Natural Resources

Resources provided by Earth, including air, water, land, all living organisms, nutrients, rocks and minerals.

A type of conservation in which energy resources are used in the most productive ways.

Involves global management of Earth's natural resources to ensure that current and future energy need will be met without harming the environment.

Replacement of renewable resources at the same rate at which they are consumed.

Occurs when air contains harmful levels of pollutants; can be caused by natural phenomena, such as forest fires or volcanic eruptions, or by human activities, such as burning of fossil fuels.

Extracting ore or minerals from the ground

A process that reduces the amount of damage mining does to ecosystems is

Any natural resource (as wood or solar energy) that can be replenished naturally with the passage of time

a resource that cannot be reused or replaced easily (ex. gems, iron, copper, fossil fuels)

the color of a mineral in powdered form

How light reflects off a mineral, Shine

a scale ranking ten minerals from softest to hardest; used in testing the hardness of minerals

A mineral's ability to split easily along flat surfaces.

A mineral's ability to break along a jagged surface

Movement of people from rural areas to cities