1. What step will be most effective for a manufacturer that wants to reduce the human costs of extracting the minerals it uses in its smartphones?
A. switching to using gold instead of tungsten in its products
B. verifying that child labor was not used in mining these minerals**
C. committing to only mining minerals in the United States
D. decreasing the prices of its products
2. Why have most companies started to extract lithium from brine water rather than mineral ore?
A. The process is less expensive.
B. The ore deposits have been depleted.
C. The quality of lithium is higher.
D. The process is less time-consuming.**
3. Why has demand for rare earth minerals increased in recent years?
A. They are valued because they do not rust or corrode.
B. They can be sold for a high price as limited quantities are available.
C. They are used in a growing number of electronics.**
D. They are needed to extract oil and natural gas from rock.
4. Drag each ore to the metal it produces. Answers may be used more than once.
aluminum copper tin
cassiterite - chalcopyrite - corundum - bauxite
Number 1 - Correct.
Number 2 - Incorrect. It's A. The process is less expensive. because Evaporation takes really long, this is a disadvantage of using the brine water method.
Number 3 - Correct.
Number 4-
Aluminum : Corundum & Bauxite
Copper : Chalcopyrite
Tin : Cassiterite
1. B. verifying that child labor was not used in mining these minerals
2. A. The process is less expensive.
3. C. They are used in a growing number of electronics.
4. aluminum - bauxite
copper - chalcopyrite
tin - cassiterite
cassiterite - tin
chalcopyrite - copper
corundum - no metal produced
bauxite - aluminum
1. To effectively reduce the human costs of extracting minerals used in smartphones, the most effective step would be B. verifying that child labor was not used in mining these minerals. This step involves conducting thorough due diligence and implementing strategies to ensure responsible mining practices are followed, such as auditing suppliers, implementing traceability systems, and actively supporting initiatives to eradicate child labor in mining supply chains.
2. The most common reason why most companies have started to extract lithium from brine water rather than mineral ore is D. the process is less time-consuming. Brine water contains higher concentrations of lithium compared to mineral ore, which means that extracting lithium from brine water requires less time and effort. Additionally, the process of extracting lithium from mineral ore can be more complicated and involve multiple steps, such as crushing, roasting, and chemical treatment, whereas extracting lithium from brine water can be a simpler and faster process.
3. The demand for rare earth minerals has increased in recent years primarily because they are used in a growing number of electronics. Option C is the correct answer. Rare earth minerals, such as neodymium, europium, and lanthanum, have unique properties that make them essential components in electronic devices like smartphones, laptops, and renewable energy technologies. Their ability to enhance performance, improve energy efficiency, and miniaturize devices has led to an increased demand for rare earth minerals.
4. Matching the ores to the metals they produce:
- Aluminum: Bauxite (Bauxite is the primary ore used for aluminum production)
- Copper: Chalcopyrite (Chalcopyrite is one of the main copper ores)
- Tin: Cassiterite (Cassiterite is the primary ore used for tin production)
- There is no correlation between corundum and any of the mentioned metals. Corundum is a mineral that is used as an abrasive and in the production of refractory materials, but it does not produce any specific metal upon extraction.