Question

environmentalists say they want reassurances that the exploitation of the deposits will not come at the cost of extensive environmental damage. in this sentence, exploitation means: the act of distinguishing by comparing differences the act of determining the existence of something the act of making use of and profiting from resources the act of protecting something from loss or danger

Explanation:

In the context of the sentence about environmentalists and deposits, "exploitation" refers to using resources and potentially profiting from them. The other options do not fit the context.

Answer:

the act of making use of and profiting from resources