Smart summary of the whole unit # 05: Mining / Mineral Resources

Smart-Summary of UNIT # 5 : MINERALS

A natural resource obtained from or under the earth surface. Pakistan fulfills 67% of energy demand
from local minerals and rest is imported.
DIFFICULTIES IN OBTAINING MINERALS: Financial constraints, political instability leading to lack of
government priority and consistent policies lack of experts for research, lack of equipments for
excavation, less developed infrastructure, no labs, inaccessibility of minerals deposits.
Q: HOW CAN MINERALS HELP ECONOMY OF THE COUNTRY?
Ans: Reduce imports, save foreign exchange, make BOT positive, provides employment, prepare building
materials like cement, industrialization, new settlements and towns, produce thermal power supply.
FORMATION OF MINERALS: Formed from hot magma as after it cools down minerals appear. Formed
from breaking of volcanic rocks. Some minerals are formed when mineral rich fluid evaporates.
MININIG: (Process of digging rocks and minerals from the earth)
TYPES OF MINING:
OPEN CAST MINING: Scooped from the surface when rocks are stripped by giant excavators and power
shovels then loaded on Lorries and transported on railways.
UNDERGROUND MINING:
Adit mining: (horizontal tunnels).
Shaft mining: (vertical tunnels).
HAND PANNING METHOD: Gold is separated from sand in a pan by shaking skillfully when it is
deposited in river sands.
DRILLING METHOD: Oil and gas are trapped by drilling method. Then rigs are used for drilling oil and gas
wells. Then pipes are fitted in wells to cap gas and oil and controlled by valves.
METALLIC MINERALS: Cut or blasted from surrounded rocks, crushed then pure metal is separated by
heating. Properties are that they are valuable, hard, shiny, can change shape when heated, can be
compressed, good conductor of electricity. Examples are chromate (bridges), iron (steel making), copper
(electric wire), and manganese (dry batteries), bauxite (tin and cans).
NON-METALLIC MINERALS: Are quarried and openly excavated done with different methods and
equipments like hand tools, explosive and power shovels, (drill hammer and wedge). Properties are less
shiny, less valuable, soft, breaks if shape is changed, cannot be compressed, poor electric conductor, less
reactive.
ORGANISATIONS RESPOMSIBLE FOR MINING IN PAKISTAN:
 Geological survey of Pakistan to investigate in 1947.
 Pakistan Mineral Corporation to explore in 1947.
 Resource Development Corporation to investigate in 1947.
 Gemstone Corporation to develop in 1947.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY MINERAL EXPLORATION:
Air, Noise and Dust pollution hazards to health of miners in case of toxic gases, roof collapsing, and
flooding in tunnels. Depression for mining can cause flooding. Landscape is deformed. Loss of vegetation
and deforestation.

1|Page By Adnan Ashraf, Beaconhouse Liberty Campus,Lahore