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EARTH MATERIALS AND

PROCESSES
MINERAL RESOURCES
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MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING

COMPETENCIES:
• identify the minerals important to society.
• describe how ore minerals are found, mined, and
processed for human use.
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Schema check
MINERAL RESOURCES
- naturally occurring material from the
Earth’s crust that we can process into
useful products.

• How can we get those resources?

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Mining
• refers to a set of processes
through which useful resources
are withdrawn from a stock of
nonrenewable resources.
• It is the “extraction of mineral
resources”.
• It is a controversial industry.

Mirny mine. Located in Siberia, Russia

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QUESTION TO PONDER

What are the preparations before mining?

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Mineral Exploration
Project Design

Field Exploration

Pre-production
Feasibility
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1. Project Design:
•This involves review of all available data, government requirements in
acquiring the project, and budget proposals
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2. Field Exploration:
•This stageinvolves physical activities in the selected project area.
A. Detailed Exploration
B. Prospect Evaluation
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3. Pre-production Feasibility Study:

•The feasibility study determines and validates the accuracy of all data
and information collected from the different stages.
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QUESTION TO PONDER

What do miners mine?

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Schema check
ORE
- is a rock that contains a large
concentration of mineral-
often a metal- to make it
profitable in mining.

Two kinds of ore:

• High-grade ore: contains a
large concentration of mineral
• Low-grade ore: contains a
small concentration of mineral
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What’s the difference between the mineral

and an ore?
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Kinds of Mining
1. Surface mining: shallow mineral
deposits are removed.
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Kinds of Mining
2. Open pit mining: machines dig very large holes and remove metal
ores (Fe, Cu, Au)
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Kinds of Mining
3. Mountaintop removal: remove the top of the mountain
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Kinds of Mining
4. Subsurface mining: underground mineral resources are removed
through tunnels.
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QUESTION TO PONDER

Can mining ever be ethical?

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Examples

• Al: packaging cans

• Fe: steel

• Cu: electrical wiring

• Au: jewelry, coins

• SiO2 (sand): Construction materials

• CaCO3: concrete and cement

• Na3PO4: fertilizers and detergents

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QUESTION TO PONDER

How are minerals processed for

human use?
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Milling or Recovery Methods or Processes

1.Heavy Metal Separation
•The crushed rocks are
submerged in liquid where
the heavier/denser minerals
sink thus are separated from
the lighter minerals.
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Milling or Recovery Methods or Processes

2. Magnetic Separation
•If the metal or mineral is
magnetic, the crushed ore is
separated from the waste
materials using a powerful
magnet.
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 Inocencio, Mia Joy

Milling or Recovery Methods or Processes

3. Flotation
The powdered ore is placed into 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.
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 Inocencio, Mia Joy

Natural Resources Management

- Is another way of minimizing the impacts of mineral
extraction.
- The management that affects the quality of both
present and future generations.
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QUESTION TO PONDER

What are examples of mined

minerals that we are using today?