Geol 110 1st EditionExam # 1 Study Guide Lectures: 1 - 6Lecture 1 We only talked about the syllabus and the scrapbook project on that day.Lecture 2 What is the difference between precious and strategic minerals? What are metallic minerals? What are non-metallic?- Precious vs. Strategico Strategic minerals – necessary or essential for civilian, industrial, or military needso Precious minerals – ornamental or jewelry usage- Metallic Minerals – gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron, aluminum - Nonmetallic – sand and gravel, gypsum, phosphate, building stoneo 94% of the minerals recources consumed in the US are nonmetallic (ex: crushed stone, sand and gravel that are used primarily in construction)o Because of this, there are many large quarries spread across the USWhat are the types of potential energy sources? In what percentage are they used? How are they used? - Wind, Solar, Hydroelectric, Fossil Fuels (oil and gas), Geothermal Fuel (Earth’s internal heat), Nuclear- Types of Energy: Petroleum – most widely used (37%), Natural Gas (25%), Coal (21%), Nuclear Electric Power (9%), Renewable Energy (8%)- Energy Usageo Industrial (31%), Transportation (28%), Residential (22%), Commercial (19%)Lecture 3 How are fossil fuels made? What are the appropriate conditions for fossil fuel formation?- Formation of Fossil Fuels o Fossil fuels originate as organic- rich sedimentary depositso Organic materials are the remains of plants and animalso Burial in sedimentary basins causes the organic material to be ‘cooked’ to different degrees, which produces different types of hydrocarbon materials- Conditions Appropriate for Fossil Fuel Formationo Biologically productive environment producing large quantities of organic material – typically shallow water continental marginso Limited supply of oxygen to bottom waters in contact with sediment limits the biological activity that would act to decompose dead organic materialo Rapid burial of un-decomposed organic material provides for efficient capture of the organic material in sedimentary deposits. Burial in sedimentary basins causes the organic material to be ‘cooked’ to different degrees, thereby producing different types of hydrocarbon materialsWhat is subsidence? Why is it important?- Subsidence the response to the loading of the edges of the continent with large accumulations of sediment. Eventually the lithosphere sinks/subsides under the great weight of the accumulated sediment.- It is important because it can provide the right conditions for fossil fuel formationWhat does coal look like? Where is it found? How much does coal account for the US electric power generation?- Coal is a black, brittle sedimentary rock that is composed of primarily organic materials which are usually the remains of plants that were living at the time that the sedimentary rocks were deposited- Swamps are the primary sedimentary environments because the thick accumulation of plantmaterial (sometimes due to subsidence) can result in the production of a major coal reserve.- Coal accounts for about 50% US electric power generationWhat are the types of coal? - Peat: commonly found in boggy regions at high latitudes, it’s partially altered plant material, it is very smoky when burned and low in energy- Lignite: soft, brown coal, moderate amount of energy. Forms when buried and compacted.- Bituminous Coal: soft, black coal. This type is the major coal used in power generation and industry; it’s also very high in energy.- Anthracite Coal: the highest grade of coal, its ‘cooked’ at a relatively high temperature and therefore has a high energy content. It is also relatively free of pollution-causing impurities such as sulfur. Mainly used in industry. What are the environmental impacts of coal use?- Produces abundant carbon dioxide (which is a greenhouse gas) when burned, Liberates sulfur as sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere upon burning- Acid rain: sulfur dioxide is toxic and complexes with atmospheric water to produce sulfuric acid- Ash is liberated from coal upon burning, and is up to 20% of the volume of coal- Often contains toxic metals such as selenium, mercury and uranium- Safety and environmental issues (global warming)Lecture 4 What is an oil reserve? An oil reserve is an estimate of that part of a total resource that can be extracted and marketed at a profit. They are therefore both economic and political terms. What are the steps in oil and gas formation?- Disgenesis: occurs at the surface or under shallow burial depths, and at temperatures generally less than 50 degrees C. Biogenic methane (aka “swamp gas”) forms. The stuff formed here isn’t very valuable.- Catagenesis: occurs deeper (3-5k) and warmer (80-150 degrees C), so the water is forced outof the rock. The organic material is cooked into a mixture of kerogen (the non-reactive/insoluble part of the organic material) and oil. The breakdown of kerogen results in the formation of natural gas.- Metagenesis: occurs a depths greater than 5k, and temperatures higher than 150 degrees C.These are essentially the conditions of early metamorphism. Under these conditions, production of natural gas continues from the breakdown of kerogen. Beyond about 300° theremaining kerogen becomes graphite and the formation of natural gas ends. How are hydrocarbons generated?In order for hydrocarbons to accumulate in a reservoir, there must be a seal to prevent the fluids from flowing back out. A seal is rock with low permeability, like shale, salt, and unfractured limestone. Sometimes faults can create seals.How are oil and gas reserves created? How is oil found?There are 4 features that are required:- Source rock: where the hydrocarbons are created; usually a black shale that contains a large quantity of organic material- A Migration pathway: something that allows the hydrocarbons to flow upward through the rock formations (pores/fractures)- Reservoir rock: typically sandstones that are highly porous or fractured (both porous and permeable), so it can hold a large quantity of oil. - Trap/Seal rocks: keeps the oil or gas in the reservoir. Oil is found by seismic imaging (using sound waves)What are the advantages and disadvantages of natural gas?- Advantages: Minimal processing, burns more cleanly, provides more energy, there’s already extensive infrastructure already in place to handle gas, new technologies might make gas a transportation fuel, extensive reserve gas through fracking-