Natural asphalt deposits are described as what kind of sources?

• A. Located primarily underground in oil fields
• B. Found in deserts
• C. Found in lakes as consistent sources with historical demand exceeding supply
• D. Extracted from coal seams

Answer: (C)

Natural asphalt deposits are best described as lakes that hold large amounts of bitumen near the surface. These lake-based sources provide a steady, workable supply because the asphalt is already accessible and can be harvested with established methods. Historically, road-building demand for asphalt often outpaced what could be produced from refining alone, so these lakes offered reliable, long-term sources to meet that need. While asphalt can occur in other environments, the common description for natural asphalt deposits emphasizes lacustrine deposits—large asphalt lakes—as consistent sources.