Minerals - Types, Extraction & Distribution

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  • “homogenous, naturally occurring substance without any human interference, which has definable internal structure (Chemical Composition).
  • Not easily accessible in Arctic ocean bed and Antarctica.
  • Rocks are combinations of homogenous substances called minerals
  • Identified on the basis of their physical properties such as colour, density, hardness and chemical property such as solubility.
Types of Minerals
  • Metallic: Raw form, conduct heat and electricity. characteristic lustre or shine.
  • Ferrous: Iron ore, Manganese and Chromites contain iron.
  • Non-ferrous: does not contain iron.
  • Non-metallic minerals do not contain metals. Ex: Limestone, mica and gypsum.
  • Non-metallic minerals are either organic in origin such as fossil fuels also known as mineral fuels (Energy Mineral).
Extraction of Minerals
  • Process of taking out minerals from rocks buried under the earth’s surface is called mining.
  • lie at shallow depths are taken out by removing the surface layer open-cast mining.
  • Deep bores, called shafts, have to be made to reach mineral deposits that lie at great depths. This is called shaft mining.
  • Deep wells are bored to take them out, is drilling.
  • Minerals that lie near the surface are simply dug out is Quarrying.
Distribution/Mode of Occurrence of Minerals
  • Found in “ores.
  • Igneous and metamorphic rocks
    • Metallic minerals are found on Cracks, Crevices, faults or joints. Smaller occurrences are called veins and the larger are called lodes.
    • Minerals in liquid/molten and gaseous forms.
    • Most of the metallic minerals, peninsular plateau in the old crystalline rocks.
    • Cool and solidify as they rise.
    • Ex: Tin, Copper, Zinc & lead.
  • Sedimentary rocks
    • Occur in beds or layers.
    • Deposition, accumulation and concentration in horizontal strata.
    • Gypsum, potash salt and sodium salt. formed as a result of evaporation especially in arid regions.
    • Sedimentary rock formations of plains and young fold mountains contain non-metallic minerals like limestone.
    • Mineral fuels - coal and petroleum found in sedimentary strata.
  • Decomposition of surface rocks, residual mass of weathered material. Ex: Bauxite.
  • Placer Deposits - Alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills. Ex: Gold, silver, tin and platinum.
  • Ocean Salt - common salt, magnesium and bromine. ocean beds, too, are rich in manganese nodules.
Asia
  • China and India have large iron ore deposits.
  • Produce more than half of the world’s tin.
  • China, Malaysia and Indonesia are among the world’s leading tin producers. China also leads in production of leading tin producers.
  • China produce - lead, antimony and tungsten.
  • Other deposits - manganese, bauxite, nickel, zinc and copper
Europe
  • Iron ore are Russia, Ukraine, Sweden and France.
  • Deposits - copper, lead, zinc, manganese and nickel eastern Europe and European Russia
  • Switzerland - no known mineral deposit.
North America
  • Canadian region north of the Great Lakes, the Appalachian region and the mountain ranges of west.
  • Iron ore, nickel, gold, uranium and copper are mined in the Canadian Shield Region.
  • Coal in the Appalachians region.
  • Western Cordilleras deposits of copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver.
South Africa
  • Brazil - high grade iron-ore.
  • Chile and Peru – Copper.
  • Brazil and Bolivia – Tin.
  • Gold, silver, zinc, chromium, manganese, bauxite, mica, platinum, asbestos and diamond.
  • Mineral oil - Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Columbia.
Africa
  • South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zair - diamonds, gold and platinum.
  • Copper, iron ore, chromium, uranium, cobalt and bauxite.
  • Oil is found in Nigeria, Libya and Angola.
Australia
  • Coal in the Transantarctic Mountains.
  • Iron near the Prince Charles Mountains of East Antarctica.
  • Iron ore, gold, silver and oil are also present in commercial quantities.

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