MINERAL

RESOURCES
Minerals are important to human wealth and welfare:

Minerals play an important role in forming rocks and shaping

Earth’s surface. When humans began making tools out of
iron great progress was made in advancing the world
through industries Below is a timeline showing how the value
and uses of minerals have changed over time .
 Humans cannot survive without
minerals
• 16 minerals needed for
humans to survive
• .03% of what we eat
but we would not
survive without the
minerals
• Sodium, potassium,
calcium, magnesium,
copper, phosphorous
 SOME MINERALS AND THEIR
USES:
Talc is used in powders and make-up
Gypsum is used in drywall or sheetrock
Fluorite is used in toothpaste
Quartz (found in sand) is used in making glass
Topaz is a gemstone

Corundum is a gemstone
(rubies and sapphires)

Diamonds are used in cutting

tools and drills
Copper is used in electrical
wiring, jewelry and coins
Halite is used to deice roads,
and to season/preserve food
Calcite is used in tums to help
acid indigestion and in cement
ORES AND WHAT THEY ARE MINED FOR:

An ore is a mineral that is mined and the useful substances

in it are removed and then sold for a profit.

Protective shielding against X rays and used in batteries

Galena: an ore of lead

Graphite: an ore of pencil “lead” and is also a dry
lubricant
Pyrite: ore of iron, is also
known as “fool’s gold”

Magnetite: iron ore

Hematite: an ore of iron

and the red pigment
used for color

Most automobiles, machine tools, the hulls of large ships, building

parts and machine parts are made out of iron.

Steel is made by combining IRON with other metals. Stainless

steel is used in building parts, cooking pots and pans, cutlery and
surgical equipment. It is also used in aircraft and automobiles
Sulfur is also an ore: match heads, fireworks, medicine,
gunpowder and fertilizer.

Sulfur is used to vulcanize

rubber.

Vulcanization makes rubber

tougher. It ensures that rubber
maintains its shape.

Car tires, shoe soles, water/

air hoses and ice hockey
pucks are all made from
vulcanized rubber
MINERALS AND THEIR SPECIAL PROPERTIES:

Calcite: has double refraction and fizzes with HCl

Halite: tastes salty
Sulfur: has a rotten egg odor
Magnetite & hematite: are magnetic

Calcite & Fluorite: fluorescence

Talc & Graphite: feels greasy

Metallic minerals like gold, silver & copper: are easily
shaped
VIRGINA’S MINERAL
Virginia mines a lot of gravel
for roads and construction

The oldest and largest

Kyanite mines are located
in VA.

Kyanite is a silicate that is

blue and is used in the
production of ceramics,
cookware and jewerly.
Mining Methods
 The Milling Process
• The materials extracted or “mined" are rocks
composed of both ore waste material (part of the
rock which contain very little or no element or
mineral of economic value). The extracted rocks
will undergo processes of mineral (e.g. metal)
separation and recovery.
• Recovering the minerals from the ore and waste
materials can involve one or more processes
where in the separation is usually done in a mill.
• Crushing and screening are the first stages of
controlled size reduction followed by grinding
where the rocks are pulverized
 Examples of milling or recovery
methods or processes
• Heavy media separation: The crushed rocks are
submerged in liquid where the heavier/denser
minerals sink thus are separated from the lighter
minerals. This is commonly used to separate
chalcopyrite from quartz before the refining
processes of extracting copper.
• Magnetic separation: If the metal or mineral is
magnetic, the crushed ore is separated from the
waste materials using a powerful magnet.
• Flotation: The powdered ore is placed into an
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 the top thus separating the
minerals and metals from the waste.
• Cyanide heap leaching: This method used for low-
grade gold ore where the crushed rock is placed on
a “leach pile” where cyanide solution is sprayed or
dripped on top of the pile. As the leach solution
percolates down through the rocks, the gold is
dissolved into the solution. The solution is
processed further to extract the gold.
 “EDUCATIONAL SHOW”
• Make your own version of educational program that explains to
your viewers the different ways to prevent or lessen the
environmental impact that result from the exploitation, extraction,
and use of mineral resources.
• Prepare a whole educational program with at least two
commercials (with script). Make a title of your show with props
and costumes.
• The following criteria will be used to evaluate your performance:
– Clear content of the explanation- 30 points
– Clarity of presentation- 20 points
– Creativity of presentation - 20 points
– Props and costume- 10 points
– Audience Impact- 10 points