COMMON MINERALS FOUND ON EARTH

The most common minerals found on Earth are:

● Quartz
● Copper
● Iron
● Magnesium
● Calcium
● Aluminum
● Fluorite
● Manganese
● Calcite
QUARTZ
Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silicon and oxygen atoms (silica
dioxide). It is basically one of the most famous and the second most abundant
mineral with many uses found on earth. It is a major component of rocks
(igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks) and forms in all temperatures.
Quartz in its purest form is clear or white in color but different impurities within
the atomic lattice can cause the color to change to purple, pink, brown, black,
gray, green, orange, yellow, blue, or red and in some cases, multi-color. There are
various varieties of quartz with different uses. The following are the major
properties of quartz which makes it one of the most useful naturally occurring
minerals.
QUARTZ

● Some Quartz crystals possess piezoelectric property, which is the ability to

generate electric potential when subjected to mechanical stress.
● Quartz is one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals and hence can not
be corroded easily.
● It has a very high melting point and can withstand critically high
temperatures.
● It is chemically stable and does not react with other chemicals and
substances.
● Quartz crystals are visually attractive and can be found in different colors.
Although naturally transparent, they are found in various colors according to
the presence of impurities.
QUARTZ
QUARTZ

Uses:
● Jewelry and Gemstone
● Glassmaking
● Watches and Clocks
● Foundry Materials for Metal Casting
● Refractory Bricks (High Temperature)
● Abrasives
● Petroleum Industry
● Kitchen Countertops
● Sharpening Tools
● Crucibles
● Electronic Devices
COPPER
While gold and silver are irrefutably the most well-known of the 95 metals in the Periodic
Table of Elements, to metallurgists and metal connoisseurs, they are nothing out of the
ordinary. The real icon in the world of metals is copper, and for a number of good reasons.
● Copper is believed to be the first metal humans discovered, dating back to 10,000 years
ago. Even before rulers of the first empires wore golden crowns and accessories,
copper was already widely utilized for cookware, work tools, and fittings.
● It is chock full of properties that are useful for a vast array of structural and decorative
applications.
● It’s more abundant than the majority of non-ferrous metals.
● It’s easy to combine with other metals to form alloys, thereby allowing the creation of
new, expedient materials.
● Copper production is so immense an industry that it is often used as a basis for
determining the state of global trade.
COPPER
COPPER
As mentioned, copper is prized for its many useful properties. It’s no wonder copper &
brass sales have never seen a significant decline in the last few years. Copper alloys turn
out to be extremely useful for the exact same reason. Let’s take a look at some of copper’s
more valuable properties.
● Workability
● Electrical/Heat Conductivity
● Durability
● Anti-Bacterial
● Recyclable
COPPER
Uses:
● Kitchen Sink
● Tabletops
● Jewelry
● Door Knobs and Pull Handles
● Railings
● Tools
● Musical Instruments
● Wires
● Pipes
● Gutter
IRON
Iron is an enigma – it rusts easily, yet it is the most important of all metals. 90% of all metal
that is refined today is iron.

Most is used to manufacture steel, used in civil engineering (reinforced concrete, girders
etc) and in manufacturing.

There are many different types of steel with different properties and uses. Ordinary carbon
steel is an alloy of iron with carbon (from 0.1% for mild steel up to 2% for high carbon
steels), with small amounts of other elements.
IRON
IRON
Alloy steels are carbon steels with other additives such as nickel, chromium, vanadium,
tungsten and manganese. These are stronger and tougher than carbon steels and have a
huge variety of applications including bridges, electricity pylons, bicycle chains, cutting
tools and rifle barrels.

Stainless steel is very resistant to corrosion. It contains at least 10.5% chromium. Other
metals such as nickel, molybdenum, titanium and copper are added to enhance its strength
and workability. It is used in architecture, bearings, cutlery, surgical instruments and
jewellery.

Cast iron contains 3–5% carbon. It is used for pipes, valves and pumps. It is not as tough as
steel but it is cheaper. Magnets can be made of iron and its alloys and compounds.

Iron catalysts are used in the Haber process for producing ammonia, and in the Fischer–
Tropsch process for converting syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) into liquid fuels.
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is one-third less dense than aluminium. It improves the mechanical, fabrication
and welding characteristics of aluminium when used as an alloying agent. These alloys are
useful in aeroplane and car construction.

Magnesium is used in products that benefit from being lightweight, such as car seats,
luggage, laptops, cameras and power tools. It is also added to molten iron and steel to
remove sulfur.

As magnesium ignites easily in air and burns with a bright light, it’s used in flares, fireworks
and sparklers.
MAGNESIUM
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium sulfate is sometimes used as a mordant for dyes. Magnesium hydroxide is
added to plastics to make them fire retardant. Magnesium oxide is used to make heat-
resistant bricks for fireplaces and furnaces. It is also added to cattle feed and fertilisers.
Magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia), sulfate (Epsom salts), chloride and citrate are all
used in medicine.

Grignard reagents are organic magnesium compounds that are important for the chemical
industry.
CALCIUM
Calcium metal is used as a reducing agent in preparing other metals such as thorium and
uranium. It is also used as an alloying agent for aluminium, beryllium, copper, lead and
magnesium alloys.

Calcium compounds are widely used. There are vast deposits of limestone (calcium
carbonate) used directly as a building stone and indirectly for cement. When limestone is
heated in kilns it gives off carbon dioxide gas leaving behind quicklime (calcium oxide). This
reacts vigorously with water to give slaked lime (calcium hydroxide). Slaked lime is used to
make cement, as a soil conditioner and in water treatment to reduce acidity, and in the
chemicals industry. It is also used in steel making to remove impurities from the molten
iron ore. When mixed with sand, slaked lime takes up carbon dioxide from the air and
hardens as lime plaster.

Gypsum (calcium sulfate) is used by builders as a plaster and by nurses for setting bones, as
‘plaster of Paris’.
CALCIUM
ALUMINUM
Pure aluminum (99.996 percent) is quite soft and weak; commercial aluminum (99 to 99.6
percent pure) with small amounts of silicon and iron is hard and strong. Ductile and highly
malleable, aluminum can be drawn into wire or rolled into thin foil. The metal is only about
one-third as dense as iron or copper. Though chemically active, aluminum is nevertheless
highly corrosion-resistant, because in air a hard, tough oxide film forms on its surface.

A number of aluminum compounds have important industrial applications. Alumina, which

occurs in nature as corundum, is also prepared commercially in large quantities for use in
the production of aluminum metal and the manufacture of insulators, spark plugs, and
various other products. Upon heating, alumina develops a porous structure, which enables
it to adsorb water vapour. This form of aluminum oxide, commercially known as activated
alumina, is used for drying gases and certain liquids. It also serves as a carrier for catalysts
of various chemical reactions.
ALUMINUM
FLUORITE

Fluorite is an important industrial mineral composed of calcium and fluorine (CaF2). It is

used in a wide variety of chemical, metallurgical, and ceramic processes. Specimens with
exceptional diaphaneity and color are cut into gems or used to make ornamental objects.
Fluorite is deposited in veins by hydrothermal processes. In these rocks it often occurs as a
gangue mineral associated with metallic ores. Fluorite is also found in the fractures and
cavities of some limestones and dolomites. It is a very common rock-forming mineral found
in many parts of the world. In the mining industry, fluorite is often called "fluorspar."
FLUORITE
FLUORITE

Fluorite has a wide variety of uses. The primary uses are in the metallurgical, ceramics, and
chemical industries; however, optical, lapidary, and other uses are also important.
Fluorspar, the name used for fluorite when it is sold as a bulk material or in processed form,
is sold in three different grades (acid, ceramic, and metallurgical).
Acid grade fluorspar is a high-purity material used by the chemical industry. It contains
over 97% CaF2. Most of the fluorspar consumed in the United States is acid grade even if it
is used in lower grade applications. It is used mainly in the chemical industry to
manufacture hydrofluoric acid (HF). The HF is then used to manufacture a variety of
products which include: fluorocarbon chemicals, foam blowing agents, refrigerants, and a
variety of fluoride chemicals.
FLUORITE

Ceramic grade fluorspar contains between 85% and 96% CaF2. Much of this material is
used in the manufacture of specialty glass, ceramics, and enamelware. Fluorspar is used to
make glazes and surface treatments that produce hard glossy surfaces, opalescent
surfaces, and a number of other appearances that make consumer glass objects more
attractive or more durable. The non-stick cooking surface known as Teflon is made using
fluorine derived from fluorite.
Metallurgical grade fluorspar contains between 60 and 85% CaF2. Much of this material is
used in the production of iron, steel, and other metals. Fluorspar can serve as a flux that
removes impurities such as sulfur and phosphorous from molten metal and improves the
fluidity of slag. Between 20 and 60 pounds of fluorspar is used for every ton of metal
produced. In the United States many metal producers use fluorspar that exceeds
metallurgical grade.
FLUORITE
Specimens of fluorite with exceptional optical clarity have been used as lenses. Fluorite has
a very low refractive index and a very low dispersion. These two characteristics enable the
lens to produce extremely sharp images. Today, instead of using natural fluorite crystals to
manufacture these lenses, high-purity fluorite is melted and combined with other materials
to produce synthetic "fluorite" lenses of even higher quality. These lenses are used in
optical equipment such as microscopes, telescopes, and cameras.
Specimens of fluorite with exceptional color and clarity are often used by lapidaries to cut
gemstones and make ornamental objects. High-quality specimens of fluorite make
beautiful faceted stones; however, the mineral is so soft and cleaves so easily that these
stones are either sold as collector's specimens or used in jewelry that will not be subjected
to impact or abrasion. Fluorite is also cut and carved into ornamental objects such as small
figurines and vases. These are often treated with a coating or impregnation to enhance
their stability and protect them from scratches.
MANGANESE
Manganese is too brittle to be of much use as a pure metal. It is mainly used in alloys, such
as steel. Steel contains about 1% manganese, to increase the strength and also improve
workability and resistance to wear. Manganese steel contains about 13% manganese. This
is extremely strong and is used for railway tracks, safes, rifle barrels and prison bars.

Drinks cans are made of an alloy of aluminium with 1.5% manganese, to improve resistance
to corrosion. With aluminium, antimony and copper it forms highly magnetic alloys.

Manganese(IV) oxide is used as a catalyst, a rubber additive and to decolourise glass that is
coloured green by iron impurities. Manganese sulfate is used to make a fungicide.
Manganese(II) oxide is a powerful oxidising agent and is used in quantitative analysis. It is
also used to make fertilisers and ceramics.
MANGANESE
CALCITE
Calcite is a rock-forming mineral with a chemical formula of CaCO3. It is extremely common
and found throughout the world in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Some
geologists consider it to be a "ubiquitous mineral" - one that is found everywhere.
Calcite is the principal constituent of limestone and marble. These rocks are extremely
common and make up a significant portion of Earth's crust. They serve as one of the largest
carbon repositories on our planet.
The properties of calcite make it one of the most widely used minerals. It is used as a
construction material, abrasive, agricultural soil treatment, construction aggregate,
pigment, pharmaceutical and more. It has more uses than almost any other mineral.
CALCITE
CALCITE

The construction industry is the primary consumer of calcite in the form of limestone and
marble. These rocks have been used as dimension stones and in mortar for thousands of
years. Limestone blocks were the primary construction material used in many of the
pyramids of Egypt and Latin America. Today, rough and polished limestone and marble are
still an important material used in prestige architecture.
Modern construction uses calcite in the form of limestone and marble to produce cement
and concrete. These materials are easily mixed, transported, and placed in the form of a
slurry that will harden into a durable construction material. Concrete is used to make
buildings, highways, bridges, walls, and many other structures.
References
• https://groundwater.org/what-is-groundwater/
• https://www.intertek.com/blog/2020-11-10-groundwater/