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2. Now read the text and check your answers in 1.
The mining industry contains five main industry segments, which are defined
by the resources they produce: oil and gas extraction, coal mining, metal ore
mining, nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying, and support activities for
mining.
1. Oil and gas extraction segment
produces the petroleum and natural
gas that heat homes, fuel cars, and
power factories. Petroleum products
are also the raw materials for plastics,
chemicals, medicines, fertilizers, and
synthetic fibers. Petroleum,
commonly called crude oil or just oil,
is a liquid formed under ground from
the decay of plants and animals over
millions of years through extreme
heat and pressure. Occasionally, this
decaying material becomes trapped
under a layer of impermeable rock
that prevents it from dispersing and
creates a pocket of oil. Similar
processes also produce natural gas,
which can be found mixed with oil or
in separate deposits. Finding and
extracting the oil and gas in these
pockets is the primary function of
this industry segment.
2. Coal mining industry segment
produces coal, a fossil fuel that is
used primarily for electric power
generation and in the production of
steel. Like oil, coal is formed over
millions of years from plant and
animal matter, but unlike
oil, coal is a
solid and miners must go into the
earth to recover it. Many coal seams
are located close to the surface which
makes the extraction of this resource
easier.
3. Metal ore mining industry segment
covers the extraction of metal ores,
primarily gold, silver, iron, copper,
lead, and zinc. These naturally
occurring minerals have a variety of
industrial purposes: gold and silver
are primarily used in jewelry and
high-end electronics; iron is used to
produce steel; copper is the main
4. Nonmetallic mineral mining and
quarrying industry segment covers a
wide range of mineral extraction. The
majority of the industry produces
crushed stone, sand, and gravel for
use in construction of roads and
buildings
. Other important minerals
produced are clays, primarily for
ceramics, water filtration, and cement