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An introduction to geology
An introduction to geology

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2.25 Summary of Week 2

This week you have learned about some smartphone components, and some of the materials that are used to make them. You then learned about the origins of these materials, for example, how pegmatites around magma chambers provide the lithium for your phone battery, and how intense tropical weathering concentrates aluminium so that it is economically viable to extract.

You have also used your arithmetic skills and calculated how much bauxite is needed to make a soda can. You have learned how wind and water can break down a mountain and create quartz pure enough to make glass, and how copper is formed in pegmatites and at mid-ocean ridges. You have also looked at some other methods used for finding prospective mines, and have used map-reading skills when looking at Anglesey.

Next week, you will learn about oil: how it is formed, how it is found and how its by-products permeate every part of our lives, every day.

Go now to Week 3 [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .