Mineral Resources 3rd

Objectives:
• Identify the importance of minerals in

our society.
• Describe how minerals are formed,
found, mined, and processed for
human use.
• Cite ways to prevent or lessen
environmental impact that result from
the exploitation, extraction, and use of
mineral resources.
A. Minerals in Our
Everyday Life
B. Significant Terms
• Mineral Occurrence- concentration of a mineral that
is scientific or technical interest.
• Mineral Deposit- mineral occurrence of sufficient
size and grade or concentration on to enable
extraction under the most favorable conditions.
• Ore Deposit- mineral deposit that has been tested
and known to be economically profitable to mine.
• Aggregate- rock or mineral used as filler in cement,
asphalt, plaster etc. (a.k.a. “nonmetallic deposits”
• Ore- natural occurring material from w/c a mineral
or minerals of economic value can be extracted.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF
MINERAL RESOURCES
Occurrence of
Mineral
Resources
How are they Formed?
• The geological process involved in the
rock cycle plays a major role in the
accumulation and concentration of
valuable elements/ minerals.
• Plate Tectonics: the Earth’s crust is broken
into a dozens or more plates of different
sizes that move relatively one to another
(lithosphere). These plates are moving
slowly on top of a more mobile material
called “asthenosphere”.
Different Mineral Resources
and Their Origin
1. Magmatic Ore Deposits
Valuable are concentrated within
igneous body through magmatic process
such as crystal fractionation, partial
melting, and crystal settling.
and Their Origin
2. Hydrothermal Ore Deposits
Concentration of valuable
substances by hot
aqueous(water-rich) fluids flowing
through fractures and pore-spaces in
rocks.
and Their Origin
3. Sedimentary Ore Deposits
Some valuable substances are
concentrated by chemical
precipitation coming from lakes or
seawater.
and Their Origin
4. Placer Ore Deposits
Deposits formed by
concentration of valuable substances
through gravity separation during
sedimentary processes.
and Their Origin
5. Residual Ore Deposits
A type of deposit that results
from accumulation of valuable
materials through chemical
weathering processes.
How are they found?
A. Mineral Exploration
-a sequential process of information
gathering that assesses
the mineral potential of a given area. It
starts with an idea or geologic model that
identifies lands worthy of
further exploration. Suitable target areas
may then be staked as mineral claims to
secure the mineral rights.
B. Mining
Methods
1. Surface Mining
Utilized to extract ore
minerals that are close to
Earth’s surface. It include open
pit mining, quarrying, placer
mining, and strip mining.
2. Underground Mining
Utilized to extract ore
minerals from the orebody is
that is deep under Earth’s
surface.
C. Milling Process
Recovering the
minerals from the waste
area and waste materials can
involve one or more
processes wherein the
preparation is usually done
in the mill.
1. Heavy Media Separation
The crushed rocks are
submerged in liquid where the
heavier/denser minerals sink thus
are separated from lighter
minerals. This is commonly used to
separate chalcopiryte from the
quartz before the refining process
of extracting copper.
2. Magnetic Separation
If the material or
mineral is magnetic, e
crushed ore is separated
from the waste materials
through the use of
powerful magnet.
3. Flotation
The powdered ore is
placed into agitated and
frothy slurry where some
minerals and metals based on
physical and chemical
properties may either sink to
the bottom or may stick to
the bubbles and rise to top
thus separating the minerals
and metals from the waste.
4. Cyanide Heap Leaching
This method is used for low-
grade gold ore where the crushed
rock is placed on “leached-pile”
where cyanide solution is sprayed
or dripped on to of the pile. As the
leach solution is percolates down
through the rocks, the gold is
dissolved into the solution. The
solution is processed further to
extract gold.
D. Environmental Impact of
Irresponsible Mining:
• Erosion
• Sinkholes
• Loss of Biodiversity
• Contamination of water and
land.
• Negative effect on air quality
(carbon emission)from mining processes.
WHAT MIGHT BE THE
SOLUTION??

Mineral Resources 3rd

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Objectives:

• Identify the importance of minerals in

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