SLO 2 - Minerals

Cause and Effect

What are Minerals? What causes them to form, and what effects do they ultimately have on not only us, but our planet as well?

These are the questions I have tasked myself with knowing the answers to by the end of the semester.

So what are minerals?

Minerals are solid elements or chemical compounds that are formed through a geological process, and are more often than not crystalline.

What causes them to form?

This process can sometimes occur when rocks become hot enough that atoms of elements can join together into different molecules. The event is finalized when these molten rocks return to a cooler temperature. It can also occur in areas once covered by salt water, in rock precipitation, and even where rocks are undergoing metamorphosis. (textbook ch. 2 minerals)

How do minerals affect our lives? It's simple really. They make up a large number on the ingredient list of what our daily necessities contain. For example, it takes a myriad of minerals just to keep a mobile phone running, making our days that much easier.

There are loads of other places that we never consider might contain minerals, including window glass, gravel, chimneys, metal door hinges and knobs, pennies and other change, objects made from plastic, electronics, our utensils, and so much more. (mineralsed.ca)

In terms of mining as a whole, we see that the effects can sometimes be catastrophic. Because of its ever-growing expansion, which often includes deforestation, erosion, and contamination, it only really benefits the owners of each company who consume their profit like one might consume their breakfast. We see this often in the arctic, where companies and people in power attempt to fight the laws that were placed to protect rare and precious ecosystems. (biomedcentral.com)

Not only are minerals mined inefficiently, but separated that way as well. In most cases, this is done through the use of chemicals like cyanide and mercury. Although it is no longer used in mining today, mercury persists in our environment for decades. The same cannot be said for cyanide however, as it is still being used today in modern gold mining. Both of which, are incredibly dangerous, especially when they get into our water supply.

Low air quality is another major consequence that comes from mining minerals, especially when it is coupled with the planets expanding global warming. This more often than not leads to health problems that can surface in the form of disease, weakened lungs, cancer, and a myriad of other not-so-fun mortality-leading side effects.

Finally, we are brought to hazardous waste. This can be caused by a number of things, though the majority always leads us back to minerals. As it is, we are running out of space to throw our waste, which is contributing to the eventual collapse of our beloved ecosystems. Not to mention, its slowly killing our wildlife.

So how can we help?

It's actually a lot more simple than we might expect. Below are a few steps that we can all take toward helping with the affects of deforestation, global warming, and plastic use.

Step 1: Plant a tree wherever you can! The more, the merrier.

Step 2: Go paperless at home, in the office, and if possible even at school! Nowadays students are leaning more toward electronics when it comes to taking notes, and I have personally found either method to be just as effective in educational or work settings.

Step 3: Recycle! Recycle! Recycle! And don't just do this with your own items, purchase other recycled items while you're at it as well!

Step 4: Purchase certified wood products!

Step 5: Do your research to support only companies committed to helping better our Earth and reducing deforestation.

Step 6: RAISE YOUR VOICE TO RAISE AWARENESS. Our voice is the most powerful weapon we have. Use it to educate the communities around you to incite change!

Step 7: Most important of all: reduce waste by buying only what you know you will use.