O Level Environmental Management: Rocks, Ores and Minerals — Practice Questions (5014, 2027-2029)

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: Rocks, Ores and Minerals revision notes (2027-2029)

Note: these questions follow the 2027-2029 edition of 5014, where rocks, ores and minerals are sub-topics 1.1-1.3 of Topic 1 Natural resources. If you sit 5014 in November 2026 in Mauritius, you sit the 2025-2026 edition instead; use the 2025-2026 Rocks and Minerals practice questions.

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Section A

1. Describe the formation of granite and of basalt, and explain why their crystal sizes differ. [4]

2. State the syllabus definition of permeability. Then classify each of these rocks as permeable or impermeable: sandstone, granite, shale. [4]

3. Describe how loose sediment becomes sedimentary rock, using four processes named in the rock cycle. [4]

4. (a) Define an ore. [1] (b) Describe the two methods of biological extraction. [4]

Section B

5. Explain three factors that affect the decision to extract a mineral deposit. [6]

6. A company plans an open-pit copper mine close to a village. Describe and explain two environmental impacts and two economic or social impacts of the mine. [8]

7. A deposit contains 20 000 tonnes of ore with an ore grade of 1.5% copper by mass. (a) Calculate the mass of copper in the deposit. Show your working. [2] (b) Calculate the mass of rock left as waste. [1] (c) Suggest why bioleaching might later be used on this waste. [2]

Section C

8. A worked-out quarry near a village could become a lake or a landfill site. (a) Give one benefit and one limitation of making it a lake. [2] (b) Give one benefit and one limitation of using it for landfill. [2] (c) Recommend one of the two uses for this site, with a reason. [2]

9. State the syllabus definition of sustainable management of resources. [2]

10. Discuss the benefits and limitations of recycling and of legislation as sustainable management strategies for metals. [6]

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Answers

1. Granite forms when magma cools slowly underground [1]; slow cooling gives the crystals time to grow, so they are large [1]. Basalt forms when lava cools quickly at or near the surface [1]; fast cooling leaves little time, so the crystals are small [1].

2. The ability of water to pass through the pore spaces of rock and soil [1]. Sandstone: permeable [1]. Granite: impermeable [1]. Shale: impermeable [1].

3. Any four of, in a sensible order: deposition — transported material is dropped when the river, wind or sea loses energy [1]; sedimentation — sediment settles and builds up in layers [1]; compaction — the weight of the layers above squeezes the lower layers and pushes out water [1]; cementation — minerals crystallise between the grains and bind them together [1]. (Weathering, erosion or transportation earn credit only if linked to how the sediment arrived.)

4. (a) Rock containing minerals and metals [1]. (b) Phytomining: plants that absorb metal compounds are grown on low-grade ore or mine waste [1]; the plants are harvested and burned, and the metal is recovered from the ash [1]. Bioleaching: bacteria are used on low-grade ore [1] to release metal compounds into a solution, from which the metal is recovered [1].

5. Any three, 2 marks each (factor [1], explanation [1]): ore grade / quantity and quality of deposit — a larger, higher-grade deposit yields more metal per tonne mined [1] [1]; accessibility and terrain — remote or steep sites need roads and cost more to reach [1] [1]; climate — extreme heat, cold or rainfall make working harder and more costly [1] [1]; environmental impact assessment — severe predicted impacts may lead to permission being refused or conditions set [1] [1]; supply and demand — high demand raises the price, making the mine more worthwhile [1] [1]; cost and profit — extraction only goes ahead if income exceeds costs [1] [1]; exploration or geology — surveys must confirm the size and depth of the deposit and the rock around it [1] [1].

6. Environmental, any two, 2 marks each: loss of habitat and biodiversity, as vegetation and soil are stripped for the pit [1] [1]; water pollution, as drainage and processing waste enter streams used by the village [1] [1]; noise and air pollution from blasting and haul trucks, and dust settling on homes and crops [1] [1]; water usage by processing, reducing supplies for the village and farms [1] [1]. Economic or social, any two, 2 marks each: changes in employment opportunities — jobs for villagers while the mine operates, which may be lost when it closes [1] [1]; local and national economies — wages spent locally and tax or export income for the country [1] [1]; facilities and infrastructure — new roads, power or services that the village can also use [1] [1].

7. (a) 1.5 / 100 × 20 000 [1] = 300 tonnes [1]. (b) 20 000 − 300 = 19 700 tonnes [1]. (c) The waste still contains some copper [1]; bioleaching can recover metal from low-grade material that would not be worth processing by conventional methods [1].

8. (a) Benefit: creates wetland habitat or a place for recreation [1]. Limitation: deep, steep-sided water can be unsafe, or the water quality may be poor [1]. (b) Benefit: fills the hole and earns income from waste disposal [1]. Limitation: leachate may pollute ground water, or smell and traffic affect the village [1]. (c) Either use, with a reason tied to the village: for example, a lake, because it avoids the risk of leachate polluting the village’s water supply [1] and adds recreation and habitat close to where people live [1].

9. The use of strategies that ensure the needs of the present are met [1] without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs [1].

10. Recycling — benefit: recovering metal from waste reduces the amount of ore that must be mined [1]; limitation: collecting and sorting cost money and use energy, and some products are hard to separate [1]; it works best where recycling is accessible and easy and people are educated about it [1]. Legislation — benefit: laws can require recycling, set pollution limits or require land restoration [1]; limitation: laws differ between countries and can be ignored [1]; so legislation depends on enforcement, through inspections and penalties, to be effective [1].

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Where marks are usually lost

• Saying granite and basalt differ because one is “older” rather than because of cooling rate.
• Classifying shale as permeable because it is sedimentary.
• Describing bioleaching as plants, or phytomining as bacteria.
• Listing impacts without explaining who or what is affected.
• Calculating waste as the mass of metal, or forgetting the unit.
• Giving a benefit without a limitation when the question says “discuss”.