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

Syllabus edition note. These notes follow the Cambridge O Level Environmental Management 5014 syllabus for exams in 2027, 2028 and 2029 (version 1), first examined in the June 2027 series. If you sit 5014 in November 2026 in Mauritius, you sit the 2025-2026 syllabus (version 2), which has nine topics, puts rocks and minerals in its own Topic 1 (1.1-1.5), and has no ore definition, no biological extraction and no permeability outcomes. Use the 2025-2026 Rocks and Minerals revision notes if you sit in November 2026.

Condensed recall for sub-topics 1.1-1.3 of Topic 1 Natural resources. For the full explanation, use the Rocks, Ores and Minerals study guide.

1.1 Formation of rocks

Type	Formation	Named rocks
Igneous	Magma or lava cools and crystallises	Granite (slow cooling underground, large crystals); basalt (fast cooling at the surface, small crystals)
Sedimentary	Deposition and sedimentation of layers, then compaction and cementation	Limestone, sandstone, shale
Metamorphic	Existing rock changed by heat and/or pressure, without melting	Marble (from limestone), slate (from shale)

The eight named rock-cycle processes: weathering, erosion, transportation, sedimentation, compaction, cementation, crystallisation and deposition.

rock at the surface -> weathering -> erosion -> transportation
  -> deposition -> sedimentation -> compaction -> cementation
  -> SEDIMENTARY ROCK
any rock -- heat and/or pressure, no melting --> METAMORPHIC ROCK
any rock -- melts --> magma -- crystallisation --> IGNEOUS ROCK

Permeability = “the ability of water to pass through the pore spaces of rock and soil”.

Permeable	Impermeable
Most sedimentary rocks: limestone and sandstone	Igneous and metamorphic rocks, and some sedimentary rocks: shale

1.2 Extraction of rocks, ores and minerals

Ore = “rock containing minerals and metals”.

Method	Named forms
Surface extraction	Opencast, open-pit, open-cut and strip mining
Subsurface extraction	Deep mining and shaft mining
Biological extraction	Phytomining (plants absorb metal compounds; harvested, burned, metal recovered from ash) and bioleaching (bacteria release metal compounds from low-grade ore into solution)

Eight factors in the decision to extract: exploration; geology; accessibility and terrain; quantity and quality of deposit (ore grade); climate; environmental impact assessment; supply and demand; cost and profit.

Seven impacts: loss of habitat and biodiversity; air, land, noise, visual and water pollution; water usage; waste management; changes in employment opportunities; local and national economies; facilities and infrastructure.

Managing damaged landscapes:

• Land restoration — replacement of overburden, soil improvement, bioremediation, tree planting.
• Repurposing land — landfill, lakes, recreation, nature reserves.

For each, have one benefit and one limitation ready (1.2.6 says “discuss the benefits and limitations”).

1.3 Sustainable management of rocks, ores and minerals

• Finite resource = “a natural resource that is used up at a faster rate than it is replaced”.
• Sustainable management of resources = “the use of strategies that ensure the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

Seven strategies: reduce and reuse; recycling (accessibility, ease and education); increased efficiency of extraction; avoiding resource depletion; legislation; enforcement; use of alternative materials.

A quick benefit and limitation for each: recycling cuts mining but costs money to collect and sort; legislation sets rules but only works with enforcement; enforcement needs money and staff; alternative materials may cost more or be finite too.

Exam traps

• Saying metamorphic rock forms by melting.
• Calling shale permeable because it is sedimentary.
• Giving only two extraction methods: this edition has three.
• Mixing up the two lists in 1.2.5: restoration returns the land towards its earlier state; repurposing gives it a new use.
• Giving benefits without limitations in a “discuss” answer.

Self-test

1. State the syllabus definition of permeability.
2. Name one permeable and one impermeable sedimentary rock.
3. Define an ore.
4. Name the two forms of biological extraction.
5. Give four of the eight factors that affect the decision to extract.
6. Name the two groups of strategies for managing damaged landscapes, with two examples of each.
7. Define a finite resource.
8. An ore has a grade of 2% metal. How many tonnes of metal are in 250 tonnes of ore?

Answers: 1. The ability of water to pass through the pore spaces of rock and soil. 2. Permeable: limestone or sandstone; impermeable: shale. 3. Rock containing minerals and metals. 4. Phytomining and bioleaching. 5. Any four of exploration; geology; accessibility and terrain; quantity and quality of deposit (ore grade); climate; environmental impact assessment; supply and demand; cost and profit. 6. Land restoration (any two of replacement of overburden, soil improvement, bioremediation, tree planting) and repurposing land (any two of landfill, lakes, recreation, nature reserves). 7. A natural resource that is used up at a faster rate than it is replaced. 8. 2 / 100 x 250 = 5 tonnes.

Related resources

• Rocks, Ores and Minerals study guide (2027-2029)
• Rocks, Ores and Minerals practice questions (2027-2029)

Official syllabus

Cambridge International, Cambridge O Level Environmental Management 5014 syllabus for 2027, 2028 and 2029, pp.12-14: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/718208-2027-2029-syllabus.pdf (read 2026-09-21).