1. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Overview of planet
Rocks and minerals
Plate tectonics
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Streams
Coastlines
Landslides & mass movements
Glaciers and deserts
Climate
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Water resources
Soil resources
Mineral resources
Fossil energy resources
Alternative energy resources
Solid waste
Water pollution
Air pollution
Law and policy
Engineering geology
There‟s lots of current news among the diverse chapters …
2. Formation of the Earth Ch 1
Rocks and Minerals
Ch 2
Giant flash triggered by an extremely powerful star explosion:
supernova
At the end of its lifespan, a massive star collapsed on itself and
created a black hole at its center
By-product: heavy elements like iron [Fe]
3. Plate Tectonics Ch 3
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Multiple eruptions since September
Large ash volume
Ch 4
Ch 5
4. Climate Ch 10
Typhoon Haiyan: the “strongest storm in recorded history” [maybe]
5200+ dead
Is it part of a trend: debate rages!
Physics suggests that storms will get worse as the planet warms.
But it is too early to tell if it is actually happening
5. Min resources Ch 12
Out Friday: latest
Environmental Impact study
on how an open pit coppernickel mine could change
the landscape
Minnesota holds one of the world‟s largest unmined deposits of copper, nickel
Duluth Complex rocks border Iron Range & Boundary Waters Canoe
Wilderness Area
Very controversial plan because of acid mining waste and risk of pollution –
extraction ~20 year life, treatment maybe 200 years?
6. Coal fired plants NW of Twin Cities
“Closing units this big really takes years of planning.”
Costs $33 million to fix up
state law sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 30 percent
by 2025
7. St Anthony plant planned for
near downtown Mpls
Plan since 1990s for ~4000
homes worth of electricity
Commissioner: "very
concerned about the flow
over the falls…people come
to the river because they
enjoy seeing the river”
– reduced flow at site would
make a lousy view
8. Water Pollution Ch 17
MN Pollution Control Agency:
Lake Nokomis water samples
contained caffeine, a
component of plastic, an
antibacterial soap
ingredient, an antibiotic used
on swine, a breakdown product
of cocaine, an
antidepressant, a fungicide and
a drug used to treat
Parkinson‟s disease.
9.
10. Rocks close to home
2
13
SE MN City & local governments ask for state help to study
/ regulate mining
“frac” = hydraulic fracturing, used in the drilling process for
natural gas and oil
MN and WI have ideal type of sand for this use, so mining is
booming
11. 11
Underground supply cannot keep up with „drawdown‟ demand
Red = so much depletion that restrictions would kick in
![Formation of the Earth Ch 1
Rocks and Minerals
Ch 2
Giant flash triggered by an extremely powerful star explosion:
supernova
At the end of its lifespan, a massive star collapsed on itself and
created a black hole at its center
By-product: heavy elements like iron [Fe]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)