The chemical industry
The chemical industry changes raw materials into new substances. It has three big groups:
- Mining chemistry: uses rocks and salts, such as phosphate, potash and common salt, for fertiliser, acids and soda.
- Basic and organic chemistry: uses oil, gas and coal to make plastics, synthetic rubber, fibres, paints and medicines. Linked with oil refining it is called petrochemicals.
- Fine chemistry: drugs, dyes, cosmetics and special products made in small amounts.
Where chemical plants stand
- Raw material: fertiliser and heavy chemicals go near mines; petrochemicals near oil fields, refineries and pipelines.
- Water and energy: chemical work needs a lot of water and power.
- Consumers: plants making drugs or paints are often in big cities.
- Safety: dangerous plants need distance from homes, and clean air and water rules.
The timber industry
The timber industry has stages: logging (cutting trees), sawmilling (logs to boards), woodworking (furniture, plywood, houses) and pulp and paper (wood to cellulose to paper and cardboard). Wood chemistry makes products like resin and artificial fibre, so the timber and chemical industries are linked.
Russia has about one fifth of all the forest in the world, mostly northern forest (taiga) in the North, the Ural, Siberia and the Far East. Plants stand near forests and rivers or railways. The cut must be no more than the forest regrows, and old cut areas must be planted again.
Problems and care of nature
Chemical plants can release harmful gases and waste water. Pulp mills use lots of water and can pollute rivers and lakes. Illegal cutting, forest fires and over-cutting shrink forests.
Good practice: treat waste, recycle paper and plastic, use all parts of the tree, plant new trees, and protect rare forests and lakes. A famous case is the pulp mill on a deep lake that had to be closed to save the lake.
Key formulas and definitions
- Chemical = mining chemistry + organic chemistry (petrochemicals) + fine chemistry.
- Timber chain: logging → sawmill → woodworking → pulp and paper.
- Chemical plants → near raw materials, water, energy.
- Sustainable cutting: cut ≤ regrowth.
- Wood chemistry links timber and chemical industries.
Worked examples
1. Why are fertiliser plants often built near phosphate or potash mines?
The mineral rock is heavy and the plant needs lots of it. Carrying the rock far costs more than carrying the fertiliser, so the plant stands near the mine.
2. Name the four stages of the timber industry in order.
Logging, sawmilling, woodworking, and pulp and paper (the last two can run side by side).
3. Why does a pulp and paper mill need a river or lake nearby?
Making pulp and paper uses a huge amount of water, and the river also helps move logs. Waste water must be cleaned before it goes back.
4. A forest regrows 30 million cubic metres of wood a year. Loggers cut 36 million. Is this sustainable? By how much is the forest shrinking?
No. 36 − 30 = 6 million cubic metres more is cut than regrows each year, so the forest shrinks.
Common mistakes
- Thinking all chemical plants go near cities. Many go to raw materials.
- Saying forests are endless. Cutting must stay below regrowth.
- Mixing up logging (cutting) and sawmilling (cutting logs into boards).
- Forgetting waste water. Pulp and chemical plants must clean it.