Ore and non-metallic deposits. Ore minerals: what they are, how they are mined, examples. Fossil fuels

The vast territory of our country is rich in valuable resources, including coal, oil, natural gas, gems, minerals. What minerals is it rich in? central part and other regions where they are located richest deposits of these riches, what their reserves are and what is Russia’s share in the world. Let's answer these questions.

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Types of fossils

Minerals are minerals rocks and combustible raw materials buried in the depths earth's crust and is valuable to humans. The wealth of these resources, among other indicators, determines the situation of the country on the world market. It is customary to distinguish types of fossils depending on the purpose of their use. The list of minerals is quite impressive.

Flammable

In most cases they are used as fuel. These include:

Oil is an oily liquid, which is an excellent fuel and raw material for many substances. Oil in Russia is called black gold.

It is used in almost all industries and brings enormous profits. In terms of its reserves, Russia is in 7th place among all countries, but it has been established that oil production capabilities are only half realized.

An important characteristic of oil is its density: the smaller it is, the more valuable the product is.

Gas– the most convenient and environmentally friendly fuel, which is extracted from the voids of rocks. Natural gas is formed due to the breakdown organic compounds in the depths. Russia ranks first in the world in terms of deposits of this substance.

Coal- is the result of the decomposition of a huge amount plant organisms. It lies in layers, the formation of which takes thousands of years. This is the most requested flammable material, is actively used in metallurgy and industry. Only the United States and China are ahead of Russia in terms of coal reserves.

Peat– a flammable substance (contains up to 50% carbohydrate), which is the result of rotting plants, mainly mosses. Places of peat deposits are swamps. The thickness of the peat layer is at least 30 cm. The demand for it is enormous, as it burns well and is used to fertilize the soil. There are more than 40 thousand peat deposits, most of them are located in the Asian part of the country.

Oil shale, on the contrary, are mined in the west. This is a combination of organic matter and siliceous clay, solid formations of a gray or brown hue. Oil shale deposits are located at the bottom of reservoirs. When processing this material, a resin is extracted, its properties similar to oil. Shales are an additional source of heat, but since their reserves exceed the amount of all fossil fuels in the world, it is possible that in the foreseeable future shale will become the main raw material for fuel.

Ore

Ore is not one certain type raw materials, but a combination of several components containing the main substance in such quantities that the extraction and processing of ore is profitable and justified from an economic point of view.

Fossils mined in this way are called ore. Central Russia is rich in these reserves.

Metal ores- these Russian minerals are so named because they contain various metals. These are deposits of iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, tin, tungsten, and aluminum.

On the territory of our country, gold is mined (our country is in 4th place together with Canada), silver (first place in terms of reserves on the planet), and polymetals.

Iron ore is a mineral formation containing a large amount of iron. This mineral is the main raw material for the production of cast iron.

Gold– fusible, soft, very dense, but ductile in its properties precious metal. Jewelers distinguish yellow, white, and red gold (the color depends on the metals added; additives give gold products greater strength). Gold is also used in manufacturing, medicine, and cosmetology.

Silver– white metal, soft, ductile, conducts electricity well. Silver is used to make jewelry, dishes, cutlery, and electrical equipment.

Not metal ores(as the name implies, they do not contain metals): titanium, uranium, manganese, mercury and others.

Uranium ore– a mineral with a high concentration of uranium. It is a radioactive element used in nuclear fuel, geology, mechanical and aircraft engineering. In addition, this substance generates heat many times more powerful than oil or gas. Uranium is a very common element in nature.

Manganese ore, the main component of which is manganese, is used very widely in metallurgy, ceramics, and medicine.

Nonmetallic

Precious and semi-precious stones are rocks of organic and inorganic origin, used in jewelry, industry, and often in medicine. The main wealth consists of diamonds, the first of which was found at the end of the 19th century. Also mined:

• topaz,
• emeralds,
• sapphires,
• rubies,
• rhinestone,
• cornelian,
• amethysts,
• malachite,
• amber.

Diamond- This is the hardest mineral in the world, but at the same time very fragile. Diamonds are widely used in jewelry, and due to their strength, also in the nuclear industry, optics, microelectronics, and for the manufacture of sharp cutting and sharpening objects.

Rhinestone– a transparent mineral used in the manufacture of jewelry and some interior parts, as well as in radio engineering.

Other minerals include amber, topaz, malachite, ruby ​​and so on.

Note! What mineral is called a fertility stone. These are the minerals from which they are produced mineral fertilizers: phosphorite, potassium salts, apatite

Building breeds: different kinds sand, gravel, granite, basalt, volcanic tuff. The bowels of the earth also contain graphite, asbestos, and mica. different types, graphite, talc, kaolin. Widely used in construction.

Place of Birth

Mineral deposits in our country are distributed throughout the territory. are located in the southern, eastern and northeastern parts, as well as on . Valuable breeds are mined in these areas. In the central and European parts of Russia, which are more flat, rich ore deposits have been discovered.

Detailed mineral map in Russia it looks like this:

1. Combustible minerals are concentrated in the northwestern part of Siberia and the Volga delta, that is, in the European part of Russia, and the largest deposits are Sakhalin and the Yamalo-Nenets District.
2. Gold is mined in five large deposits, 200 primary and 114 complex. The richest regions in gold are Magadan, Yakutia, and Sakha.
3. Silver is mined in the Urals and Eastern Siberia. Almost 98% of deposits are located in the region of the Okhotsk-Chukotka and East Alin volcanic belt.
4. Most of the numerous sources of peat are located in the Urals and Siberia, in swampy areas. The Vasyugan deposit, which is located in Western Siberia, is considered the largest.
5. Coal is mined almost throughout the country, but the main wealth is concentrated in the east (more than 60% of the total amount).
6. Deposits of gypsum, sand, and limestone rocks are located in the area. Potassium salts are mined in Perm region, rock salt - in Eastern and Western Siberia.
7. The location of construction raw materials has been recorded in the Urals, Sayan Mountains, Transbaikalia, Irkutsk region, Krasnoyarsk region, Siberia.
8. Aluminum ores in large quantities can be found in the northern Urals and the Komi Republic.

Expert forecast

Information on the share of mineral resources in Russia among world reserves varies somewhat, but on average it is very significant indicators. Thus, in Russia there are about 12% of total stock oil, 32% - natural gas, 30% - coal, 25% - iron.

Note! The problem is that, according to experts, the bulk of Russian deposits are no different high quality, in comparison with the world (in terms of useful components they are less valuable than samples from other countries of the world, but their extraction is much more difficult due to natural and geographical conditions).

To improve the situation, a strategy has been developed until 2020, the result of which should be a more rational and expedient use of raw materials.

The situation is aggravated by the reduction in renewable mineral reserves in Russia. In this regard, many oil companies lose profitability.

Coal production is carried out at a low rate and does not provide industrial sectors with a sufficient amount of raw materials. Many mining companies iron ore are provided with reserves for no more than 2 decades. Working with other metal ores is also very difficult and continues to get worse.

Main types of minerals in Russia

Minerals of Russia - ores, diamonds, oil

Conclusion

Now, despite the colossal reserves of minerals throughout the vast territory, our country lags significantly behind most countries in the world in terms of the degree of their development and use. The improvement of the country's economy and development prospects largely depend on the solution to this problem.

One day my son, leafing through a book about ancient people, puzzled me with a question: " Is the mammoth a mineral?" I, maintaining a serious look, replied that, of course, because thanks to him, scientists will learn something new about the history of the Earth. “No,” snapped the seven-year-old erudite, “not useful - a mammoth cannot be used in industry!” It was necessary to “keep up the brand”, so I sketched out a rough diagram known species minerals and their economic importance.

Economic importance of minerals

“Economic” means “practical,” that is, we had to cross out all discoveries that had purely theoretical value, such as the discovery of mineral springs at extremely great depths. If we also exclude quite specific fossils. like gems, then the main types of minerals will be combustible (fuel), ore and non-metallic.

Fossil fuels

This group includes the following solid, liquid and gaseous substances:

• oil. Widely used to obtain fuel, however in Lately is actively being replaced by environmentally friendly gas;
• natural gas. Used as fuel in residential premises, as well as raw materials for plastics production;
• coal. Going into production fuel in energy. Coal is used to produce graphite;
• oil shale. Mainly used for the production of oil-like composition resins;
• peat. The main application is, again, how fuel In addition, it is used as fertilizers and thermal insulation material.

Ore minerals

The vast majority of these minerals are used as raw materials for the metallurgical industry, although there are exceptions:

• iron, nickel, aluminum and other ores are the basis for future metal structures;
• uranium ore. Application – nuclear industry;
• sulfur ore. Raw materials for fertilizers.

Non-metallic minerals

• granite, limestone, marble – construction;
• apatite- production fertilizers;
• some clays - obtaining fireproof materials ;
• diamond, quartz – jewelry industry.

It is impossible to imagine human life without metal objects - equipment, dishes, buildings, all of this is made thanks to constant production. But where does this process begin? Initially, to obtain raw materials, mineral ores are used, which are mined in quarries and mines.

Ore is a mineral resource that contains a large amount of metals. Alloys are smelted from it, which are subsequently used in production. Appearance they resemble stones with shiny inclusions on them. Some people have no idea what a steel spoon looks like before it goes into the smelting furnaces to process the ore. Minerals lie deep underground, so they are extracted by mine and quarry methods.

What types of ore minerals are there?

There are more than 200 categories of metal ore in the world, based on the type of predominant component, but scientists have identified a broad classification. It is smaller, so it is much more convenient to use.

The standard classification of types of metal ores, which is generally accepted by all countries, looks like this:

1. Black
2. Colored
3. Precious
4. Rare

There is also a classification based on richness – rich and poor. It is calculated by the amount of metal in the ore. In the iron sector - the rich from 50%, the poor from 20%. Non-ferrous metals are much more difficult to extract, and rocks are considered rich from 6%. Poor minerals are classified as nonmetallic, because the rock can be a source of silicates, silicon or sulfur.

Non-ferrous metallurgy is one of the most dangerous for the Earth's ecology. During production, huge amounts of harmful pollutants are released into the air. chemical substances Therefore, such enterprises are located far from cities.

Iron ore is the basis

Iron ore is a mountain or volcanic rock that contains a large amount of metal, and its processing in production is profitable. In other words, if a stone contains less than 20% iron, it cannot be considered a metal ore. It is used for smelting metals - steel, cast iron, alloys.

Iron ore is formed in three ways:

• Igneous;
• Metamorphism;
• Sedimentary.

The first is explained by the fact that during volcanic eruptions, metals melt and mix with rocks, and due to the fluidity of magma, they break out to the surface and solidify. Most impurities that have low fire resistance burn out when high temperatures ah, so the percentage of iron content in such ores is very high. Igneous minerals are the most common in the world, their deposits are found in the vicinity of volcanoes that went extinct several thousand years ago.

The metamorphic process is also a consequence of high temperatures. Substances that are located at great depths are exposed to pressure and heat, as a result of which their crystal structure changes. The strata where ore minerals occur come to the surface during the movement of tectonic plates. Also, rock formations, under which minerals lie, are destroyed over time, which facilitates the extraction of valuable materials.

The main role in the sedimentary process of iron ore formation is played by wind and water, the influence of which washes away the brittle rock, leaving only metal skeletons - iron ore. The percentage of metal in this ore is the highest, but it is much less common.

Gold, which was washed out of the rock by running water, has a similar mechanism of deposition. This process caused the gold rush in the United States. Now small countries are engaged in a similar method of extracting precious metal.

Mine ore in industrial scale began before our era. Archaeologists have been tracking this process for a very long time. Initially, man learned to process bronze ore, then iron and precious metals.

The extraction of ore minerals allowed man to develop technology, weapons, construction and other areas.

Modern production of metal from ore

The ore is a stone containing a large amount of silicates. To sort rich stones and waste rock, use electromagnetic separator. To separate metal from ore, it is crushed into small pieces and treated with chemicals. This process is called enrichment.

Purification of ferrous metal ores

There are several ways to purify ore - with magnetic devices, acids, vibration, but now flotation is most often used. For this purpose, heavy liquids and suspensions are used. The vessel into which the crushed ore is placed is filled with a solution, and a high pressure of air under pressure is supplied through it, as a result of which the metal with foam rises up, and the waste rock settles to the bottom. Smelting metal from ore requires high temperatures in which small particles of rock burn.

This is the simplest and quick way enrichment, it does not require a large number of operations, and is relatively cheap. The resulting metal particles are melted in blast furnaces or steel smelting furnaces, making blanks for further use in production.

There is also non-chemical cleaning - in vibration bins, where, with the help of high vibration frequencies, rock is destroyed, turning into sand, it spills through a sieve, and metal particles remain on the surface. But this does not always help to completely separate the rock from the iron ore, so it is combined with the chemical method.

IN blast furnaces Cast iron billets are smelted for production to make steel; admixtures of other alloys and scrap metal are added to it.

Typically, factories are located in places where mineral resources are located, so as not to waste time on transportation.

Purification of non-ferrous metal ores

Non-ferrous metals are much less common in nature compared to ferrous metals. They can be divided into heavy (copper, bronze, lead, nickel, zinc, cobalt) and light (titanium, aluminum, magnesium).

One of the most common examples of minerals is aluminum. Bauxite and nepheline ores are processed to produce alumina, a white powder similar to starch. His chemical composition– Al 2 O 3 . Pure aluminum is obtained by electrolysis, when, under the influence of a directed current, the molecule is converted into cations - Al+ and O-. They settle on oppositely charged electrodes, resulting in pure aluminum.

The metal extracted from alumina is poured into a mixer, where it is mixed with other materials to give it the desired plastic properties. Aluminum ingots are cast from the resulting composition, which are sent to various production facilities for further use.

Copper is isolated from copper sulfide concentrate mined in mines. It contains a huge amount of metals. To separate clean material, metallurgical plants use pyrotechnologies, which involve the use of high temperatures. The mechanism for obtaining copper is no different from processing black ore - the precipitation method is used - fluoridation. Subsequently, the concentrate is sent to the plant, where it is further purified from impurities. It is melted under high temperatures to produce blister copper.

A purer product is obtained by electrolysis.

After this procedure, sludge remains, which contains small particles precious metals(platinum and gold). This product is also processed to obtain pure raw materials, but their concentration in the waste is insignificant.

Rarer metals are most often obtained by chemical and electrolytic methods. They belong to ore minerals, but their extraction is a complex process. For example, titanium. In nature it occurs only in the form chemical compounds, black ore and other rocks. The material that contains titanium is called ilmenite; it also contains iron oxide, from which it is quite difficult to separate the raw material. Initially, it is sent to smelting furnaces along with coal, where the mixture is separated into cast iron and titanium dioxide.

To separate it, chlorination is carried out, as a result of which titanium tetrachloride is obtained; this compound is no longer as strong as with oxygen, so it is easy to obtain pure metal from it. They do this with the help of magnesium - a reaction called reduction. The production process produces titanium sponge, which is melted down in factories to make aircraft parts, missiles and other parts.

World ore reserves

Ore, which contains metals, is very important for the production and technological progress of mankind. According to scientists, today the Earth contains about 800 billion tons of iron ore. 80% of all deposits contain low-grade ores, which contain a small amount of metal, and the process of their processing is quite labor-intensive.

There are several countries on whose territory rich mines are located. For example, in China - 8% of the total world reserve.

Some of the richest countries are Russia (18%), Brazil (17%), Australia (14%), Ukraine (11%). Despite these figures, China is the undisputed leader in ferrous metals production. The amount of non-ferrous metals is much smaller, and their distribution is calculated by belts - these are large basins that stretch for hundreds of kilometers.

Aluminum ore resources are most abundant in South America and Australia. Copper is located in the vicinity of the Coldiriers and the Andes, so the world championship in the extraction of this metal belongs to Chile. The second largest belt is located in Africa, in Zambia. Basically, ore minerals occur in places of high tectonic activity, studying which analysts search for new deposits. Russia is in third place on this list.

The map of ore minerals is compiled on the basis of analytical studies. Scientists study the geographical and historical data of the area, assess the proximity to tectonic faults. Most often, large layers of ore accumulations are found in places volcanic activity, where magma came to the surface, carrying with it a huge amount of molten metals. When they hardened, they remained on top, which makes mining easier.

Metal mining is sometimes harmful ecological system land. For example, when a copper mine in the USA was closed, it was flooded with water that was mixed with chemicals and is life-threatening. There are no animals in the surrounding area; only resistant algae live there, which have adapted to the aggressive environment.

Ore and non-metallic minerals are gradually depleted, so scientists are developing new ways to obtain raw materials for production. Some rare metals are synthesized through exposure chemical elements, but their number is inferior to the quarry and mine mining methods.

Black metals - iron, manganese, chromium, vanadium. Non-ferrous metals – other

Divided into:

• - noble - gold, platinum, silver
• - radioactive – uranium, radium thorium
• - heavy – copper lead zinc
• - light – aluminum, magnesium, etc.

World reserves of iron ore – 200 billion tons, including in countries, billion tons:

Russia – 33

Brazil – 21

Australia – 18

Ukraine and China 15 each

Canada – 12

USA and India 7 each

Kazakhstan and Sweden 4 each

In terms of manganese reserves, China, Ukraine, South Africa, Brazil, Australia and India stand out

Chroma – South Africa, Kazakhstan, India, Türkiye

The following have large reserves of non-ferrous metals:

• - bauxite ( aluminum ores) – Guinea, Australia, Brazil, Jamaica, India, Suriname
• - copper – Chile, USA, Canada, DR Congo and Zambia – the copper belt of the world , Australia, China
• - lead and zinc (polymetallic ores) - China, Australia, USA, Canada, Peru.
• - tin – Brazil, China, Bolivia, Malaysia and Indonesia are the tin belt of the world.

Non-metallic minerals

• - phosphorites – USA Morocco, Russia China Kazakhstan Tunisia
• - potassium salts – Russia, Canada, Germany, France, USA, Belarus.

According to modern calculations, as of 2010, global reserves will be sufficient:

Coal – 260-270 years

Oil – 45-50 years

Gaza – 60-70 years

Iron ore – 140 years

Aluminum and copper – 50-60 years

Industrial uranium – 30 years

Land resources – earth's surface suitable for human habitation and for all species economic activity. Land resources are characterized by the size of the territory and its quality: relief, soil cover and a complex of other natural conditions.

The global land fund is 13.4 billion hectares, including agricultural land - 4.8 billion hectares. Cultivated lands, primarily arable ones, provide 88% of food, meadows and pastures - 10%.

Structure of the land fund:

• - cultivated lands – 11%
• - meadows and pastures – 24%
• - forests and shrubs – 31%
• - anthropogenic landscapes – 3.5%
• - unproductive lands – 31%

Water resources perform a life support function. Fresh water is mainly used in agriculture, industry, and public utilities. Fresh water is 2.6 times the volume of the hydrosphere and exceeds the needs of humanity by 10 times.

Water resources are waters suitable for use. In a broader sense - water in liquid, solid and gaseous states and their distribution on Earth.

Water resources are all the waters of the hydrosphere, that is, the waters of rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs, seas and oceans, The groundwater, soil moisture, water (ice) of mountain and polar glaciers, atmospheric water vapor.

Biological resources– plant resources and fauna.

Biological resources - living sources of obtaining necessary for a person material goods(food, raw materials for industry, material for breeding cultivated plants, farm animals and microorganisms, for recreational use). Biological resources are the most important component of the human environment, these are plants, animals, fungi, algae, bacteria, as well as their combinations - communities and ecosystems (forests, meadows, aquatic ecosystems, swamps). Biological resources also include organisms that are cultivated by humans: cultivated plants, domestic animals, strains of bacteria and fungi used in industry and agriculture.

Due to the ability of organisms to reproduce, all biological resources are renewable, but humans must maintain conditions under which renewable biological resources will be. At modern system the use of biological resources, a significant part of them is threatened with destruction.

Forest resources – one of the most important types of natural resources, includes forest reserves and non-timber values ​​available on the territory of the country (fodder, hunting and fishing resources, fruits and berries of wild plants, mushrooms, medicinal plants and so on.).

Forest resources are one of the most important types of biological resources. Forest resources include:

• - wood, resin, cork, mushrooms, fruits, berries, nuts, medicinal plants, hunting and commercial resources, etc.; And
• - beneficial features forests: water protection, climate-regulating, anti-erosion, health-improving, etc.

Forest resources are renewable.

Canada, USA, Europe, Russia – northern forest belt

Southern forest belt – Central America, Colombia, Congo, Venezuela, Indonesia, etc.

Square forest resources– 4.1 billion hectares. Standing timber reserves are 330 billion cubic meters; annual growth is 5.5 billion cubic meters.

Climate Resources- inexhaustible zonally distributed reserves of light and heat solar energy, moisture and all forms of air movement. The most important part of climatic resources is agroclimatic and recreational. They include: the thermal, light and ultraviolet part of solar energy, which ensures the growth of plants and comfortable (or uncomfortable) living conditions for people; amount indicators atmospheric precipitation per year and growing season. As a source of energy - the speed, strength and direction of air movement (winds, air fronts). Climate resources are not destroyed when consumed, but can deteriorate and even become unsuitable for human health and life itself. For example, during atomic explosions, undetected emissions of chemical and metallurgical waste into the atmosphere.

Panama Canal - the border between North and South America

Greenland belongs to North America

The centers of population attraction are the USA, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates.

NAFTA members - USA, Canada.

Africa is separated from Eurasia by the Strait of Gibraltar

The Indonesian archipelago belongs to Eurasia.

Novaya Zemlya is a continuation of the Ural Mountains.

Europe is divided into Western and Eastern.

Former countries Soviet Union– Central-Eastern Europe

Former capitalist states - Poland, etc. - Western Europe.

Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland – northern European countries

Central Europe - France, etc.

Southern Europe - rest of the countries.

ASIA

Area 54 million sq. km. Of these, 12 are from Russia

AFRICA

The Great African Divide runs through the African Great Lakes.

Nigeria is the most rich country Africa.

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

Mineral resources and their properties are the object and subject of study of mining geology. The results obtained by her are further used for processing and production of many things.

Minerals and their properties

What exactly are minerals called? These are 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 main variants of accumulations of the substances under consideration in nature can be distinguished:

• placers;
• strata;
• veins;
• rods;
• nests

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

• provinces;
• districts;
• swimming pools;
• Place of Birth.

Minerals and their properties depend on the specific type of raw material. This is what determines the area of ​​their use by humans, as well as the method of extraction and processing.

Types of minerals

There is more than one classification of the raw materials in question. So, if the basis is based on the signs state of aggregation, then the following varieties are distinguished.

1. Solid mineral. Examples: marble, salts, granite, metal ores, non-metallic.
2. Liquid - underground mineral water and oil.
3. Gas - natural gas, helium.

If the division into types is based on the use of minerals, then the classification takes the following form.

1. Flammable. Examples: oil, combustible 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 and others), as well as various salts.
4. Gemstones. Examples: precious and semi-precious, as well as (diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, jasper, chalcedony, opal, carnelian and others).

Based on the diversity presented, it is obvious that minerals and their properties are the whole world, which is being studied by a huge number of geologists and miners.

Main deposits

Various minerals are distributed fairly evenly across the planet according to geological features. After all, a significant part of them is formed due to platform movements and tectonic eruptions. There are several main continents that are richest in almost all types of raw materials. This:

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

All countries located in the designated territories widely use minerals and their properties. Export supplies go to the same areas that do not have their own raw materials.

In general, of course, it is difficult to determine overall plan mineral resource deposits. After all, everything depends on the specific type of raw material. One of the most expensive are precious ones (containing precious metals) minerals. Gold, for example, is found everywhere except Europe (of the continents listed above plus Australia). It is highly valued, and its extraction is one of the most common phenomena in mining.

Eurasia is the richest in combustible resources. Mountain minerals (talc, barite, kaolin, limestone, quartzite, apatite, salt) are distributed almost everywhere in large quantities.

Mining

In order to extract minerals and prepare them for use, different methods are used.

1. Open path. The necessary raw materials are extracted directly from the quarries. Over time, this leads to the formation of vast ravines and is therefore not kind to nature.
2. The mine method is more correct, but expensive.
3. Fountain method of pumping out oil.
4. Pump method.
5. Geotechnological methods of ore processing.

The development of mineral deposits is an important and necessary process, but one that leads to very disastrous consequences. After all, resources are finite. Therefore in last years special emphasis is placed not on large volumes of extraction of mineral resources, but on their more correct and rational use person.

Ore (igneous) rocks

This group includes the most important and largest mineral resources in terms of production volumes. Ore is such a formation mineral nature, which contains a large amount of one or another desired metal (another component).

Places where such raw materials are extracted and processed are called mines. Igneous rocks can be classified into four groups:

• colored;
• noble;
• non-metallic components.

Let us give examples of some ore mineral resources.

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

Gold is an ore mineral

There are also special minerals among the ores. Gold, for example. Its extraction has been relevant since ancient times, because it has always been highly valued by people. Today, gold is mined and laundered in almost every country that has at least small deposits of it.

In nature, gold occurs in the form of native particles. The largest ingot was found in Australia, weighing almost 70 kg. Often, due to the weathering of deposits and their erosion, placers in the form of sand grains of this precious metal are formed.

It is extracted from such mixtures by washing and sifting. In general, these are not very common and voluminous minerals. That is why gold is called a precious and noble metal.

The centers for the extraction of this ore mineral 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 the production of various chemical compounds and substances.

Coal is a mineral that lies at a relatively shallow depth in wide layers. Its quantity is limited in one specific deposit. Therefore, having exhausted one pool, people move on to another. In general, coal contains up to 97% pure carbon. It was formed historically as a result of the death and compaction of plant organic remains. These processes lasted millions of years, so now there are huge amounts of coal reserves throughout the planet.

Oil is another name for liquid gold, highlighting just how important a 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 syntheses. The leaders in oil production are the following countries:

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

Which is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons, it is also an important industrial fuel. It is one of the cheapest raw materials, so it is used on a particularly large scale. The leading countries in production are Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Non-metallic or non-metallic types

This group includes minerals and rocks such as:

• clay;
• 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 their area of ​​use.

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

Gemstone fossils are often included in this group. The areas of use of non-metallic minerals are multifaceted and extensive. This Agriculture(fertilizers), construction (materials), glass making, jewelry making, technology, general chemical production, paint production and so on.