St.

Francis College
ALLEN, NORTHERN SAMAR

LEARNING MODULE IN NATURAL SCIENCE 1

EARTH SCIENCE

MODULE 4
Ores and minerals

WEEK: 5–6
GRADE LEVEL: 11
LEARNING COMPETENCY:
 Describe how ore minerals are found, mined and processed for human use and identify the
minerals important to society. S11ES-lc-d-8,S11ES-lc-7

I. CONCEPT
Ores are naturally – occurring materials that can be profitably mined.it can be mineral or rock or
metallic or non-metallic, depending on the economic requirement. A deposit is considered a potential ore body
if it’s localized abundance is greater than its average abundance or distribution on earth’s crust. A rock or
mineral is considered an ore based on overall chemical composition, percentage of extractable resource with
respect to its total volume, and market value of the resource. A mineral or rock body containing high
concentration of the required resource may not be considered a good ore if it is too expensive to mine, too far to
transport to a market, or if the additional costs (labor, mine arrangement and environmental protection)
outweigh the potential profit to be made.

II. EXAMPLE AND DISCUSSION

LOCATING ORES
Potential ore bodies are located by recognizing that a geologic process or combination of processes can
produce a localized enrichment of one or more minerals, and that these processes only happen in particular
types of environment:

1. Hydrothermal fluid circulation – is the most common type of ore mineral deposition process, it is form
when groundwater or sea water is heated by magma or when hot, aqueous solutions are expelled from a
cooling plutonic body.
2. Metamorphic processes – leads to the alteration and recrystallization of minerals and aids the formation
and localization of economically important materials like graphite, marble and asbestos.
3. Magmatic processes – create ore minerals which are concentrated due to their premature
recrystallization and separation from magma.

4. Kimberlite magma – is kind of a special type of magma that originates deep within the mantle and is the
source of diamonds, which only crystallize at depths greater than 150 km.
 5. Chemical sedimentary processes – form evaporate deposits from the precipitation of salt water minerals
(halite, gypsum, limestone) and evaporation of lake water (anhydrite).
6. Action of ocean waves or currents – in flowing surface water tend to take sediments along. If the wave
action and strength is constant, it causes a selective shifting effect that removes sediments and leaves
behind those that are heavier in what are called placer deposits.
7. Chemical weathering – rocks that are exposed to oxygen and water that is chemical changes in their
mineral components that result in their alteration into other minerals and into the formation of residual
ore deposits. These types of ores are common in tropical areas where the climate is conducive to their
formation.

MINING ORES
Mining ores refers to a set of processes through which useful resources are withdrawn from a stock of
any non-renewable resources, mining ores is an intensive and sophisticated process that varies based on the
mineral depending on whether they excavated, stripped, or brought via tunnels and shafts.

Steps during Mining

1. Prospecting or exploration - looking for the ore body, a deposit that can yield a large amount of the
required ore mineral.

2. Drilling – a small part of the ore is extracted to determine the resulting ore, ore’s quality, and the
amount of ore minerals.

3. Modeling – determining the ore’s size, shape, and grade distribution throughout the deposit to apply
appropriate mining methods, blast and dig pattern design, safety precautions and efficiency and
processing.

4. Identifying and assessing the potential impact – consideration on the social and environmental aspects
and finding ways of mitigating any consequences of the mining operation with the purpose of bringing
the area back as close to its original state as possible.

5. Designing and constructing the mine – engineers and scientists work hand in hand to create the
appropriate mine and operational design and proceeds with the construction once all the necessary
permits are acquired from the government and local communities.

6. Ore extraction – high grade ores are separated from the rest of the deposit.

7. Milling – the ore is crushed and concentrated; waste materials are released.

8. Mine site decommissioning – closure of the depleted mine; the mine site is cleaned up and reclaimed or
rehabilitated for other purpose.

LOCAL ORE MINERALS AND THEIR USES

 The Philippines is located within a dynamic tectonic setting, where the processes of volcanism and plate
convergence have resulted in the deposition of both metallic and nonmetallic minerals.
  The Philippines has various kinds of mineral reserves which has put the country in the world mineral
map as the fifth most mineralized country in the world.
 Around 9 million hectares or 30% of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares are believed to
contain important metallic mineral reserves.
 The country’s offshore areas, which cover around 2.2 million square kilometers, also contain placer
minerals which include gold, magnetite

and chromite-bearing sand, aggregate resources decorative stones and poly metallic sulfide deposits.
 The country’s estimated overall mineral reserves are estimated to be about 14.5 billion metric tons of
metallic minerals and about 67.66 billion metric tons of nonmetallic minerals.
 Among Philippines important metallic minerals that are found in abundance include gold, copper, iron,
chromite, nickel, cobalt and platinum while the non-metallic minerals includes sand, gravel, Limestone,
marble, clay and other quarry materials.

NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Personal ways of which we can prevent or lessen the environmental impact that results from the use,
extraction and exploitation of mineral resources is by finding environment friendly alternatives for the mineral
resources needed. This can also be done through recycling and resisting the urge to acquire new commodities
which are not necessary. Conservation, protection, and rehabilitation of ecosystem are also important in
mitigating harmful effects of mineral resource extraction so that affected ecosystems may recover and
eventually restore itself back to its natural state. Another approach that would affect a larger scale is natural
resource management which is the management of natural resources, such as land, water, soil, plants and
animals with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future
generations. It is an interdisciplinary approach which would require all stakeholders to have an active
participation in the process from the government, investors, engineers, scientists, sociologists and business
person’s among others to the local communities that will be affected by the operation.

III. EXERCISES
DIRECTIONS: Compare and contrast ORE and MINERALS and its effect to community. Write
your answer in a 1 whole sheet yellow paper.
ORE MINERALS EFFECT TO COMMUNITY

IV. EVALUATION
DIRECTIONS: TRUE OR FALSE. Write T if the statement is TRUE and F if it is FALSE; write
your answer after each number. Write your answer in a 1 whole sheet yellow paper.
 1. ___t___ Ores are naturally occurring materials that can be profitably mined.
2. ___t___ Deposit is considered a potential ore body if it’s localized abundance is greater than its average
abundance.
3. ______ Ore bodies are unevenly distributed throughout earth’s crust.
4. ______ Hydro thermal fluid circulation is the most common type of ore mineral deposition process.
5. ______ Mining refers to set of processes through which useful resources are withdrawn from a stock of
any nonrenewable resource.

V. RESOURCES
OLIVAR II, J. T., RODOLFO, R. S., & CABRIA, H. B. (2016). EXPLORING LIFE THROUGH SCIENCE.
927 QUEZON AVENUE, QUEZON CITY: PHOENIX PUBLISHING HOUSE.