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- Course
- ES110
- Institution
- Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU )
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Lesson 7 Background
MINERAL - Estimating available resources depends on a verity of
RESOURCES factors such as technology, market demand, costs of
production
- All based of socio-economic characteristics
What is the resource base?
- That part of an identified resource that meets specified
minimum physical and chemical criteria related to current
mining and production practices, including those for grade,
quality, thickness, and depth.
What is the difference between reserves and resources?
- A resource is, a “best guess.” Reserves are that subgroup
of a resource that have been discovered, have a known
size
What is the difference between proven reserves and
conditional reserves?
- Proven reserves are resource caches that exist and can be
recovered
- Conditional reserves are those that are believed to exist,
but require work to determine if they exist and are
recoverable
What is the difference between hypothetical resources and
speculative resources?
- Hypothetical resources are believed to exist based on
geographical data
- Speculative resources exist, but are not yet recoverable
due to lack of economic gain
BEDROCK Igneous rocks: These are rocks that form from cooling and
GEOLOGY solidification of magma or lava. Examples of mining products
associated with igneous rocks include copper, nickel, and
diamond.
Sedimentary rocks: These are rocks that form from the
accumulation and cementation of sediments. Examples of mining
products associated with sedimentary rocks include coal and zinc.
Metamorphic rocks: These are rocks that form from the
transformation of pre-existing rocks due to high temperature and
pressure. Examples of mining products associated with
metamorphic rocks include gold and iron ore.
TYPES OF SUB-SURFACE MINING
MINING - In sub-surface mining, ore is removed from below the
earth's surface and brought to the surface
, - Involves a series of underground shafts
- Little impact on surface visually, however mining these
resources still releases toxins into the water system
Open-pit mining
- Involves creating a large whole on the surface to mine
- Although cost effective, it is very environmentally
destructive
Placer or Dredging
- involves the use of water to extract minerals and metals
from alluvial deposits.
Strip mining
- involves the removal of a strip of overlying soil and rock to
access the ore or mineral deposit below.
Mountain top removal
- involves the removal of the top of a mountain to access the
coal or other mineral deposits below.
- This method of mining has significant environmental
impacts, including the destruction of habitats and water
pollution.
Identify the important minerals of Canada’s economy and recognize their location
in the country.
PRODUCTION - the mining industry and its associated mineral processing
AND ECONOMY industries employed 719,000 Canadians directly and
indirectly in 2020.
- the value of mining's contribution to Canada's GDP, the
Mining Association of Canada reports that the industry
contributed $109 billion to Canada's GDP in 2018.
Which metallic minerals provide the most significant value and what
percent of production value do they represent?
- gold, copper, and iron ore, which together represented 62% of
the total value of metallic mineral production in Canada.
Which non-metallic minerals provided the greatest wealth to the
Canadian economy? Which has the greatest production value?
- Potash brought the greatest wealth (4.1 billion)
- Cement had the greatest production value (2.8 billion)
Which province had the greatest value of resource production in 2018
(see figure 3 from the NRCan website)?
- Ontario had the greatest value of resource production in 2018,
with a value of $33.6 billion.
Which two provinces produce the greatest value of metallic minerals?
- Ontario and Quebec.
, Which two provinces produce the greatest value of coal and non-
metallic minerals?
- Saskatchewan and Ontario
- Saskatchewan produced $7.5 billion worth of potash and $5.6
billion worth of uranium
- Ontario produced $2.5 billion worth of cement and $1.3 billion
worth of salt.
Explain the concept of the boom-bust cycle of the mining industry.
STAPLES When a resource is discovered, it goes through 3 stages called
INDUSTRY AND the boom bust cycle
BOOM BUST
CYCLE Exploration and Development (Stage 1):
- Exploration and discovery of recourses
- Investment in exploration equipment with little workforce
Production and Expansion (Stage 2):
- resources are confirmed and economic value is profitable
- Companies invest heavily into the workforce and
infrastructure/mining equipment
Decline and Reclamation (Stage 3):
- Resources become depleted
- Job layoffs
- the damages done to environment are restored as much as
possible
‘the staples trap’
- economies that rely heavily on the export of raw materials,
or "staples," are prone to a set of economic and political
problems that can limit their long-term development.
Typically, towns that experience the bust boom cycle, have a
large spike in their economy, but when the resource is used
up, the industry leaves causing their economy to die down
Some social issues include:
- Displacement of communities (Indigenous)
- Increased drug and alcohol usage
- High levels of inequality and poverty
Environmental Issues:
- Deforestation / destroyed habitats
- Pollution and air and water
- Release of greenhouse gases
, Understand the concept and process of Environmental Impact Assessment and
Life Cycle Assessment.
ENVIRONMENTAL The main objectives of the Canadian Environmental
IMPACT Assessment Act (CEAA) that was approved in 1993 are:
ASSESSMENT - protect the environment and human health from
potential adverse effects caused by proposed
projects.
- Ensure potential environmental effects of projects
are understood and accounted for
- Provide opportunities for public participation in the
environmental assessment process
- integrate environmental factors into decision-making
- encourage sustainable development, by promoting
projects that are environmentally responsible and
economically viable in the long term.
- Ensure that the government accommodates the
Indigenous
There are also similar impact assessments on the provincial
level.
For instance, in Ontario, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB)
can require an assessment of new housing projects.
In general, impact assessments follow a structured path
which typically includes some combination of the following:
Screening – this determines the necessity or legality of
initiating an assessment
Scoping – to determine how comprehensive the
investigation should be – what environmental or social
components could be potentially impacted
Field and related assessments – collecting first- and
second-hand data on key environmental components, such
as species at risk
Report preparation – this is the initial report summarizing
the assessment
Public Review – the opportunity for the public to review
and respond to the results of the assessment
Decision-Making – should the project go ahead with or
without adjustments or be rejected.
Monitoring – short and long-term monitoring which
determines any impacts and success or failure of mitigation
measures put in place.
LIFE-CYCLE This form of environmental assessment involves examining
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