| A | B |
|---|
| ore | a natural material whose concentration of economically valuable minerals is high enough for the material to be mined profitably |
| lode | a mineral deposit within a rock formation |
| placer deposit | a deposit that contains a valuable mineral that has been concentrated by mechanical action |
| gemstone | a mineral, rock or organic material that can be used as jewelry or an ornament when it is cut & polished |
| nonrenewable resource | a resource that forms at a rate that is much slower than the rate at which it is consumed |
| fossil fuel | a nonrenewable energy resource; formed from remains of organisms that lived long ago--oil, coal, natural gas |
| nuclear fission | the process by which the nucleus of a heavy atom splits into 2 or more fragments; releases neutrons & energy |
| nuclear fusion | the process by which nuclei of small atoms combine to form new, more massive nuclei; process releases energy |
| renewable resource | a natural resource that can be replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed |
| geothermal energy | the energy produced by heat within Earth |
| solar energy | the energy received by Earth from the sun in the form of radiation |
| hydroelectric energy | electrical energy produced by the flow of water |
| biomass | plant material, manure, or any other organic matter that is used as an energy source |
| conservation | the preservation & wise use of natural resources |
| recycling | the process of recovering valuable or useful materials from waste or scrap; the process of reusing some items |
