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CH 5 Mineral Resources

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10 views3 pages

CH 5 Mineral Resources

Uploaded by

mshahzaib.2011butt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mineral Resources

• Mineral
• inorganic material that has a characteristic chemical composition and specific
crystal structure.
• Mining
• the process of extracting minerals from the earth
Types of Mining
• Open-pit / cast mine
• place where rocks, sand, or minerals are extracted from the surface of the
Earth.
Underground Mining
• Adit Mining
• is done in hilly districts where a mineral seam is exposed
• Shaft Mining
• Verticals Shafts are dug down to the minerals due to their depth and spread
underground
Non-Metallic Minerals: Uses
• Rock Salt
• Cooking, Preservative, Soda ash, bicarbonate, caustic soda, textiles, and tanning
• Limestone
• Bleaching powder, glass, soap, paper, paints, and lime, used in treating
sugarcane waste
• Coal
• Used in brick kilns, for power generation, etc.
• Gypsum
• Paints, fertilizers and prefabricated construction boards, cement, plaster of
Paris
• Marble
• Used in buildings, making chips for flooring and decorative purpose
• Sulphur
• Sulphuric acid, paints, explosives material, dyes, rayons, and fertilizers
• Magnesite
• Cement, fertilizers, rayon, paper pulp, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals
• Crude Oil
• Fuel for vehicles, lubricant for machines
Metallic Minerals: Uses
• Chromite
• Gives harness and electrical resistance to steel. Used for bridges, railway
carriages, engineering tools
• Iron ore
• Steel making, construction and the transport industry
• Copper Ore
• Electrical wires, electrical appliances, switches, water pipes, tanks, making
alloys
• Manganese
• Batteries, paints, vital alloy in steel making, flares and flash bulbs
• Bauxite
• Aluminum is mainly obtained from it. Utensils, tins, cans, etc.
Properties of Metallic and Non-Metallic
• Metallic Minerals
• Economically more valuable
• Generally hard, tough, and shiny
• Can change shape without breaking
• Can be stretched and compressed
• Good thermal and electrical conductors
• More reactive with water and acid
• Non - metallic Minerals
• Economically less valuable except oil and gas
• Softer, rough and may not shine
• Breaks away when shape is changed
• Cannot be compressed or stretched
• Poor thermal and electrical conductors
• Less reactive with water and acid (except limestone and salt.
Benefits of Extracting Mineral Resources
• National Economy
• Raw Material for Economy, e.g., Energy, Construction, Agriculture, Industry
• Industrialization / Industry Developed
• Revenue / Taxes for Government
• Exports Increase
• Export Earnings / Contributes to Balance of Payments
• Reduces National Debt / Deficit
• Reducing Imports
• Local People
• Employment Opportunities
• Higher / More Stable Incomes
• Higher Living Standards /Settled Lifestyle
• Business Opportunities for Local / Ancillary Industries / Services
• Improvement to Local Infrastructure such as Roads / Electricity
• Local Use of Raw Materials for cement, fertilizers, etc.
• Rural development
Problems for Mining Industry
• Lack of funds
• Lack of machinery / technology
• Unattractive to investors
• In remote areas / inaccessible
• Lack of infrastructure, e.g., roads, power supply, etc.
• Security issues
• Lack of skills / expertise
• Institutional mismanagement
• Low priority given to mineral extraction
Effects of Mineral Extractions
• Deforestation to clear land
• Destroys habitat / wildlife
• Land deformation E.g., holes / pits / depressions
• Noise pollution from machinery / blasting / disturbs wildlife
• Air pollution from dust and smoke
• Water pollution – seepage into ground water/rivers/seas
How to reduce effects of Mining
• Laws / legislation
• Tree planting / screens
• Land restoration
• Personal health and safety – e.g., wearing masks against the dust, ear defenders,
• Regular medical checkups, etc.
• Avoid using explosives; use alternate technology
• Sustainable Mining
• Extracting minerals with minimum damage to the Environment to fulfil the
needs of present society without compromising the environment and ability of
future generations to meet their needs
• Suggestions for Sustainable Mining
• Reuse, Reduce, Recycling
• Use of Scientific Technology, i.e., use of Laser for cutting marbles slabs, etc.
• Extraction of minerals as per the need
• Restoration of mining areas once operations are over, i.e., filling the
depressions, planting trees, etc.

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