Value of Minerals Webquest                               

Goals:

• Understand the value of minerals in the United States and New York

• Learn about availability of minerals in the United States and New York

• Recognize the personal value of minerals in your life

Answer these questions as you follow the links.  You may wish to open up a new document in Microsoft

Word and copy and paste the questions and the table.

Go to: 

Go to:  The United States Geological Survey (USGS) news release about mining values.

1.  What was the value of the U.S. non-fuel mineral production in 2005?

2.  Why was there an increase in value over last year?

Go to:  The USGS site Data Base for Undiscovered Deposits of Base and Precious Metals

3.  How deep did the USGS consider when looking for undiscovered deposits?

4.  What specific materials were being looked for?

5.  What is the outlook for New York State?

6.  What is the outlook for the United States?

Go to:  The USGS site showing an overview of production of specific

United States gemstones.

7.  New York gemstones are listed under garnet, quartz, and collector or specialty.  For each category 

     describe the gemstone and the availability.

Go to:  The USGS site showing current prices of minerals and commodities.  Fill in the chart below using

      75 years as an average lifetime.

8.  Mineral Consumption Chart

A	B	C	D	E	F
	Amount used per American in a lifetime
Mineral/commodity	Pounds/Metric Tons	Cost$/pound	Cost$/Metric Ton	$Value used in a lifetime	$Value used per year
Aluminum	4864/2.4
Cement	65,543/32.7
Copper	1390/0.69
Iron Ore	32,810/16.4
Lead	849/0.42
Phosphate	21,848/10.92
Salt	32,061/16.03
Sand/gravel (construction)	1,550,000/775.00
			TOTAL:	$	$

Go to:  The USGS site Data Base

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