Download Minerals

Minerals
Using Mineral Resources
The Uses of Minerals
O Minerals are the source o gemstones,
metals, and a variety of materials used to
make many products.
O Gemstones
O Metals
O Other Useful Minerals
Gemstones
O Gemstones are hard, colorful minerals that
have brilliant or glassy luster.
O Gemstones are cut and polished into gems
which are used for fine jewelry and
decorations.
O Gemstones are also used for mechanical
parts and for grinding and polishing.
Metals
O Some minerals are the sources of metals
like aluminum, iron, copper, silver, and gold.
These metals are used to make jewelry and
machinery. It is also used to make many
household projects.
Other Useful Minerals
O Many minerals are used in foods, medicines,
fertilizers, and building materials.
O Talc is used to make baby powder.
O Quartz is used to make glass.
O Calcite are used in optical instruments like
microscopes and telescopes.
Producing Metals from
Minerals
O Rocks are mined from the ground.
O Metal is extracted from the rock.
O We call this type of rock that contains metal
ore.
O Ore usually is a combination of many
different minerals.
Prospecting
O A prospector searches for ore deposits.
O They study the land surface to help identify
what ore could be found underground.
O Sometimes prospectors measure the
magnetic fields in the area to locate
minerals like iron and nickel.
Mining
O There are three types of mines.
O Strip
O Equipment scrapes away ground to expose ore.
O Open Pit
O Pits are dug to reveal ore deposits.
O Shaft
O A network of shafts and tunnels are dug to
veins where the ore can be mined.
Smelting
O Once the ore is removed, the metal needs
to be separated from the rock.
O The rock is melted to separate the minerals
in it. The minerals melt at different
temperatures. The minerals that melt at
lower temperatures come off the rock first
and are collected. The rest come off at there
melting points and are collected as well.
Further Processing
O Metals removed during smelting are
combined with other elements to create
alloys.
O Alloys are usually stronger and more stable
than the pure metal itself.