What Does Mineral resources Mean
We explain what are both metallic and non-metallic mineral resources, their importance and origin. Also, types of mining.
What are mineral resources?
Mineral resources or mineral resources are the compounds and substances of geological origin that are found in the earth's crust . Once extracted, they can serve as raw material for numerous and very diverse industrial processes. These types of materials can be very different from each other, but they have in common their extraction method: mining .
Mining is one of the oldest human activities. It consists of the search for valuable mineral resources underground, through excavation and the opening of tunnels or quarries to separate the elements sought from the land mass.
There were times of enormous mining fever in different parts of the world, such as the so-called “gold rush” in the United States, or the massive extraction of copper in Europe and Asia during the Metal Age in Prehistory .
Mineral resources can be of two types, as we will see later: metallic and non-metallic, depending on the type of atoms that compose them. In both cases, they are known as ores , that is, sources of their compositional elements.
It can help you: Natural resources
Origin of mineral resources
Mineral resources generally have a geological origin , that is, they are the result of the slow and intense changes suffered by the different types of rocks in the terrestrial strata, subjected to enormous conditions of pressure and temperature .
However, there are resources that are as old as the planet itself, and that have simply changed their presentation over the millennia. In fact, it is known that the core of our planet is composed mainly of iron and nickel , but in the outer layers it is possible to find numerous chemical elements that make up different types of minerals.
Metallic mineral resources
As its name indicates, this first type of mineral resources consists of associated metallic elements or constituting its nucleus . They have a significant number of properties traditionally associated with metal , such as shine, electrical conduction or magnetism .
They are the most abundant mineral resources on our planet , but produced naturally at a very slow rate, so they are non-renewable resources .
Examples of these types of minerals are:
- Magnetite. Composed of iron and other associated elements, famous for its ferromagnetic properties that allowed ancient humanity to discover magnetism.
- The galena. Whose main element is lead , and it is one of the main sources of this element so used in the manufacture of pipes, containers to contain ionizing radiation or pigments for paints .
- The native gold. The most famous of the metallic minerals, sought after for its enormous commercial value. It is used in the manufacture of jewelry, mainly.
- Bauxite. Mineral composed mostly of aluminum, it is extremely abundant and also a soft rock.
Non-metallic mineral resources
Unlike the previous ones, these mineral resources are mainly composed of non-metallic chemical elements . Therefore, their properties are usually very different: they do not shine, nor do they usually conduct electricity well , and they do not respond to magnetism.
There are exceptions, of course, but they also have other interesting properties that make them indispensable in many industries .
Examples of these types of minerals are:
- Pyrite. A mineral composed of sulfur and iron, whose appearance is very similar to gold, which is why it was nicknamed "fool's gold." It is insoluble in water and combines metallic with non-metallic properties, depending on the concentration of iron present.
- The barite. The main barium ore, it is also composed of sulfur. It was discovered in 1800 and is an extremely common mineral in the world.
- Graphite. A carbon mineral in a practically pure state, shiny black in color, greasy to the touch and a good electrical conductor. It is the main resource for making pencils.
- The feldspar. Mineral formed by silicates of aluminum and calcium, sodium, potassium, barium or sometimes mixtures of these non-metallic elements. They constitute a very diverse group of rocks and are the most common on the entire surface of the planet, made up of almost 60% of it.
Importance of mineral resources
Today it is difficult to think of any product that lacks components of mineral origin. From the technology we use every day to raw materials for ceramics, metallurgy and other similar industries, today almost everything around us has components extracted thanks to mining .
In addition, they are part of many energy resources that make it possible to produce and consume electricity. Thus, the extraction of mineral resources, despite its ancient origin, remains a fundamental activity for humanity.
At the same time, it can be a dangerous industrial activity, especially from an environmental point of view: the ecological damage that mining leaves in its wake is often terrible and irreversible, with a tremendous impact on water and air , as well as on the health of the people .
Types of mining
Mining consists of the extraction of minerals from the earth's crust , which can be done in four different methods , giving rise to four types of mining:
- Surface mining. It is the open-pit excavation of metallic and non-metallic materials, always located at depths no greater than 160 meters below the surface. It can be carried out in open-air quarries, in counter-wells that are helped by gravity .
- Underground mining. As its name suggests, it takes place deep underground, through the construction of tunnels and conduits that go deep and allow the recovery of scarce minerals on the surface. This usually requires major mining architecture and engineering works.
- Drill hole mining. Typical of the exploitation of oil or natural gas , it consists of the opening of wells through deep cylindrical ducts, to allow the desired substance to emerge, either by pressure or because it is replaced with other substances in the deep.
- Underwater or dredging mining. Since minerals also accumulate underwater and are logically more difficult to recover, dredging mining was invented, which is used in shallow waters (maximum 65 meters below the surface), using dredgers with cutter heads and tubes of suction.
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