GEOLOGY CMU Bill Palmer Economic Geology GEOLOGY If
GEOLOGY CMU Bill Palmer Economic Geology
GEOLOGY If it can’t be grown it must be mined!
GEOLOGY v “If it can’t be grown it must be mined!” v This is a favorite saying of miners and others who make their living from a knowledge of geology.
GEOLOGY v Let’s look at some of the mineral and geologic resources that are important to society with a special emphasis on those found in Missouri. is one of the top TEN states in the production of geologic resources. v Missouri
GEOLOGY v Geologic Resources are generally divided into TWO types: v Locally Important-resources that are mined locally and used locally. Can not be shipped to other markets economically. v Globally Important-resources that are mined locally and can be shipped anywhere in the world and for a profit.
GEOLOGY v Missouri ranks: v 1 st in fireclay production v 1 st in lime production v 1 st in lead production v 2 nd in iron pigments production v 3 rd in barite production v 3 rd in iron ore production v 4 th in zinc production v 5 th in Portland cement production v 5 th in Fuller’s earth production v 6 th in Copper production
GEOLOGY v Total value of these resources to the state of Missouri is about $1 -1. 5 billion/year. v This generates about $4 -5 billion/year to Missouri’s economy.
GEOLOGY Barite-locally called “tiff” in MO v Gray to white, soft mineral, heavy (4. 5 X water) v Mined by individuals since 1850 by pick and shovel. Sold for $2. 00/ton v Inert v Mixed with water to make oil well drilling mud. This is put in drill hole to cool the bit, keep the hole from collapsing, float rock to the top, and contain any oil v
GEOLOGY Barite
GEOLOGY v Barite-is also used in: Paint v “Slick” magazine covers v Rubber v Glass v Textiles v Concrete v Nuclear reactors v X-rays v
GEOLOGY Cement-made from limestone, clay, shale v Heated to 2, 500 -3, 000 degrees v Add gypsum v Then pulverized v Cement + sand + rock + water = concrete v Most along the Mississippi River v Must have the resources and ability to ship by barge v THE most important economically geological resource in the state= $200, 000/yr v
GEOLOGY Missouri Cement Plant
GEOLOGY Chert/Flint-very common v Locally abundant v Used for road surface-blacktop v Wears well v Sometimes mistaken as dinosaur eggs, bones, fossil melons, or petrified eggs v Indian points v Red, pink, and gray chert is MOZARKITE-the Missouri State Rock v
GEOLOGY Chert
GEOLOGY v Chert/Flint-very common v Don’t throw a chert rock into a campfire…it could explode-it has water in it and as it dries it could crack and explode! v Try skipping chert rocks in the dark and watch for the sparks!
GEOLOGY v Clay and Shale-used for native American pots v Used to make bricks, tile, terra-cotta, flowerpots, china, paper v Early Missourians used clay and shale to make bricks v Fireclay is used to make heat-resistant bricks-the launching pads of the space shuttle
GEOLOGY Bricks and other materials made from clay and shale.
GEOLOGY v Coal-Pretty common in MO-found in 63/114 counties, 40 identified coal beds v Needs to be about 12’ thick to mine v Most is in N and NW MO v MO coal has high sulfur so cannot be used straight economically v Sometimes mixed with low-sulfur coal from Wyoming
GEOLOGY Coal mining in Missouri
GEOLOGY v Cobalt and Nickel-Present in some lead ores-not profitable at this time v Copper-By product from lead and Zinc mining v Gemstones-some quartz-jasper (red quartz), agate (banded quartz), smoky quartz (black or grayish quartz) Some nice mineral specimens come from the lead mines
GEOLOGY Some Missouri Gemstones
GEOLOGY v Iron-Historically common v Mined by hand since 1700 s v Iron Mountain and Pilot Knob were two early sources v Ironton had first iron refinery west of Mississippi River in 1815 v No active refineries in MO now, Missouri ore is used in other states
GEOLOGY Pilot Knob and Iron mining in Missouri
GEOLOGY v Lead-French discovered lead in Missouri in 1701 (yes 1701!) needed to mold bullets v Trappers and traders would find lead ore on surface, build a small refinery of rocks and use wood to smelt the lead. Lead would then be molded into bullets. . not very efficient but didn’t need much for bullets
GEOLOGY Early French trappers and traders used Missouri as a source for lead musket balls.
GEOLOGY v Lead-Today lead is mined in large underground mines complete with heavy equipment v The equipment is disassembled and sent down a shaft and then reassembled v Lead mines are “hard rock mines” not like “soft rock mines” (coal) and are considered quite safe v Most lead us used for storage batteries (cars) v Electronics, glass, bearings, plumbing, solder
GEOLOGY Lead
GEOLOGY v Lime-made from crushed limestone v Much is used in chemical industry v Also used n glass, paper, sugar refining, water softener, metal, agriculture, and construction
GEOLOGY v Oil and Gas-Limited in MO v Wells were drilled in 1800 s v Not much oil but did find natural gas v Some producing gas wells in W and NW MO v Big Question? If MO has so much coal why isn’t there oil? No one knows!
GEOLOGY v Sand Gravel-Very common locally v Most sand comes from MO and MS rivers v Gravel is from streams v Gravel is not used as much as it once was as it destroys the stream bed to mine Sand Plant at Jefferson City
GEOLOGY v Silica Sand-This is a special high quality sand used for glass, metal casting, polishing v Mined near St. Louis. PPG glass factory in west county Silica Sand Greenhouse
GEOLOGY v Silver-one historic mine in MO v Most silver comes as by-product from lead mining v Used in coins, jewelry, flatware, chemicals Silver Jewelry Silver Mines RA St. Francois River
GEOLOGY v Stone- Crushed and dimension stone v Crushed stone used for roads (Rock Quarry), cement, lime, agricultural lime, concrete v Dimension stone-high quality, no cracks, cut to size and used in buildings Rock Quarry Ag Lime
GEOLOGY v Stonev Marble-Really limestone-has been used for fancy buildings in every state of the nation v MO state capitol v Federal court bldg, NYNY v Notre Dame University v National Art Gallery Wash. D. C. v Stanford University
GEOLOGY Missouri State Capitol Jefferson City
GEOLOGY v Water-Missouri has more water than most states v 32 -48 inches of rain annually v Barge traffic v Drinking water v Industry v Power generation v Some ground water too saline for use
GEOLOGY Water use in Missouri
GEOLOGY v Zinc-used in brass, galvanized metal, nails, fence, dry cell batteries, primer for chrome plating (car door handle), paint, textile, floor tiles v Comes from the mineral Sphalerite Galvanized Pots and Pans
GEOLOGY-Wrap-ups v No wrap-ups with this lecture (hooray!)
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