GLGY 308 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Precious Metal, Cinnabar, Municipal Solid Waste
28 Dec 2019
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Document Summary
Mercury is a chemical element that can be found in small concentrations in many rocks and is the main component of the mineral cinnabar (hgs) Natural levels can be detected in soils, air, and water. Mercury is present in gases emitted by volcanoes. Mining and industrial applications for the metal have increased significantly since the industrial revolution. Base metal smelting and gold mining both create mercury vapour, which is a potential hazard. Base metal: any type of metal that is not a precious metal. In 1990, 3 industry sectors made up about 2/3 of the total us mercury emissions: medical waste incinerators, municipal waste combustors, and coal-fired power plants. Medical waste incinerators and municipal waste combustors have been subject to emissions standards for years and as a result have reduced they mercury emissions by 98% and 96%, respectively. Lots of political pressure to keep coal-fired power plants active. Coal fired power plants are a big source of mercury.
