
- Economic factors: cost or value of land, proximity to market, and competition.
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Description
Learn about the different types of minerals found in Canada, including metallic minerals, fossil fuels, and industrial materials. Discover examples of each and their uses.
