Mining

16 Grade 10 Geography questions on Mining, with worked marking schemes. 16 questions are available on this topic in full.

1. Question 1

   1 mark

   At Lake Magadi, the trona crust that forms on the surface of the lake is broken and scooped up by machines that float on the brine. This method of mining is known as:

   A. Open cast mining

   B. Panning

   C. Shaft mining

   D. Dredging

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

2. Question 2

   1 mark

   Kenya sells most of the soda ash produced at Magadi to countries outside Africa. The main benefit the country gains from these sales is that they:

   A. Lower the price of soda ash sold in shops within Kenya

   B. Earn foreign exchange that is used to pay for goods Kenya imports

   C. Supply cheap raw material to glass factories in the buying countries

   D. Raise the level of water in Lake Magadi during the dry season

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

3. Question 3

   4 marks

   Apart from earning foreign exchange, explain four ways in which mining benefits the economy of Kenya.

   (4 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Award 1 mark for each benefit correctly explained, to a maximum of 4. - Employment: mines and their processing plants employ workers who earn wages that raise the standard of living of their families. - Government revenue: royalties, licence fees and taxes paid by mining companies give the government money to spend on services. - Raw materials for local industry: limestone supplies the cement factories, soda ash the glass industry, and these industries in turn create more jobs. - Growth of towns: settlements such as Magadi and Athi River have grown around mining and processing works, together with shops, schools and health services. - Development of infrastructure: roads, railway lines, water pipes and power lines built to serve the mines are also used by the surrounding population. - Market for local goods and services: miners buy food, housing and transport, giving farmers and traders nearby a ready market. - Diversification: mining reduces the country's over-dependence on agriculture, which is easily affected by drought. Do not credit foreign exchange earnings, as the question excludes it.

4. Question 4

   6 marks

   Apart from transport, explain six factors that influence the exploitation of a mineral deposit.

   (6 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Award 1 mark for each factor correctly named and explained, to a maximum of 6. A factor that is merely named, with no explanation, scores no mark. - Quality (grade) of the ore: rich ore yields more mineral per tonne, so it is cheaper to work than low-grade ore. - Size of the deposit: a large deposit will last long enough to repay the heavy capital invested, while a small one is soon exhausted. - Depth of the deposit and thickness of the overburden: shallow deposits are cheap to reach, deep ones require costly shafts, pumping and ventilation. - Capital and technology available: mining needs heavy machinery and skilled engineers, so deposits are left unworked where investors or equipment are lacking. - Labour supply: both skilled technicians and unskilled workers must be available, otherwise labour has to be imported at a high cost. - Market demand and world prices: a mineral is only mined when it can be sold at a price above the cost of production. - Availability of power and water: mining, crushing and processing need reliable electricity and large amounts of water. - Government policy: licensing, royalties, land compensation and environmental regulations may encourage or discourage investors. Do not credit transport or accessibility, as the question excludes it.

5. Question 5

   1 mark

   Gold in Migori County is mined mainly by small groups of people using hand tools rather than by large mining companies. This is mainly because the:

   A. Gold occurs in small scattered veins that cannot repay the cost of large-scale machinery

   B. Gold lies too close to the surface for heavy machines to be used on it

   C. Government does not allow registered companies to mine gold anywhere in Kenya

   D. Gold found in the area is of very poor quality and has little value on the world market

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

6. Question 6

   1 mark

   Which mineral is separated from the heavy sands mined along the coastal strip of Kwale County?

   A. Trona

   B. Ilmenite

   C. Gypsum

   D. Fluorite

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

7. Question 7

   2 marks

   Distinguish between open cast mining and shaft mining.

   (2 marks)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

8. Question 8

   1 mark

   Crude oil discovered in the Lokichar basin of Turkana County is brought to the surface by:

   A. Stripping off the overlying rock with bulldozers and scooping the oil from the pit

   B. Washing the oil-bearing sand in troughs of running water

   C. Sinking a vertical shaft and driving tunnels along the oil seam

   D. Drilling boreholes into the reservoir rock and pumping the oil up the pipes

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

9. Question 9

   4 marks

   Other than the digging of open pits, explain four ways in which mining damages the natural environment.

   (4 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Award 1 mark for each way correctly explained, to a maximum of 4. - Clearing of vegetation to open the mine destroys plant cover and wildlife habitats and exposes the bare soil to erosion by rain and wind. - Blasting and crushing of rock produce dust and noise that pollute the air and cause chest and hearing problems among workers and nearby residents. - Chemicals used in processing, such as mercury in gold recovery, are washed into rivers where they poison fish and the people who use the water. - Heaps of waste rock and tailings cover large areas of useful land and are washed into rivers, silting them and causing flooding. - Underground workings may collapse, causing the land above to sink (subsidence) and damaging buildings and farmland. - Pumping of water out of deep mines lowers the water table so that wells and springs in the area dry up. Do not credit "leaves open pits/derelict holes", as the question excludes it.

10. Question 10

    4 marks

    Describe how the trona obtained from Lake Magadi is processed into soda ash.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

11. Question 11

    3 marks

    Suggest three reasons why a mining company may close down a mine even when the mineral has not been used up.

    (3 marks)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

12. Question 12

    1 mark

    A large deposit of iron ore has been found 60 km from the nearest tarmac road in a dry, thinly populated part of northern Kenya. The factor most likely to delay the mining of this ore is the:

    A. High cost of building transport routes to move the heavy ore to the market

    B. Absence of any demand for iron and steel products in Kenya

    C. Fact that iron ore cannot be mined in areas that receive low rainfall

    D. Deposit being too large for a single mining company to work on

    (1 mark)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

13. Question 13

    1 mark

    Which mineral is extracted at Kimwarer in the Kerio Valley?

    A. Fluorspar

    B. Gold

    C. Soda ash

    D. Diatomite

    (1 mark)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

14. Question 14

    1 mark

    A limestone quarry near Athi River is abandoned by the company without being filled in or replanted. The most likely effect on the surrounding area is that the:

    A. Rainfall over the site increases because of the hollow left in the ground

    B. Pit collects stagnant water in which mosquitoes breed, spreading malaria

    C. Bare rock floor of the quarry quickly grows back a thick forest cover

    D. Land is left flat and level, making it easy for farmers to plough

    (1 mark)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

15. Question 15

    3 marks

    State three uses of limestone mined in Kenya.

    (3 marks)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

16. Question 16

    5 marks

    Suggest five measures that the government could take to reduce the dangers faced by small-scale gold miners in Migori County.

    (5 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Award 1 mark for each sensible measure, to a maximum of 5. - Register and license the miners so that their workings can be inspected regularly by mines officers. - Train them in safe mining methods, including proper timbering (supporting) and ventilation of shafts. - Supply and enforce the use of protective gear such as helmets, boots, gloves and dust masks. - Regulate and phase out the use of mercury and provide mercury-free processing centres where ore can be treated safely. - Organise the miners into cooperatives or groups so that they can raise capital for safer equipment and sell their gold at fair prices. - Enforce the law against child labour in the mines. - Provide health screening, first aid posts and a rescue service near the mining areas. - Fence off and fill abandoned pits to prevent people and livestock from falling in. Credit any other practical and relevant measure.

17. 12 more marking schemes are on this page. A free account opens all of them, and lets you build your own paper on the topics you have actually taught, laid out in KNEC format with its full marking scheme.

    Create a free account

More Grade 10 Geography topics