Natural Resources and Energy - Lecture Notes | GEOG 100, Study notes of Geography

Download Natural Resources and Energy - Lecture Notes | GEOG 100 and more Study notes Geography in PDF only on Docsity! Class 2b: Natural Resources and Energy Today’s class • What is a resource? • Ecological footprints • Natural resources and resource-based economies • Example: Gabon • Energy and oil Nonrenewable resources • Finite on a human time scale • All minerals • Fossil fuels – Generated like sedimentary rocks – Coal, oil, natural gas Tragedy of the commons • Resources held in common; free access • Wealth measured by resource use • No incentive to conserve • Tragedy is inevitable: an individual will overuse public resources when it is in his or her best interests • Solutions? Example: Atlantic cod • Grand Banks off Canadian East Coast • For 500 years, rich commercial fishery • 1950s technology led to 4x catch rate • Population crashed in 1980s; 70% decrease in catch • Now moratorium on Northern Cod Mineral resources • Six stages in mineral exploration – Exploration – Extraction – Concentration – Refining – Transporting – Manufacturing • Each stage has its own geography Mineral exploration • Where does exploration take place? – Geology – Politics – Economics – Technology • The less risk and cost, the better • Exploration determines where reserves are Resource reserves e Estimated vs. proven ¢ Remember: economics and technology Mineral processing/manufacturing • Depends on the mineral: small or large quantities? • Ex: Copper in small pieces: where? Example: Gold • Long history as a valuable metal – Conducts electricity; ductile – Used as currency – Aesthetic value • Occurs everywhere, even in seawater • Placer vs. lode gold – Weathered gold washed downstream – Veins under the surface Example: California Gold Rush • Geologically right: former seabed • Politically right: just transferred from Mexico • Technology evolved to extract more gold – Initially placer mining – Then hydraulic mining – Then cyanide heap leaching Example: Coltan • Mineral that includes tantalum • Used in cell phones, laptops, etc. • Found in Australia, Central Africa • Good source of income for Congolese • But, militias overrun protected areas and smuggle out coltan • So Nokia et al. go to Australia instead Energy • The capacity to do work or transfer heat • (Nearly) All energy comes from the sun • Primary energy sources: heat or do work directly • Secondary sources: turn turbines to generate electricity Energy • 90% of US energy from fossil fuels • Remainder nuclear, hydro • Different geography for each source – Coal, natural gas – Hydro – Nuclear – Solar – Wind 1970 oil crises • 1973 Israel fights off Egypt and Syria • OPEC wanted to punish Israel’s allies • Plus frustration with 6% of population using 33% of energy • Quadrupled oil prices • Led to gas shortages, efficiency improvements • Today, conservation no longer a concern Oil reserves • When will we run out? No, when will production decline? • 10% rule: production is about 10% of reserves • New discoveries needed to keep production high • In 2003, 25 billion barrels were used, but only 8 billion were discovered • And consumption is only increasing Oil reserves • Resource use follows Hubberts curve • When is the peak of production? • Between 1999 and 2010 • What happens economically?