Making Sense of Planet Earth and Beyond: Level 6
Achievement Outcome 4: Students can report on an important natural resource in New Zealand, including its method of formation, location, and extraction, as appropriate, and any issues associated with its use.

1. Limestone is the most widely used industrial mineral in New Zealand.

i. Define the term 'mineral'.
ii. What is the mineral in limestone?
iii. Make a list of 10 distinctly different uses of limestone.


2. i. Complete the following table:

ii. Write word equations to show how burnt lime and hydrated lime are derived from limestone.

3. Limestone and the environment:

In what ways is lime important as an environmental clean-up chemical?

4.Limestone and agriculture:

Explain why limestone is such an important chemical in agriculture.

5. Limestone and tourism:

Detail and describe the process which led to the formation of the pancake rocks at Punakaiki or the caves at Waitomo, both of which have become popular tourist attactions.

6. Sometimes at roadworks there is a sign displayed which reads: 'Lime spread on road. Wash car today.'

i.what is the function of the lime which is being spread on the road?
ii. why is it a good idea to wash the car after travelling over roadworks on which lime has been spread?

7. Limestone was formed on the sea floor millions of years ago, but limestone rocks are now found in many different parts of New Zealand, often visible as rocky outcrops. Draw a flow chart to show the formation of limestone, from calcium dissolved in seawater to limestone rock in a quarry today, and finally to its many uses in our lives.

8. Complete the following:

i. In a numbered list or a flow chart, show the steps involved in quarrying limestone.
ii. If the quarrying operation was located very close to a town, what changes do you think would be need to be made to the quarrying process?

9. Describe the various procedures carried out to minimise any damage to the environment when quarrying limestone?

[coal]
[ironsands]
[JAGO]
[industrial minerals]
[aggregates]
[GNS]
[volcanoes]
[base & precious metals]
[rehabilitation]

[site map]
[overview]
[about NZMIA]
[minerals industry in New Zealand]
[resources for schools]
[research & development]
[mineral moments]
[what's new?]
[downloads]
[links to other sites]