Natural Resources Part 1 PDF

Natural Resources Part 1 Asmita Mittal Resource Definition: - A resource is a source or supply that produces benefits. - It includes materials, energy, services, human/staff, knowledge, or other assets. - Resources are transformed to produce benefits, and in...

Natural Resources Part 1 Asmita Mittal Resource Definition: - A resource is a source or supply that produces benefits. - It includes materials, energy, services, human/staff, knowledge, or other assets. - Resources are transformed to produce benefits, and in the process, may be consumed or made unavailable. Benefits of Resource Utilization: - Increased wealth, meeting needs, proper functioning of a system, enhanced well-being. Human Perspective: - A natural resource is anything obtained from the environment to satisfy human needs. Biological/Ecological Perspective: - A resource satisfies the needs of a living organism. Resource - Concept and Application Application: - Applied in diverse realms: economics, biology, ecology, computer science, management, and human resources. - Linked to concepts of competition, sustainability, conservation, and stewardship. - In human society, resource allocation requires resource management. Natural Resources Definition: - Living and non-living things from the Earth that living things need. Types of Natural Resources: 1. Renewable Resources: - Replenished at a rate equal to or greater than their use. - Examples: Air (wind), fresh water, soil, sunlight. 2. Non-renewable Resources: - Exhaustible, extracted faster than formed. - Examples: Fossil fuels, diamonds, metals, ores, minerals. Concerns: - Even renewable resources have become limiting and concerning due to unsustainable use and pollution. Non-renewable Resources - Coal Usage in India: - About 30% of India's energy needs are met through coal consumption. - Major consumers: power, steel, cement, railways, fertilizer, and household sectors. Challenges: - Coal mining leads to pollution of air, water, and land. - Depletion is irreversible for present and future generations. Coal Reserves in India: - About 5.7% of global coal reserves. - Major coal-producing states: Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal. Environmental Impact: - India accounts for the world’s greatest concentration of coal seam fires. - Coal mining areas suffer from pollution of air, water, and land. Non-renewable Resources - Petroleum Origin: - Derived from organic matter (microscopic marine plants and animals) trapped in sediment. - Nearly 60% found in Cenozoic age strata. Extraction: - Obtained by drilling method at depths of about 500-600 km. - Fractional distillation separates petroleum into various fractions. Indian Oil Industry: - Dynamic Fuel Pricing system introduced. - Significant impact on GDP (15%). - Operates in upstream, downstream, and midstream segments. Segments: 1. Upstream: Exploration and production. 2. Midstream: Storage and transportation. 3. Downstream: Refining, storage, transportation, and marketing. Global Impact: - Petroleum is the major contributor to the world’s energy pools. Conclusion: Understanding and managing resources, both renewable and non-renewable, is crucial for sustainable development and the well-being of both present and future generations.  Balancing utilization with conservation is key to meeting human needs while preserving the environment. It is imperative to address environmental challenges associated with resource extraction and consumption to ensure a sustainable future. Mineral Characteristics Crystal Form: - Arrangement of faces in a crystal forms distinct shapes like prisms, pyramids, needles, cubes, sheets. - Common shapes include prisms, pyramids, needles, cubes, and sheets. Hardness: - Ranked by Mohs Hardness Scale. - Harder minerals can scratch softer minerals. - Soft minerals prone to breakdown at Earth’s surface. - More resistant minerals like quartz are preserved. Color: - Minerals have characteristic colors. - Dark minerals (olivine, amphibole, pyroxene, biotite mica). - Light minerals (quartz, feldspar, muscovite mica, calcite). - Some minerals exhibit many colors. Mining of Metallic Minerals: - Mined for metals extracted by smelting. - Examples: Sphalerite (zinc), galena (lead), bauxite (aluminium). Nonmetallic Minerals: - Mined for chemical or physical properties. - Examples: Clay, gravel, salt, gems. Mineral Resources Formation: - Mined from concentrations formed by geological processes (weathering, sedimentation, volcanism). - Suitable conditions for formation are rare and take millions of years. Origin of Mineral Deposits: - Ores are local enrichments of minerals. - Formed through processes leading to localized enrichment. - Five ways minerals become concentrated: 1. Hydrothermal processes. 2. Magmatic processes. 3. Precipitation from water. 4. Concentration by flowing water. 5. Weathering processes. Hydrothermal Mineral Deposits: - Formed by mineral-rich superheated water from vents in solidified magma. - Solutions originate from water dissolved in magma or rainwater/seawater circulating deep in the crust. - Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits formed from mid-ocean ridge volcanism. Alluvial/Placer Deposit: - Alluvium, when deposited or cemented, becomes an alluvial deposit. - Stalactites and stalagmites form in caves. - Biological deposits like chalks, limestone, and fossil fuels. Sedimentary Mineral Deposits: - Precipitation from substances carried in solution. - Three types: Evaporite, Iron, Stratabound deposits. Evaporite Deposits: - Formed by evaporation of lake water or seawater. - Salts precipitate due to evaporation (sodium carbonate, sulfate, table salt, borax). - Used for salt, gypsum, potassium in fertilizers. Startabound and Stratiform Deposits: - Formed in thick sedimentary basins with high geothermal gradients. - Bedded to banded, large lateral extent, not directly related to volcanic rocks. Mineral Resources of the Earth: - Fossil fuels, metals, non-metal materials. - Mining's impact on local, regional, and global scales influences the remaining lifetime of a mineral resource. Environmental Effects of Mining: - Drainage, erosion, sedimentation, cyanide release, dust emissions, habitat modification, groundwater contamination. - Smelting and refining emit pollutants, leading to air and water pollution. - Mining impacts on atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and human health. Mining Waste and Remediation: - Subsidence, spoils, tailings left after extracting valuable ore. - Subsidence is the collapse above a subsurface mine. - Spoils are unwanted rock and waste. - Tailings are materials left after extracting valuable ore. Using Mineral Resources More Sustainably: - Developing substitutes for metals. - Recycling valuable and scarce metals. - Reducing environmental impact compared to mining. Environmental Impact of Mineral Exploitation: - Exploration, extraction, processing cause environmental damage. - Methods like landscaping, tree planting, and reduced impact techniques aim to minimize damage. Environmental Impact Mitigation: - Habitat restoration, landscaping, tree planting, water sprays, baffle mounds, chemical treatment, and careful route choices aim to mitigate impacts. Habitat Loss: - The loss of species where the mineral is extracted is unavoidable. - Capturing and transplanting animals, and habitat restoration post-mining are attempted solutions. Loss of Amenity: - Mining may cause aesthetic problems for local communities. - Reduced by landscaping and tree planting. Air Pollution: - Dust reduced by water sprays. - Noise reduced by baffle mounds and restricted times for blasting. Water Pollution: - Turbid drainage water reduced by sedimentation lagoons and filtration. - Toxic leachate reduced by chemical treatment. Spoil Disposal: - Spoil instability can cause landslides or erosion. - Reduced by drainage, compaction, and landscaping. Transport Nuisance: - Mineral transportation can produce noise, fumes, dust, and cause traffic accidents. - Reduced by water sprays and careful route choices.