Exploring Earth's Minerals

Nonrenewable resources are resources that cannot be replenished or regenerated within a short period of time. Rocks and minerals in the Earth's crust can be nonrenewable resources because they are finite and cannot be easily replaced once they are extracted.

Metallic minerals are naturally occurring substances with distinct chemical compositions and crystalline structures. Examples of metallic minerals include gold, silver, platinum, iron, and copper.

Non-metallic minerals are naturally occurring substances with distinct chemical compositions and crystalline structures that do not have metallic properties. Examples of non-metallic minerals include talc, chloride, gravel, and sand.

<p>Ores are naturally occurring materials that contain one or more valuable minerals, often in mixed compositions. They differ from minerals in that minerals are naturally occurring substances with distinct chemical compositions and crystalline structures, whereas ores are mineral deposits that have economic value.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Non-metallic minerals have various industrial applications. For example, talc is used in cosmetics, chloride is used in road de-icing, and sand is used in construction.</p> Signup and view all the answers