Download 1. Coal

Distribution of Earth’s Resources
The availability of natural resources helps determine
wealth and power around the world. Natural resources
formed thousands, or millions – or hundreds of millions - of
years ago, when the world was a very different place.
Here you will find some information on the formation of
some resources during Earth’s geologic history.
A. FOSSIL
FUELS
1. Coal – No. 1 Source of Electrical Power in the USA
a. Started as plants in swamps about 300 MYA
b. Over millions of years, plants were buried
peat
buried
peat
coal
c. Heat & pressure turned dead plants into coal
Coal Formation
2. Petroleum is another fossil fuel
a. started as dead plankton on ancient sea floors 400 MYA
b. plankton gets compacted under rock - forming the
petroleum source
c. petroleum seeps up through permeable rock,
collecting in pools
3. Natural Gas is another fossil fuel
- Natural gas forms with petroleum, but is lighter, so it
rests above it
B. Minerals
1. Diamonds – formed 2 – 3 BYA from intrusive volcanic
magma 100 miles below Earth’s surface
2. Salt –
a. 200 MYA - 4.4 BYA salty seas and oceans changed location
b. Salts from the salty ocean water was left
behind in underground deposits
3. Copper –
a. formed from molten rock that cooled deep in
the Earth's crust 2-200 MYA
b. At first, mantle contained small amounts of copper.
c. As the fluid cooled, the copper became more
concentrated.
d. When fluid became completely solid, the
remaining copper also solidified.
C. Fertile Soil – Necessary for growing crops
1. Soil formation begins when bits of rock are
weathered & eroded
2. sediments mix with organic material (dead
plant & animal remains)
3. To make the soil fertile takes at least 3000 years