What is one breakthrough material in the materials revolution that is being used for bridges and building?

Influence on bridge design The successful use of cast iron in 1781 pioneered the choice of that material for many subsequent bridges, and cast iron arches of considerable span were constructed late in the 18th and early in the 19th century.

What surface mining procedure would most likely be used to mine coal on hilly terrain?

Strip mining is commonly used for mining coal seams and phosphate beds. In hilly terrain the mining of the overburden and the deposit (usually a coal seam) follows the contour around the hill and into the hillside up to the economic limits; hence it is called contour mining.

Why does subsurface mining have less of a direct environmental impact than surface mining *?

Why does subsurface mining have less of an environmental impact than surface mining? a. Subsurface mining uses less than one-tenth as much land.

What can we do when a resource has been economically depleted?

1. recycle or reuse what has already been extracted.
2. cut down on unnecessary waste of the resource.
3. find a substitution.
4. just do without it.

What material below makes up 71\% of the earth’s crust?

The outermost and thinnest zone of the earth is the crust. Continental crust, which underlies the continents. Oceanic crust, which underlies the ocean basins and makes up 71\% of the earth’s crust.

What is the most widely used building material ever employed?

Concrete is one of the oldest building materials with a history dating back to ancient Egypt. Today, concrete – comprised primarily of water, aggregate and cement – is the most widely used material in the world.

How do you extract coal?

Coal can be extracted from the earth either by surface mining or underground mining. Once coal has been extracted, it can be used directly (for heating and industrial processes) or to fuel power plants for electricity. If coal is less than 61 meters (200 feet) underground, it can be extracted through surface mining.

What type of minerals are extracted with surface mining methods?

Surface mining accounts for two thirds of the world’s solid minerals, and is predominantly used in obtaining sand, gravel, crushed stone, phosphates, coal, copper, iron and aluminum…

How does subsurface mining affect the environment?

Subsurface mines produce large amounts of environmentally hazardous acid mine drainage. The groundwater from the mines is more acidic than surface waters and disrupts ecosystems by changing the pH conditions of soil and water sources.

Is surface or subsurface mining worse?

Subsurface mining is actually less disruptive to the earth and produces less waste than surface mining, but it’s also much less effective and more dangerous. Many workers die in mine collapses, which then also leaves behind a large hole from caving in of the ground above.

What is economic depletion of a mineral resource?

Economic depletion is a decrease in the economic return of a mineral resource [9,28] that is caused by lost earnings which could be used for social development.

What are the causes of depletion of resources?

What causes the depletion of our natural resources?

• Overpopulation.
• Overconsumption and waste.
• Deforestation and the Destruction of Ecosystems leading to loss of biodiversity.
• Mining of Minerals and Oil.
• Technological and Industrial Development.
• Erosion.
• Pollution and Contamination of resources.