Mineral Resources PDF

Mineral Resources Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the minerals that are important to society; 2. Describe how ore minerals are found, mined, and processed from human use; and 3. Cite ways to prevent or lessen the environmental impact that result from the exploit...

Mineral Resources Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the minerals that are important to society; 2. Describe how ore minerals are found, mined, and processed from human use; and 3. Cite ways to prevent or lessen the environmental impact that result from the exploitation, extraction, and use of mineral resources.  Mineral Resources The Philippines is rich in mineral resources. Its richness in mineral resources is being attributed to its location at the western fringes of so-called Pacific Ring of Fire.  Mineral Resources Mineral resources are non-renewable natural resources which are considered as important raw materials for various industries. Nonmetallic Mineral Resources These mineral resources are those useful rocks and minerals that are not metallic. Nonmetallic Mineral Resources They are more abundant and less expensive than metallic ore deposits  Metallic Mineral Resources These are concentrated into rich masses by igneous, hydrothermal or erosional and weathering processes.  Magmatic Processes It form mineral deposits as liquid magma solidifies to form igneous rocks.  Magmatic Processes These occur deep within the crust. These processes create metal earth as well as some gems and valuable sulfur deposits.  Hydrothermal Processes Responsible for the formation of more ore deposits, and a larger total quantity of ore, than all other processes combined.  Hydrothermal Processes To form a hydrothermal ore deposit, hot water dissolves metal from rock or magma.  Hydrothermal Processes The metal bearing solutions then seep through cracks or through permeable rock until they precipitate to form an ore deposit.  Sedimentary Processes Substances are created by chemical precipitation from lake or sea water.  Weathering Processes It takes place in environments with high rainfall. Types of Mineral Resources  Coal It is a hard, black colored rock-like substance which is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amounts of sulfur.  Crude Oil It is flammable liquid that consists of hydrocarbons. Oil is usually recovered by drilling wells through the non–porous rock barrier that wraps the oil.  Natural Gas It is the gas component of gold and oil formation. Natural gas can also be liquified through a complex process. Mining Mining is the process of mineral extraction from a rock seam or ore – a natural rock or sediment containing one or more valuable mineral. The minerals can range from precious metals and iron to gemstones and quartz.  Modern mining technology uses geophysical techniques that involve measuring the magnetic, gravity and sonic responses of rocks above and around a prospective mineral ore body.  Surface Mining It is used to extract ore minerals near the surface of the earth. The soil and rocks that covered the ores are removed through blasting. Blasting is a controlled use of explosives and gas exposure to break rocks.  Surface Mining Open-pit Mining This is the most common type of surface mining. Open pit means a big hole (or pit) in the ground. The pit in mine is created by blasting with explosives and drilling. Open-Pit Mining It is used to mine gravel and sand and even rock.  Surface Mining Strip Mining This mining type involves the removal of a thin strip of overburden (earth or soil) above a desired deposit, dumping the removed overburden behind the deposit, extracting the desired deposit, creating a second, parallel strip in the same manner and depositing the waste materials from that second (new) strip onto the first strip. Strip Mining It is used to mine coal, phosphates, clays, and tar mining.  Surface Mining Dredging This is the process of mining materials from the bottom of a body of water, including rivers, lakes, and oceans. Dredging  Underground Mining It is used to extract the rocks, minerals and other precious stories that can be found beneath the earth’s surface. In underground mining, miners need to create a tunnel so they can reach the ore minerals.  Underground Mining This kind of mining is more expensive and dangerous as compared to surface mining because miners need to use explosive devices to remove the minerals from the rocks that cover them. Underground Mining  Mineral processing is the process of extracting minerals from the ore, refining them, and preparing these minerals for use.  Sampling It is the removal of a portion which represents a whole needed for the analysis of this material.  Analysis It is important to evaluate the valuable component in an ore. This includes chemical, mineral and particle size analysis.  Comminution It is the process where the valuable components of the ore are separated through crushing and grinding. This process begins by crushing the ores to a particular size and finishes it by grinding the ores into a powder form.  Concentration It involves the separation of the valuable minerals from the raw materials.  Dewatering It uses the concentration to convert it to usable minerals. This involves filtration and sedimentation of the suspension and drying of the solid materials harvested from this suspension.