WHY ARE
NON-RENEWABLE
RESOURCES
IMPORTANT?
Non-renewable resources are natural resources that take millions of years
to form. Because they take such a long time to form, we say that they cannot
be renewed. Once we have used them, they are gone forever. Fossil fuels and
minerals are two important types of non-renewable resources.
Fossil fuels were formed from ancient plant and animal life. Oil, natural
gas, and coal are fossil fuels. Extracting these resources can be difficult. It
can also be dangerous to both human and natural environments. Fossil fuels
sometimes need to be refined, or separated from other materials such as
water, minerals, and gas.
Minerals are natural solid substances not formed from plant or animal life.
They are found in the rocks that make up Earth. Usually, useful minerals such
as copper, gold, and salt are found mixed with other materials. They need
to be separated, or processed. There are many minerals. Geographers find
it helpful to make categories of minerals, such as metallic and non-metallic
(Figure 8.1).
A
non-renewable resource a resource that is limited
and cannot be replaced if
it is used up
fossil fuels fuels, such as
oil, natural gas, and coal,
formed millions of years ago
from the remains of plants
and animals
mineral a naturally occurring,
solid substance not formed
from plant or animal life
FIGURE 8.1 The table below
shows two types of minerals:
metallic and non-metallic.
(A) gold (metallic); (B) potash
(non-metallic)
B
Type of Mineral
metallic
Where is it found?
usually found in rocks that were molten (made liquid by
intense natural heat, such as in volcanoes) and have cooled
Examples
aluminum, copper, gold (Figure 8.1A), iron, nickel, zinc
224
non-metallic
Where is it found?
usually found in sedimentary rocks (rocks formed from
sediment, which is matter carried by water or wind and
deposited on the surface of the land)
Examples
asbestos, gravel, potash (Figure 8.1B), salt
UNIT 2: Our World’s Natural Resources: Use and Sustainability
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HOW WE RELY ON FOSSIL FUELS
We rely heavily on fossil fuels in our daily lives. Fossil
fuels are used to produce most of the world’s energy.
Oil supplies just over one third of the world’s energy
(Figure 8.2). Oil and natural gas are refined into other
substances. These substances are used to manufacture
products, such as plastics, paints, rubber, and cosmetics.
It is also used to make gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicles.
In Canada, more than 96 percent of all powered vehicles
use fossil fuel products.
USING COAL FOR ELECTRICITY
World Energy Supply, 2012
hydroelectric
other*
2.3%
6.7%
nuclear
9.7%
oil
36.1%
coal
19.5%
natural gas
25.7%
FIGURE 8.2 The world relies on different sources of
Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel in the world. The World energy. Most of our energy comes from fossil fuels.
Coal Association estimates that, at current rates of use, there *The section labelled “other” includes resources, such
as flow resources.
is enough coal to last around 112 years. The use of coal in
Canada is declining due to environmental concerns. Burning
coal produces carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse
gases. Even so, burning coal is the fastest growing use of fossil
fuels worldwide. Most of this increase is in Asia, where coal
remains a very important source of electricity. For example,
FIGURE 8.3 A coal-burning power plant in China
69 percent of China’s electricity is generated by burning coal
spews CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the air.
(Figure 8.3). In the United States, coal generates 42 percent
I wonder how much coal is being burned for
of the electricity used each year.
electricity in this factory?
Geography 7 SB
0-17-659048-X
FN
CO
C08-F01-G07SB (redo)
Crowle Art Group
Pass
5th pass
Approved
Not Approved
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CHAPTER 8: Non-renewable Resources
225
HOW WE USE MINERALS EVERY DAY
We use minerals in all parts of our daily lives. Think about the minerals that
are in your home. For example,
• copper wires conduct electricity throughout your home
• copper pipes deliver water throughout your home
• steel, which is made from iron, is used in appliances and in some
furniture
• steel or other types of metal are used for heating ducts
• sand and gravel are used to make concrete for the foundation in your
home and the roads you take to school
• aluminum is used to make food containers
• many different minerals are used in electronic devices such as computers,
televisions, and cellphones (Figure 8.4)
Without minerals, your home would be very different and much
less comfortable.
The Minerals Education Coalition estimates that every person in
the United States uses 19 tonnes of new minerals every year. That is
about the same weight as 13 small cars. This includes minerals used for
transportation, buildings, homes, and electronics. Fortunately, there are
enough minerals in the world that we are unlikely to run out. However, we
are in danger of using up the large deposits that are easily available. Future
generations may have to use deposits that are of low quality or are hard
to reach.
FIGURE 8.4 Several different types
of minerals are used to make
the components of a cellphone.
Everyday items often contain a
variety of mineral products.
SILVER
CIRCUITRY
COPPER
CIRCUITRY
MINERALS
IN A
CELLPHONE
TANTALUM
CIRCUITRY
IRON
SPEAKER
LITHIUM
BATTERY
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UNIT 2: Our World’s Natural Resources: Use and Sustainability
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CREATING
GIS MAPS
What makes geography a unique discipline is its ability to link
the what with the where. A geographic information system
(GIS) allows geographers to use data to describe and
analyze places around us in two ways by asking: What is it?
and Where is it?
In a GIS, information is represented in different layers that
can be combined to make a map (Figure 8.5). These layers
can represent geographic data including physical features,
such as rivers and mountains, or human features, such as
roads and cities. They can also represent descriptive data, such as
population or climate change, and they can show active events, such as
hurricanes that are forming. The layers can also incorporate images, such
as satellite images.
With a GIS, we can ask questions about
• description (the what): for example, What is the air quality like in China?
• location (the where): for example, Where are the coal-burning power
plants found in China?
water
land use
topography
FIGURE 8.5 A GIS can show
several layers of geographic
data combined together.
Many professional geographers use GIS to solve problems in a
community or on a global scale. Urban planners use GIS to decide where
transportation systems should be located. They can use population data
to predict where the city will grow. Wildlife planners can use GIS to help
determine the habitat range of a species and then use that information to
help plan the location of a new protected park.
HOW TO CREATE A GIS MAP
Use a GIS program, such as ArcGIS Online, to
create an interactive map showing the world’s
major oil and gas reserves by country.
STEP 1
STEP 2
Add layers. To do this, go to the “search for layers”
function and, in the search box, type in a topic of
interest (feature class). You will then be able to find
this data directly from the Internet. This will give
you a layer of data for your chosen topic. This layer
is overlaid on your National Geographic basemap.
STEP 3
Save your map. Give your map a title and
description, then share it with others.
STEP 5
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STEP 4
Start ArcGIS Online. Choose an area. For this map,
the area will be the world.
Choose a basemap. In this case, use the National
Geographic basemap.
Add your own data to your map with map notes.
You can also display images and charts for
map features.
CHAPTER 8: Non-renewable Resources
227
WHERE WE FIND FOSSIL FUELS
Fossil fuels were created hundreds of millions of years ago from dead
plants and animals. The decomposing remains were buried under layers
of mud, rock, and sand. This process went on for millions of years. The
layers of material built up. In some cases, the layers are hundreds of metres
thick. The pressure from the overlying material changed the decomposing
remains into fossil fuels. Different types of fossil fuels were created under
different conditions.
• Crude oil is oil that has not been refined. It formed in places where sea life
was covered in sediments, material that sinks to the bottom of water. The
pressure of the overlying layers and heat from Earth’s core “cooked” the
remains and formed the crude oil. A concentration of crude oil is called
an oil deposit.
• When deep crude oil deposits were heated even more, gases were
released. These formed pockets, or deposits, of natural gas.
• Trees and other plants covered by layers of material changed into coal.
Figure 8.6 shows areas where we might find oil and gas deposits. Not all of
these areas are on land. Some of these deposits are located under the sea
floor. Later in this chapter, you will learn how the location of these resources
affects how we remove them.
How does
the presence of
resources affect that
region’s environmental,
economic, political, and
social situation?
Areas of Potential Oil and Gas Deposits
150˚ W 120˚ W 90˚ W 60˚ W 30˚ W
0˚
30˚ E 60˚ E 90˚ E 120˚ E 150˚ E
ARCTIC OCEAN
Arctic Circle
60˚ N
60˚N
30˚ N
Tropic of Cancer
PACIFIC
OCEAN
OCEAN
30˚N
PACIFIC
Equator
0˚
ATLANTIC
0˚
OCEAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
Tropic of Capricorn
30˚ S
30˚ S
N
0
60˚ S
1900 km
60˚S
Antarctic Circle
Oil and Gas Deposits
areas of potential
150˚ W 120˚ W 90˚ W 60˚ W 30˚ W
0˚
30˚ E 60˚ E
90˚ E 120˚ E 150˚ E
FIGURE 8.6 The areas shown in purple have geologic characteristics
associated with oil and gas deposits. Only some are worth extracting.
Those that we can easily extract are called reserves.
228
UNIT 2: Our World’s Natural Resources: Use and Sustainability
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WHERE WE FIND MINERALS
1
40
˚W
0˚
W
80˚N
ARCTIC
˚W
120
60
˚W 1
00˚W 80˚W
4
60˚N
Ci
rc
le
OCEAN
Minerals are created by the same forces that created the surface of the
planet. Figure 8.7 shows that landform patterns are connected to where
different types of minerals are found. We can find minerals by looking at
types of rocks and the forces that created them.
• Metallic minerals are usually found in rocks created by enormous
heat and pressure. Landforms created by high heat and pressure are
mountains, plateaus, shields, and volcanoes.
• Non-metallic minerals are usually found in rocks created by sediments.
20˚W formed at the bottom of ancient bodies of water.
These are commonly
GREENLAND
Landforms created by sediments include plains, valleys, and lake bottoms.
c
i
ct
Ar
Location of Metallic Minerals and Diamond Mines in
Landform Regions of Canada, 2014
NUNAVUT
80˚N
40˚W
40
˚W
1
N
0˚
W
How can we use
landform patterns to
look for minerals?
ALBERTA
MANITOBA
SASK.
BAY
ONTARIO
N
UNITED
STATES
100˚W
shields
plains
40˚N
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
NEWFOUNDLAND
AND LABRADOR
HUDSON
MANITOBA
BAY
QUÉBEC
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
SASK.
ONTARIO
NOVA
SCOTIA
NEW
BRUNSWICK 60˚W
N
UNITED
STATES
120˚W
60˚N
40˚W
diamond mine
FIGURE 8.7 The location of metallic
minerals and diamond mines are
closely related to landforms.
20˚W
GREENLAND
NUNAVUT
Mines
metallic mineral
4
i
ct
Ar
QUÉBEC
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
60˚N
YUKON NOVA
140˚W
NORTHWEST
SCOTIA
TERRITORIES
NEW
BRUNSWICK 60˚W
BRITISH
COLUMBIA
450 km
0
80˚W
ALBERTA
Landform Regions
mountains
˚W
120
60
˚W 1
00˚W 80˚W
Ci
rc
le
HUDSON
PACIFIC OCEAN
ISH
MBIA
ATLANTIC
ARCTIC
OCEAN
OCEAN
160˚W
NEWFOUNDLAND
ALASKAAND LABRADOR
(U.S.A.)
c
NORTHWEST
TERRITORIES
100˚W
80˚W
0
450 km
Landform Regions
mountains
CHECK-IN
shields
plains
Mines
metallic mineral
diamond mine
1. COMMUNICATE Explain to a partner why
minerals are an example of a non-renewable
natural resource.
3. SPATIAL SIGNIFICANCE Why are non-metallic
minerals likely to be found where an ocean or
body of water once existed?
2. EVALUATE AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS Imagine a room
that contains no metals at all. What materials
could you use in place of metals?
4. PATTERNS AND TRENDS Potash is a non-metallic
mineral used for fertilizer. Using Figure 8.7 above,
predict where potash is found in Canada.
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CHAPTER 8: Non-renewable Resources
229