Mineral Resources Ias Academy a Civil Services Chronicle Initiative

MINERALMINERAL RESOURRESOURCESCES Add : D-108, Sec-2, Noida (U.P.), Pin - 201 301 Email id : [email protected] Call : 09582948810, 09953007628, 0120-2440265 CHRONICLE MINERAL RESOURCES IAS ACADEMY A CIVIL SERVICES CHRONICLE INITIATIVE A naturally occurring substance that has a igneous processes, (2) metamorphic processes, definite chemical composition is a mineral. (3) sedimentary processes, and (4) weathering Minerals are not evenly distributed over space. and groundwater processes. They are concentrated in a particular area or rock formations. Minerals are formed in different 1. Igneous processes: types of geological environments, under varying Many mineral resources are formed by conditions. They are created by natural processes magmatic processes. Prime examples are the without any human interference. exotic ultramafic volcanic rocks that host Mineral resources range from the soils that diamonds. Diamond crystals were probably support agriculture to metals such as silicon, ripped from diamond-bearing wall rocks by which is used in high-technology applications magma rising through the deep. Laboratory such as computers. Though technically not experiments show that diamond is stable at minerals, oil, natural gas, coal, and some other depths of at least 150 to 200 km. At low pressure, sources of energy are also included as mineral the stable form of carbon is the soft mineral resources because they are extracted from Earth. graphite, but the reaction of diamond to form Mining worldwide produces about $500 billion graphite proceeds very slowly at the low worth of metallic ore each year; another $700 temperatures found at Earth’s surface. Besides billion of energy minerals are produced. its use as a gem, diamonds have found industrial Types of Minerals uses as abrasives and as strong coatings. Diamond deposits are limited to regions There are over three thousand different underlain by Precambrian crust. The richest minerals. On the basis of composition, minerals deposits are found in South Africa and Australia. are classified mainly as metallic andONICLE non-metallic ONICLEONICLEONICLEConcentrations of other ores result, when minerals. minerals forming in magma have different Metallic Minerals: The metallic minerals temperatures of crystallization and density. contain metal in raw form. Metals are hard CADEMYSome ores are formed when molten rock cools substances that conduct heat and electricity and CADEMYCADEMYCADEMY to form igneous rock. This process forms building have a characteristic luster or shine. Iron ore, stone such as granite, a variety of gemstones, bauxite, manganese ore are some examples. sulfur ore, and metallic ores, which involve dense Metallic minerals may be ferrous or non-ferrous.A AAA chromium or platinum minerals that sink to the Ferrous Minerals: Ferrous minerals like iron bottom of liquid magma. ore, manganese and chromites contain iron. A Further during fractional crystallization, non ferrousCHRCHRCHR mineral does not contain iron but CHR water and elements that do not enter the minerals may contain some other metal such as gold, separated from the magma by crystallization will silver, copper or lead. end up as the last residue of the original magma. Non-Metallic Minerals: The non-metallic This residue is rich in silica and water along with minerals do not contain metals. Limestone, mica elements like the Rare Earth Elements (many of and gypsum are examples of such minerals. The which are important for making phosphors in mineral fuels like coal and petroleum are also color television picture tubes), Lithium, non-metallicIAS IASIASminerals. Tantalum, Niobium, Boron, Beryllium, Gold, and Uranium. This residue is often injected into Processes that form mineral deposits fractures surrounding the igneous intrusion and The origin of most ore deposits is related to crystallizes as a rock called a pegmatite that fundamental geologic processes. These are: (1) characteristically consists of large crystals. Chronicle IAS Academy [1] 2. Metamorphic processes: • Placer Ore Deposits- substances are concentrated by flowing surface waters Metamorphism occurs deep in the earth either in streams or along coastlines. under very high temperature and pressure and produces several building stones, including The velocity of flowing water determines marble and slate, as well as some nonmetallic whether minerals are carried in suspension or ore, including asbestos, talc, and graphite. deposited. When the velocity of the water slows, Metamorphism changes the texture and large minerals or minerals with a higher density mineralogy of rocks and in the process can form are deposited. Heavy minerals like gold, important new mineral resources. diamond, and magnetite of the same size as a low density mineral like quartz will be deposited Further Hot hydrothermal fluids circulating at a higher velocity than the quartz, thus the through the oceanic crust cause seafloor heavy minerals will be concentrated in areas metamorphism. These fluids leach metals (such where water current velocity is low. Mineral as manganese, iron, copper, zinc, lead) and deposits formed in this way are called placer sulfur from the crust and transport these deposits. They occur in any area where current elements to hot spring vents on the ocean floor. velocity is low, such as in point bar deposits, Minerals precipitate when the hydrothermal between ripple marks, behind submerged bars, fluids mix with seawater and cool. Mounds of or in holes on the bottom of a stream. sulfide ores collect on the seafloor where the hot waters are released 4. Hydrothermal Ore Deposits 3. Sedimentary Processes: Hydrothermal is the most common ore- forming process. It involves hot, salty water that Sedimentary processes occur in rivers that dissolves metallic elements from a large area and concentrate sand and gravel (used in then precipitates ore minerals in a smaller area, construction), as well as dense gold particles and commonly along rock fractures and faults. diamonds that weathered away from bedrock. Molten rock commonly provides the heat and These gold and diamond ore bodies are called the water is from groundwater, the ocean, or placer deposits. Other sedimentary ore deposits the magma itself. The ore minerals usually include the deep ocean floor, which contains contain sulfide (S2-) bonded to metals such as manganese and cobalt ore deposits and ONICLEONICLEONICLEcopper, lead, zinc, mercury, and silver. Actively evaporated lakes or seawater, which produce forming hydrothermal ore deposits occur at halite and a variety of other salts. undersea mountain ranges, called oceanic ridges, Examples: CADEMYCADEMYCADEMYwhere new ocean crust is produced. Here, • Evaporite Deposits-Evaporation of lake mineral-rich waters up to 350°C sometimes water or sea water results in the loss of discharge from cracks in the crust and precipitate water and thus concentrates dissolved a variety of metallic sulfide minerals that make AAAthe water appear black; they are called black substances in the remaining water. AWhen the water becomes saturated in such smokers dissolved substance they precipitate from Hydrothermal deposits are produced when theCHR water. Deposits of halite (table salt), CHRCHRCHR groundwater circulates to depth and heats up gypsum (used in plaster and wall board), either by coming near a hot igneous body at borax (used in soap), and sylvite (potassium depth or by circulating to great depth along the chloride, from which potassium is extracted geothermal gradient. Such hot water can dissolve to use in fertilizers) result from this process. valuable substances throughout a large volume • Iron Formations- These deposits are of iron of rock. As the hot water moves into cooler areas rich chert and a number of other iron of the crust, the dissolved substances are bearing mineralsIASIASIAS that were deposited in precipitated from the hot water solution. If the basins within continental crust during the cooling takes place rapidly, such as might occur Proterozoic (2 billion years or older). They in open fractures or upon reaching a body of appear to be evaporite type deposits, but if cool surface water, then precipitation will take so, the composition of sea water must have place over a limited area, resulting in a been drastically different than it is today. concentration of the substance attaining a higher [2] Chronicle IAS Academy value than was originally present in the rocks areas with ore deposits. The iron content is through which the water passed. anything between 35 and 50 per cent. 5. Residual Ore Deposits In Andhra Pradesh, the Chityal, Dasturabad, Kalleda, Rabanpalli and During chemical weathering and original Amberpeta deposits and those south of the body of rock is greatly reduced in volume by the coalfields at Singreni have an iron content process of leaching, which removes ions from ranging from 35 to 45 per cent. Only 20 to 28 the original rock. Elements that are not leached per cent of iron is found in the Gopalpur, Utla, form the rock thus occur in higher concentration Tatrariyepalli, Kottagudem and Cheruvapuram in the residual rock. The most important ore of deposits. Aluminum, bauxite, forms in tropical climates where high temperatures and high water In Kerala, magnetite ore reserves are mostly throughput during chemical weathering in the Kozhikode district and in Cherupa, produces highly leached lateritic soils rich in both Eliyettimala, Nauminda, Naduvallur and iron and aluminum. Most bauxite deposits are Allampara. relatively young because they form

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