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Mining & Mineral Resources

Chapter 16, Section 1: Minerals & Mineral Resources Standards: SEV4a, c, e. Mining & Mineral Resources. What is a Mineral?. Minerals are Naturally occurring Usually inorganic solids Have characteristic chemical compositions Orderly internal structures Specific set of physical properties.

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Mining & Mineral Resources

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  1. Chapter 16, Section 1: Minerals & Mineral Resources Standards: SEV4a, c, e Mining & Mineral Resources

  2. What is a Mineral? • Minerals are • Naturally occurring • Usually inorganic solids • Have characteristic chemical compositions • Orderly internal structures • Specific set of physical properties

  3. What determines the physical properties of minerals? • Minerals can be made of atoms of 1 single element. • Ex: silver- Ag • Minerals can be made of compounds- 2 or more different elements. • Ex: sand- SiO2 • The arrangements of atoms and the strength of the bonds between them give minerals their physical properties. They Might Be Giants: "Meet the Elements" (BB Video) - YouTube

  4. What are some mineral resources & their uses? • Metallic minerals • Shiny surfaces, opaque • Can be pounded, pressed, stretched • Good conductors of heat, electricity • Durable, can resist corrosion • Can be combined to make an alloy • Alloys combine desirable properties of 2 different metals • Ex: titanium can be alloyed with aluminum to make strong, lightweight metal used to make stealth fighter • Examples: • Aluminum- cans, siding, cars • Copper- wires, heating, plumbing • Gold- computers, spacecraft, medicine • Iron- steel • Lead- batteries, glass, ceramics

  5. What are some mineral resources & their uses? • Non-metallic minerals • Good insulators • Shiny or dull surfaces • Can be transluscent • Have variety of uses • Examples: • Gypsum- used to make sheetrock/wallboard • Sand/gravel- glass, building materials, computer chips • Sulfur- gunpowder, rubber • Phosphorus- fertilizer • Gemstones- jewelry (diamonds, ruby)

  6. How do ore minerals form? • Leaching- groundwater moves down thru rock & heated by magma causing dissolved minerals to crystallize. • Magma- moves upward thru crust, cools, hardens, sinks due to density & forms metallic minerals • Evaporites- water in seas or lakes evaporates and leaves behind deposits of dissolved minerals (ex: rock salt) • Hydrothermal solutions- hot subsurface water with dissolved minerals flows thru cracks in ocean floor, dissolve other minerals in floor and form new compounds upon re-crystallization. Creates veins of ore.

  7. What is the difference between an ore mineral and a gangue mineral? • Ore minerals- contain elements of some economic value • Ex: bauxite contains aluminum • Ex: halite contains rock salt • Gangue minerals- have no commercial value- basically waste rock • Consider a Hershey’s bar with almonds… • Gangue = wrapper • Ore mineral = chocolate • Element of economic value = almonds

  8. How are elements separated from ore minerals & gangue? • Extraction- removal of ore mineral from the ground (mining) • Refining- removal of element from ore mineral & gangue • Must remove gangue from ore mineral first • Then remove ore mineral from element • Use chemicals, magnets, or crushing devices to separate the good from the waste. • For mining to be profitable, the price of the final product must be greater than the cost of extraction & refining.

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