FOSSIL FUELS

FOSSIL
Is any preserved remains, or trace of any once-living thing from a past
FUELS
Materials used to produce heat or power by burning
FOSSIL FUELS
 Are source of energy derived from the fossilized remains of once living plants and
animals million years ago.
 Made from decomposing plants and animals.
Remains of dead plants and animals long time ago were buried and fossilized in the earth’s
crust thus this fuels are found beneath the earth’s surface.
Since this fuel originated from the remains of once living organism
fossil fuels composed mainly of high content of carbon and hydrogen called hydrocarbons.
Fossil fuels include coal , oil (petroleum or crude oil) and natural gas.
TYPES OF FOSSIL FUELS
1. Coal is a type of fossil fuel that is non-renewable source of energy. It is a solid rock form of
fossil fuel that originated from the dead plant and animal matter that piled up in layers for
over million years ago.
Composed of carbon content
Can be extracted using 2 methods;
Surface mining and underground mining
2. Natural Gas is a type of fossil that is odorless, colorless hydrocarbon gas. It is made up of
hydrocarbon that is mostly methane; non renewable; gaseous state
Like other types of fossil fuels is originated from the remains of plants, animals, and
microorganisms that one live million of years ago.
3. Oil - Fossil fuels in the liquid state
- petroleum; crude oil
If a natural gas is found in porous and permeable rock beds or mix into oil reservoirs which
can be extracted through drilling this is called CONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS.
Coal formed from vegetation while oil came from marine organisms.
Over million of years the remains of this organisms were buried deeper beneath the earth’s
surface as time passes by.
As the remains buried deeper it will experience extreme heat and pressure beneath due to
high pressure and temperature, this will result to the formation of fossil fuels.
fossil fuels - are drilled and extracted for human use.
Coals are fueled in power plants to generate electricity.
Oils are refined and transformed into usable fuel like gasoline that fuels your engine.
Natural gas is now used for fuel and a source of energy for electricity.

ORE MINERALS
1. Ores are natural rocks or sediments that hold one or more valuable minerals, mostly
metals, that can be mined processed and sold at a great price.
2. Can also be found in the Earth’s surface and seabed
3. Ore is a non- renewable resources and since modern societies rely so much on it used
in infrastructure and industry miners need to find a new ore deposits to withstand its
increasing demand.
MINING
Is the process of extracting the valuable materials from the Earth
SURFACE MINING are extracted near the Earth’s surface
UNDERGROUND MINING ore are taken out from the ground by digging

METALLURGY is a process used to extract metals in their pure form.

A substance called flux is added to remove the gangue impurities.
Metallurgical Process
1. Crushing and grinding of ores into a fine powder (pulverisation) in a crusher or ball
mill.
 Crashing breaks the large particles into multiple pieces and the aim is to easy
transportation and storage.
 Grinding is a more controlled process
2. Ore dressing the process of removing impurities from ore.
3. Hydrolytic method ores are poured over sloping, vibrating corrugated table with
groups of which a jet water flowed over the surface.
4. Magnetic Separation in which the crust ore is placed on a conveyor belt with two
wheels; s the process of separating components of mixtures by using a magnet to
attract magnetic substances.
5. Froth flotation concentration process that can be used to selectively separate
hydrophobic materials from hydrophilic waste gangue.
6. Roasting a process of heating ores containing Sulphur to a high temperature in the
presence of air.