Minerals and their properties. Utilization of minerals

There are many natural deposits of substances important for humans. These are resources that are exhaustible and which should be taken care of. Without their development and extraction, many aspects of people's lives would be extremely difficult.

Minerals and their properties are the object and subject of studying the geology of mining. The results obtained by it are used in the future for the processing and production of many things.

Minerals and their properties

What do they call mineral resources? These are such rocks or mineral structures that are of great economic importance and are widely used in industry.

Their diversity is great, so the properties for each species are specific. Several basic variants of clusters of the substances under consideration in nature can be distinguished:

• Placers;
• Layers;
• Veins;
• Stocks;
• Jacks.

If we talk about the general distribution of fossils, then we can distinguish:

• Province;
• Areas;
• Swimming pools;
• Place of Birth.

Minerals and their properties depend on the specific type of raw materials. This is what determines the scope of their use by man, as well as the way of extraction and processing.

Kinds of minerals

There is not one classification of the raw materials in question. So, if the basis of the signs of the aggregate state, then distinguish such varieties.

1. The mineral is solid. Examples: marble, salt, granite, metal ore, non-metallic.
2. Liquid - underground mineral water and oil.
3. Gas - natural gas, helium.

If, in the basis of the division for species, the use of minerals, then the classification takes the following form.

1. Flammable. Examples: oil, oil shale, coal, methane and others.
2. Ore or igneous. Examples: all metal-containing ore raw materials, as well as asbestos and graphite.
3. Nonmetallic. Examples: all raw materials that do not contain metals (clay, sand, chalk, gravel, etc.), as well as various salts.
4. Stone-colored. Examples: precious and semiprecious, and also ornamental stones (diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, jasper, chalcedony, opal, carnelian and others).

According to the variety presented, it is obvious that minerals and their properties are a whole world that is studied by a huge number of geologists and miners.

Main fields

Various mineral resources (minerals) are distributed around the planet fairly evenly according to geological features. After all, a significant part of them is formed due to platform movements and tectonic eruptions. You can name several major continents, which are the richest in almost all types of raw materials. It:

• North and South America.
• Eurasia.
• Africa.

All countries that are located in designated areas, widely use minerals and their properties. In the same areas where there is no raw material, there are export deliveries.

In general, of course, it is difficult to determine the general plan of mineral deposits. It all depends on the type of raw materials. Some of the most expensive are precious (containing noble metals) minerals. Gold, for example, is everywhere except Europe (from the above-mentioned continents plus Australia). It is highly valued, and its extraction is one of the most common phenomena in mining.

The most rich in combustible resources is Eurasia. Mineral minerals (talc, barite, kaolin, limestone, quartzite, apatite, salt) are distributed almost everywhere in large numbers.

Mining

In order to extract and prepare mineral raw materials for use, different methods are used.

1. Open path. The necessary raw materials are extracted directly from quarries. Over time, this leads to the formation of extensive ravines, so it is not sparing for nature.
2. The mine method is more correct, but expensive.
3. Fountain method of pumping oil.
4. Pumping method.
5. Geotechnological methods of ore processing.

The development of mineral deposits is an important and necessary process, but it leads to very disastrous consequences. After all, the resources are exhausted. Therefore, in recent years, special emphasis has been placed not on the large volumes of extraction of mineral resources, but on their more correct and rational use by man.

Ore (igneous) rocks

This group includes the most important and large in terms of extraction of minerals. Ore is the formation of a mineral nature in which a particular metal (another component) is contained in large quantities.

The places of extraction and processing of such raw materials are called mines. Classify igneous rocks can be divided into four groups:

• Ferrous metals ;
• Colored;
• Noble;
• Non-metallic components.

Here are some examples of ore mineral resources.

1. Manganese ore.
2. Iron.
3. Nickel.
4. Argentina.
5. Cassiterite.
6. Beryl.
7. Bornite.
8. Chalcopyrite.
9. Uraninite.
10. Asbestos.
11. Graphite and others.

Gold - ore fossil

There are special minerals among the ore mines. Gold, for example. His prey was relevant from ancient times, because it was always highly valued by people. Today, gold is mined and laundered in virtually every country, on the territory of which there are even small deposits of it.

In nature, gold is found in the form of native particles. The largest ingot was found in Australia with a weight of almost 70 kg layer. Often, because of the weathering of deposits and their erosion, placers are formed in the form of sand grains from this precious metal.

From such mixtures it is extracted by washing and sieving. In general, these are not very widespread and abundant in content minerals. Gold is therefore called a precious and noble metal.

The mining centers for this ore are:

• Russia.
• Canada.
• South Africa.
• Australia.

Fossil fuels

This group includes such mineral resources as:

• Brown coal ;
• oil;
• Gas (methane, helium);
• coal.

The use of minerals of this kind is fuel and raw materials for obtaining various chemical compounds and substances.

Coal - this is a fossil that lies in a relatively small depth of wide layers. Its quantity is limited in one particular field. Therefore, having exhausted one pool, people pass to another. In general, coal contains up to 97% of carbon in its pure form. It was formed historically, as a result of die-off and compacting of plant organic remains. These processes lasted for millions of years, so now coal reserves are a huge amount on the whole planet.

Oil is called liquid gold, which underlines how important an mineral resource it is. After all, this is the main source of high-quality combustible fuel, as well as its various components - the basis, raw materials for chemical synthesis. The leaders in oil production are such countries as:

• Russia.
• USA.
• Algeria;
• Mexico.
• Indonesia.
• Venezuela.
• Libya.

Natural gas, which is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons, is also an important industrial fuel. Refers to the cheapest raw materials, therefore it is especially used. Leading countries are Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Non-metallic or non-metallic types

This group includes such minerals and rocks as:

• clay;
• a piece of chalk;
• sand;
• Pebbles;
• gravel;
• Crushed stone;
• talc;
• kaolin;
• barite;
• graphite;
• Diamonds;
• quartz;
• Apatites;
• Phosphorite and others.

All varieties can be combined into several groups according to the field of use.

1. Mineral and chemical minerals.
2. Metallurgical raw materials.
3. Technical crystals.
4. Construction Materials.

To the same group is often attributed and kamnesamotsvetnye fossils. The areas of use of minerals of non-metallic nature are multifaceted and extensive. This is agriculture (fertilizer), construction (materials), glass making, jewelry, technology, general chemical production, paint production and so on.