The lithosphere is the solid outermost shell of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. It is a rich source of many minerals that can be extracted through mining techniques. Mining has long exploited the Earth's mineral resources but also has a significant environmental impact.

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14. The lithosphere
Chemistry
Grade 11

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The lithosphere
The Earth’s lithosphere is a rich source of many minerals.
The lithosphere is the solid outermost shell of our planet. The lithosphere includes
the crust and the upper part of the mantle, and is made up of material from both the
continents and the oceans on the Earth’s surface.

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Mining
The minerals can be extracted using mining techniques. People have long been exploiting the
Earth’s mineral resources. Mining and mineral use has a significant environmental impact.

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Gold mining

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Gold mining

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