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What are geological resources?

Geological resources are a type of natural resource. This means they have been produced by the environment.

A china clay mine.
Image caption,
A china clay mine.

Resources found below ground鈥痑re called鈥痝eological resources. These include:

  • Minerals like china clay, also known as kaolin
  • Metals like tin and gold
  • Fossil fuels like gas and oil
A gas platform pumping up natural gas from below the ocean. Gas is used for cooking and powering some vehicles.
Image caption,
A gas platform pumping up natural gas from below the ocean. Gas is used for cooking and powering some vehicles.
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Examples of geological resources

  • Minerals are naturally occurring substances, with a crystal structure, such as limestone, clay, iron ore and gold.
  • Aggregates are materials in many small pieces, which are often used in the building industry, such as sand, gravel or crushed stone.
  • Sand is the natural material that humans extract the most, after water. The demand for more buildings means that we need more and more of this material each year.
A building site with diggers on it.
Image caption,
Sand is important in the building industry.
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Watch: Natural resources

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Quarrying

Delabore slate quarry in North Cornwall in England.
Image caption,
Delabore slate quarry in North Cornwall in England.
  • Quarrying is the surface (ground level) extraction of minerals.
  • The UK continues to quarry industrial and construction minerals such as sand and clay.
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Mining

Coal on a shovel.
Image caption,
Coal that has been mined.
  • Mining is the extraction of minerals below ground from valuable deposits (such as metal ores, coal and gemstones).
  • The UK has a history of mining stretching back to the Bronze age. However, the industry has declined in recent years.
  • The North Sea has been a rich area for mining fossil fuels such as oil and gas.
  • The British government approves any new drilling licenses. However, there is an argument to focus on green, cleaner forms of energy, such as wind power instead.
  • Coal mining was one of Britain鈥檚 biggest industries until the late 1960s. Coal was a main source of energy.
  • Today, people know that fossil fuels are contributing to global warming and that coal pollutes the atmosphere, so scientists are trying to develop renewable energy technologies.
Coal on a shovel.
Image caption,
Coal that has been mined.
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Gold mining

Gold panning
Image caption,
Gold panning
  • Gold mining takes place on every continent but Antarctica.
  • Mponeng Gold Mine in South Africa is the deepest underground mine. Its deepest level is almost 4 km below the surface. At this depth, the rock is so hot the mine uses 6,000 tonnes of ice a day to keep it cool.
Gold panning
Image caption,
Gold panning
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Did you know?

  • The UK mostly produces construction minerals including sand, gravel and crushed rock aggregates, as well as limestone, clay, slate and other minerals.
  • The UK is also one of the world鈥檚 largest producers of kaolin. It is extracted from two sites in Devon and Cornwall, and mostly used in the paper and ceramics industries.
A china clay quarry. China clay is a mineral with lots of uses, including in porcelain for making china cups and tea sets.
Image caption,
A china clay quarry. China clay is a mineral with lots of uses, including in porcelain for making china cups and tea sets.
  • Paper is not made entirely from wood. It contains kaolin, which makes it white.
  • Renewable energy technology uses a variety of chemical elements sourced from minerals.
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Activities

Activity 1: Fieldwork

Aerial photograph of houses in a settlement.

Walk around your local area and look for evidence of different minerals that are used in buildings, such as sand, bricks, stones, gravel, or concrete.

Take photographs and add descriptions and labels to a map.

Remember to make sure you're with an adult when doing your fieldwork.

Aerial photograph of houses in a settlement.
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Activity 2: Geological resources quiz

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