6 Questions
What is the main difference between minerals and ores?
Ores are found in nature in their pure form, while minerals are always in compound form.
Why are only a few metals found in nature in their free state?
Most metals react with air and water, forming compounds.
What is the purpose of extracting impurities like 'gangue' from ores?
To increase the value of the ore.
Why do most metals need to be extracted from ores and not found in their pure form?
Pure metals are too reactive to exist in nature.
What distinguishes a 'metal mineral' from a 'non-metal mineral'?
Metal minerals contain a high proportion of metal elements, while non-metal minerals do not.
'Gangue' refers to:
Impurities like sand and soil in an ore.
Study Notes
Mineral vs Ore
- Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a specific chemical composition and a crystalline structure.
- Ores are naturally occurring mineral deposits from which a valuable substance, usually metal, can be extracted at a profit.
Metals in Nature
- Only a few metals, such as gold, silver, and copper, are found in nature in their free state because most metals react with their surroundings, forming compounds.
Purification of Ores
- The purpose of extracting impurities like 'gangue' from ores is to separate the valuable minerals from the worthless rocks and other minerals.
- Gangue refers to the commercially worthless minerals that accompany the valuable minerals in an ore.
Metal Extraction
- Most metals need to be extracted from ores because they do not exist in their pure form in nature due to their reactivity.
Metal and Non-Metal Minerals
- A 'metal mineral' is a mineral that contains a metal, such as iron, copper, or gold, and can be used as a source of that metal.
- A 'non-metal mineral' is a mineral that does not contain a metal, such as quartz or calcium carbonate.
Test your knowledge on natural resources, including what they are, examples, the lithosphere, minerals, ores, metal minerals, non-metal minerals, and mining of metals. Explore the importance of various substances derived from nature and how they fulfill our daily needs.
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