Resource security Flashcards
(104 cards)
1
Q
What is a resource
A
Assets that are useful to society and are valued by people, and that contribute in someway to economic development
Examples include: energy, oil, water, coal and minerals
2
Q
What two categories are there for resources
A
Stock and Flow
3
Q
What is a stock resource
A
a finite and nonrenewable resource
they have taken millions of years to form and cannot be replenished over human timescales
4
Q
What is a flow resource, and what is its sub category
A
resources that can continuously be replenished within human timescales, making them renewable
a sub category is a critical flow resource, which require careful human management to ensure their continued availability
5
Q
what is a reserve and how do we classify something as one
A
deposits of minerals which can be extracted now, due to being economically viable and sufficient available technology and legal entitlement to enable extraction
6
Q
What is a resource and how do we classify something as one
A
all deposits of mineral resources which may be viable to extract in future, with technological advances or an increase in demand for the mineral
7
Q
what are some determining factors when thinking about the availability of resources
A
physical availability: patterns and quantities across the globe
economical viability: whether the price of the resource makes it worthwhile to extract the resource
political access: do you have permission to extract the resources from the government?
environmental concerns: can the resources be extracted without causing unwanted damage to the environment
8
Q
what are the factors affecting the viability if mineral extraction? make a cloud
A
deposit
- depth of overburden
- geology of overburden
- hydrology -> pumping costs
economic
- transport costs
- extraction costs
- processing costs
- labour costs
- compensation costs
social
- noise pollution
- residents have to move away
- land use conflicts
environmental
- air pollution
- habitat destruction
9
Q
What are physical risks relating to the accessibility of a resource
A
10
Q
What are geopolitical risks relating to the accessibility of a resource
A
11
Q
what is a resource frontiers
A
examples: south Sudan, arctic, deep seas, and Shetland islands
it is an area where resources are brought into production for the first time.
12
Q
what are the characteristics of resources frontiers
A
peripheral environments
natural environments with little human development
extreme environments
may be within international territory
13
Q
four things about resource frontiers
A
- often in peripheral areas
- extreme environments
- within international territories
- in natural environments where theres little to no human development
14
Q
What is a resource peak
A
marks the point in time when the largest production of a mineral resource will occur in an area, production declining in subsequent years
15
Q
What is the expected impacts of reaching a resource peak for companies exploiting the resources ?
On general public?
The environment?
A
- Maximum rates of production = most profit, although they will ave to reduce outputs in the future
- resource will be cheaper for the public
- negative effect on environment, with huge contribution to climate change
16
Q
What are some challenges for prediction of oil extraction
A
- changes in technology
- fears of post peak decline
- major geopolitical events -> 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill
- conflicts like war
17
Q
What are some base metals
A
Copper, lead and zinc
18
Q
What are some ferrous metals and ferroalloy metals
A
Iron, and alloys with chromium
19
Q
What are some non ferrous metals
A
aluminium
20
Q
What are some rare earth metals
A
scandium and yttrium
21
Q
What are some precious metals
A
gold, silver and platinum
22
Q
How is ‘finite nature’ of a resource an issue affecting mineral ores
A
the more we use, the more they are depleted
23
Q
How is ‘price volatility’ of a resource an issue affecting mineral ores
A
the price of the resource fluctuates a lot
24
Q
What are the rare earth metals
A
17 elements that are distributed in the earth’s crust randomly, and are used for specific technologies that are hard to find substitute metals
25
Who is the world's largest rare earth metal producer
China, by a far amount
26
What are the issues with mining rare earths
Large use of chemicals to extract, which creates toxic waste
Refining and processing
27
Things about copper
- heats up fast, cools down fast
- great conductor
- malleable
- Reserves in Africa
- major uses in decarbonisation (renewable energy)
two kinds of: oxides and sulfides
- 30 million tonnes per annul is used per year -> expected to double by 2050
- lots of contributions of recycled copper
- lots of use in electronics, hospitals (antibacterial properties)
28
Our example of a globally traded non-ferrous metal
Copper
29
sources of copper
igneous rocks as hydrothermal deposits, but also in sedimentary rocks
30
How copper is formed in porphyries
Crystals in cooling magma reduces the amount of solution that copper resided in,
31
How copper is formed in Strata-bound deposits
Mineral rich solutions infiltrated the layers of sedimentary rocks through cracks and fissures
Copper was then precipitated within the layers of sedimentary rocks
32
How copper is formed in massive sulfide deposits
Mineral ores are deposited in 'nodules' near the hydrothermal vents on the seafloor.
33
overall changes in production and consumption of copper?
- increased due to the massive increase of electronic goods
- increased due to better technologies in locating and mining for the mineral
- increased slower in recent years as China, the biggest importer, has been developing more slowly so therefore less copper has been bought by them
34
outline the key importing nations of copper and how this is changing
China and America
Demand is decreasing in China as they are going through a period of deindustrialisation
35
In what forms is copper traded in
refined
technology
transport -> cars
raw material
cathodes and anodes
recycled materials
36
how did the COVID pandemic affect the demand for copper, and how did this affect the price
- demand decreased
- because less people are building and working due to isolation
- so less need
37
who are some of the key players in the copper industry (TNC's)
Glen core (1.06 mt)
Coldelco ( 1.9 mt) -> Chile based
38
what percentage of recycled copper makes up the global trade?
40%
39
What is a resource curse
When a country or place is really resource rich, leading it to be exploited and lead to corruption e.g. Nigeria, which is rich is oil but a huge proportion of the country doesn't have access to electricity
40
What are massive sulfide deposits
deposits that sit under water along ocean ridges
41
what are the 4 A's of energy security
Availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability
42
What kinds of sources of energy are there (2)
primary and secondary
43
what is primary energy
energy that is found in nature that has not undergone a transformation process
44
what is secondary energy
energy derived from a conversion process
45
what are some examples of primary energy
coal, oil, gas, hydropower, wood
46
what are some examples of secondary energy
PV solar, thermal power stations
47
what are the main categories that demand energy
domestic needs, industry, transport, and services
48
factors that affect a country's energy mix
availability
physical location/conditions (e.g. landlocked)
inertia -> keeping what you already have due to effort/cost involved in changing
government energy policies e.g. Paris agreement
geopolitics e.g. having international relationships with other countries who can provide energy
level of development
diversity increases secureness
49
How does climate affect energy supplies and quality
areas with high precipitation are placed better as rainfall is high enough upstream to generate a powerful and consistent-enough river flow
sunshine hours make solar power more exploitable, especially when daylight hours are long throughout the year
bio mass strength depends in climates that encourage rapid growth of plant material
50
How does geology affect energy supplies and quality
tectonic plate structure can render safety threats to nuclear power stations (e.g. Fukushima, Japan)
geothermal crust is particularly thin in some places, making the potential for geothermal energy here greater
51
How does drainage systems affect energy supplies and quality
freshwater is often needed as water needs to be uncontaminated water to produce steam that turns turbines.
Dam construction requires large amounts of water and water flows consistently into the system. It needs a suitable topography and geology - impermeable and hard
52
@ Athabasca Tar sands: what is being extracted
oil
53
what is meant by unconventional sources of oil
not feasibly accessible with conventional drilling methods
54
@ Athabasca Tar sands: how much crude bitumen is estimated to be recoverable
175 billion barrels
55
@ Athabasca Tar sands: what are the environmental impacts on water and energy use
people think the water has become cancerous, and fish have had increasingly more mutations
56
@ Athabasca Tar sands: impacts on boreal forest
57
@ Athabasca Tar sands:
58
What are some strategies and explain them for reducing energy consumption
Congestion charges - London introduced the ULEZ and LEZ zones -> costs more and forces people to get ULEZ complaint cars
Drip feed irrigation - expensive but reduced water loss in farming practices
Better housing - big windows, tripled glazed windows, wall insulation, insulated tanks pipes and radiators
59
what are some strategies to increase energy supply
more investment into renewable energy
government subsides
import more energy
energy companies can do more exploration in resource frontiers
60
what are the reasons for a country increasing its energy supply
- entering an industrialisation period
- more technologies require new energy supplies
- making a reliable energy mix
- increase in population means more housing, more appliances
61
what does a healthy energy mix look like
diversity
62
Supply management strategies (Oil and gas explorations) for increasing
Oil and gas exploration
- countries and more willing to grant exploration rights to TNCs in these circumstances, e.g. even tho the north sea oil and gas reserves are past their peak, exploration continues and new discoveries are still being made
- price rises prompt large TNCs to develop new technologies to access previously unviable reserves
63
Supply management strategies (NUCLEAR) for increasing energy supply
- intended to increase new nuclear capacity in the UK as it is seen as an important part of increasing energy supply
- EDFs investment in building the £25 billion project to build new reactors on existing sites
64
Supply management strategies (renewable resources) for increasing energy supply
Paris climate in 2016 lead to the development of renewable energy
UK is now the world leader in offshore wind energy, generating around 10% of the nations energy supply
some developments include Blackfriars bridge -> worlds largest solar bridge with 4400 solar PV panels installed
65
Supply management strategies (fracking) for increasing energy supply
TNCs are prompted to develop large technologies to access previously unviable (unethical to extract) reserves, so fracking operations in the UK were stopped in 2019.
They attracted protests from environmentalists, especially post the 2.9 mag earthquake created by fracking in Lancashire.
So a moratorium on operations was placed
66
Explain why acid rain is an international issue.
it is a migrating pollution, for example SE asia faces the consequences of industry pollution from recent industrialisation from China and India
67
explain how the problem of acid rain is changing spatially and temporally
occurring more often, especially in places downstream wind circulation of industrialising places
68
discuss some different methods of managing acid rain
place catalytic converters on all cars
burn fossil fuels with lower sulfur content
transition from coal to cleaner sources of energy for electrical generation
69
what is the enhanced greenhouse effect
it is the solar insolation from the Sun getting trapped in the lower atmosphere by greenhouse gases when it is re-radiated from the Earth's surface
70
what causes the greenhouse effect
the rise in consumption of fossil fuels has significantly increased greenhouse gases e.g. CO2 levels are 40% higher than before the Industrial revolution
leading to more radiation being re-emitted
71
why does the greenhouse effect matter?
causes rises in temperature, leading to many knock on effects such as melting of ice sheets, so sea level rise, so more salt inundation of low lying lands, so less people can grow and eat, leading to migration e.g. Kiribati & Sundarbans
Large scale weather events are more likely to occur, which can also kill thousands in one swoop
72
What are some key concerns over nuclear waste
- risks associated with nuclear accidents (Chernobyl)
- disposal of nuclear waste
- health and safety concerns -> particularly leukaemia and other cancers
- potential contamination of water supplies
concern over crop and grazing animals
73
How is nuclear waste managed
and and example of WHO
nuclear waste is converted into soli blocks of glass and stored in steel-clad or lead-lined glass containers underground
the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has responsibility
74
If there are so many concerns over nuclear waste, why is it a plausible option for increasing energy supply
15% of the Uk's total electricity comes from nuclear power stations, however this is declining
it protects air quality as there's no CO2 emitted from the production of electricity -> barely any carbon footprint
75
What are some cons of disposing of nuclear waste
needs to buried 200-1000m deep in geologically stable rock types
expensive to purchase land for this purpose
requires safe transport links for the transport of waste from power stations
concerns that the site may become the target of terrorism attacks
76
five reasons why we need water
drinking and hydration
coolant for industrial processes
agricultural and irrigation
washing and hygiene
hydropower
77
what are the 3 main sources of water
Surface water supplies
Underground stores
Seawater, after desalination
78
what are some examples of surface water supplies
rivers and reservoirs
79
what are some examples of underground stores of water
groundwater aquifers
80
what are some problems with over pumping ground water
gets contaminated with salt water
the ground above may collapse due to instability
81
what percentage of the world's use of water is used in agriculture
70%
82
what percentage of the world's use of water is used in domestic
8%
83
what is water stress and when does it occur and the specific value
occurs when demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use
when water availability is less than 1,700m3 per person per year
84
what kinds of drought are there
agricultural
meteorological
hydrological
85
how does climate affect water availability/quality
drier climate will have less surface stores -> equator
however areas on each side of the equator will have much more due to atmospheric circulation and often there are rainforests
temperature will affect the amount of evaporation
more cryospheric stores at the poles due to the amount of water held in ice caps
86
how does geology affect water availability/quality
harder, less permeable rocks will reduce infiltration rates
porous rock will allow more infiltration and lead to more underground water stores
87
how does drainage affect water availability/quality
more higher density tributaries lead to more water packed drainage systems
mountainous regions will lead to more water due to melting, meaning more discharge
relief rainfall in mountainous areas will lead to more rainfall leading into a drainage basin than another
larger drainage basins will have more water in them
88
what kind of pressure is associated with rain
low pressure
89
permeability vs porosity
permeability is how water will pass through the cracks in the rocks
porosity is how a rock will hold the water and store it
90
at home strategies for saving water
- dual control on flushing toilets
- water buts for watering the garden
- using grey water
- use water meters
91
how to save water in agriculture
aeroponics -> suspending plants in the air
hydroponics -> submerging plants in water and nutrients
desalination -> turning sea water into potable water
92
pros of reservoirs for increasing water supply
- lots of opportunity for electricity generation
- can also be used recreationally
93
cons of reservoirs for increasing water supply
subject to location
- rock must be impermeable, no dry weathers, lots fo rainfall, not prone to disasters
94
pros of desalination for increasingly water supply
can be providing all year round
isn't subject to location, just needs a coastline and depends on wealth of the country
95
cons of desalination for increasingly water supply
very expensive and is often not feasible for a country to spend it on this investment
high usage of chemicals to clean the water e.g. reverse osmosis
large amount of brine (saline water) that needs to be disposed of, and calls for environmental risks of the water
96
what is happening to global water demand
growing population and highest ever rates, so more domestic use as well as need for it through growing crops, industrial machinery cooling
97
what is meant by hydropolitics
agreements over water management
98
what role could climate change play in water security
rainfall becomes less reliable
so can dry up resources and cause droughts
99
what is meant by transboundary water resources
water resources being transported across national borders
100
what counts as water pollution
sewage
plastic pollution
fertiliser leaks
chemical waste pollution
101
What are some of the Berlin Rules on managing Water Resources
encourages countries to accept agreements to equally and approriately share water resoyrces where rivers/lakes may cross national borders.
For example, the Mekong Agreement of 1995 including Cambodia, Laos and thailand.
102
what can cause conflicts over water
disputes over access or control over water sources can actually trigger the conflict
103
how can water be used as a tool in conflict
groups use water to achieve military or political goals. e.g. targeting a population by attacking its water supplies via pollution, contamination and bursting holds (reservoirs)
104
