Final Term

Introduction to Geography
Chapter # Land and Forms
Minerals and Rocks
Prepared By: Ms.Nargis Shamim
BS-English/ BS-psychology
 Introduction

How Earth is Composed?

 What are minerals?

• Minerals are solid substances that are present in nature and can be made of one element
or more elements combined together (chemical compounds) and formed Minerals.
• Distribution of Minerals
• Different types of rocks contain different types of minerals
mainly:
1. Igneous rocks, 2. Metamorphic rocks, 3. Sedimentary rocks
• Rocks are combinations of homogeneous substances called minerals.
 1. Metallic Minerals

• metallic minerals are the minerals that contain one or more metals.

• In general, they occur as mineral deposits and are a good conductor of

heat and electricity,

• e.g. iron, copper, gold, bauxite, manganese etc.

 1.Ferrous Minerals

Ferrous minerals are those minerals which are iron-based and are metallic in nature. 

Examples of Ferrous minerals are

• Iron ore,

• Manganese Iron Ore(Steel Form)

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The major iron ore belts in Pakistan are:

Iron ore 
1. is found in various regions of Pakistan including Nokundi, Chinot and the largest one in Kalabagh 

Manganese
2. It is mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloy.

3. Nearly 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture 1 tonne of steel.

4. It is also used in manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides and paints.

 2. Non-Ferrous Minerals

Non-ferrous minerals When a metal is defined as non-ferrous it means that it does not have a
significant amount of iron in its chemical composition

• Examples of Non-Ferrous Metals

There are a variety of non-ferrous metals in use in the industry today. Listed below
are a variety of the more popular ones:
• Aluminum
• Copper
• Nickel
 Non-Metallic Minerals
Nonmetallic minerals are a special group of chemical elements from which no

new product can be generated if they are melted. 

for example,

sand, gravel, limestone, clay, and marble.

 Energy Minerals Resources

Energy minerals are used to produce electricity, fuel for transportation, heating
for homes and offices and in the manufacture of plastics. Energy minerals
include coal, oil, natural gas and uranium.
Energy resources can be classified as
1. Conventional Sources: 
• When we cannot reuse a source of energy after using it once we call them
“conventional sources of energy” or “non-renewable energy resources”.
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They are the most important conventional sources of energy.
These include coal, petroleum, natural gas and nuclear energy.
Oil is the most widely used source of energy.

2. Non-Conventional Sources: 

Natural resources like wind, solar, biomass, etc

generate energy which is known as “Non-conventional resources“.

These are pollution free and hence we can use these to produce a clean form of energy without any

wastage.
 Mineral Conservation?
• The Process of reducing the loss of minerals or preventing minerals is called conservation of

minerals.

• We have to conserve minerals because it is used for industrial uses, building etc. salt is

the mineral that we consume every day.

• Minerals should be used in a planned and sustainable manner. Technology should be

upgraded to allow the use of low-grade ore at low costs. Recycling of metals also results in

the conservation of mineral resources.
 Rocks
Defining Rock Types
There are three types of rocks: 

Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic.

Each of these types is part of the rock cycle.

Through changes in conditions one rock type can become another rock type. Or it can
become a different rock of the same type.
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• A rock is a naturally formed, non-living earth material. Rocks are made of

collections of mineral grains that are held together in a firm, solid mass.

How is a rock different from a mineral?

• Rocks are made of minerals. The mineral grains in a rock may be so tiny that you
can only see them with a microscope, or they may be as big as your fingernail or
even your finger.
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• Rocks are identified primarily by the minerals they contain and by their texture.
• Each type of rock has a distinctive set of minerals.
• A rock may be made of grains of all one mineral type, such as Quartzite.
• Much more commonly, rocks are made of a mixture of different minerals.
Texture is a description of the size, shape, and arrangement of mineral grains.
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• Rocks are classified into three major groups according to how they form.
Rocks can be studied in hand samples that can be moved from their
original location.

• Rocks can also be studied in outcrop, exposed rock formations that are
attached to the ground, at the location where they are found.
 3- TYPES OF ROCKS

Igneous rocks form from cooling magma.

Magma that erupts onto Earth’s surface is
lava. The chemical composition of the
magma and the rate at which it cools
determine what rock forms as the minerals
cool and crystallize. 
 Video: The Story of the Earth

This documentary by National Geographic is an hour and a half long, but it will take
you through the entire history of our planet. It’s definitely worth your time!
https://youtu.be/SYOarZKipnU