Rock Cycle

Rocks vs. Minerals

Rocks are made up of Minerals, which are made of one or more elements.
Minerals are formed in the earth, but rocks are formed above the earth out of minerals.

Three Types of Rocks

• Indigenous rocks are those that form deep within the earth and are brought to the surface through volcanic activity.
• Metamorphic rocks are formed when existing rocks undergo heat and pressure, causing them to change in composition and structure.
• Sedimentary rocks are formed by the sediments of other rocks, these are deposited by physical means over time, these sediments compact and come together to form a rock

Mining

• Surface mining is a type of mining that involves the extraction of minerals and other resources from the earth's surface.
• Open pit mining is a type of mining that involves the excavation of large, open pits in the ground to access mineral deposits.
• Strip mining is a type of surface mining that involves removing a strip of overlying ground to access a mineral deposit.
• Contour mining is a type of mining that involves following the contours of a mountain to extract minerals.
• Subsurface mining is a type of mining that involves the extraction of minerals from beneath the earth's surface.
• The Surface Mining Reclamation Act is a law that aims to regulate the environmental effects of surface mining.