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Chemical Bonding
Describes how atoms attach with each other to form molecules.
Valence Electrons
Electrons in the outer electron shell involved in chemical bonding; atoms tend to gain or lose electrons until the valence shell is full.
Mineral Formation
Occurs when atoms bond in a crystalline arrangement.
Crystallization from Cooling Magma
Formation of minerals occurs as magma cools, allowing atoms to bond.
Silicate Minerals
The largest group of minerals on Earth, making up about 90% of the Earth's crust.
Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron
An ion with a charge of -4 and the formula SiO4 that forms bonds with positively charged metal ions.
Non-Silicate Minerals
Minerals whose crystal structure does not include the silica-oxygen tetrahedron, such as gold, silver, and copper.
Ore
A rock or sediment containing valuable minerals that can be extracted through mining.
Grade
The concentration of the desired material contained in the ore.
Alloy
A mixture of elements in which at least one is a metal.
Smelting
The process of applying heat to an ore to extract a metal.
Nonrenewable Resources
Resources whose rate of use is greater than the rate of regeneration.
Gangue
Less desirable components that must be separated from ore minerals.
Energy Requirement in Metal Extraction
Metals form bonds with other elements, requiring energy to separate the metal from the mineral.
Difference between Fossil Fuels and Mineral Deposits
Mineral deposits are inorganic, while fossil fuels are organic.
Silicon Production
Extracted from quartz, requiring large energy to split Si and O bonds.
Abundant Metals
Metals that occur at greater than 0.1% concentration on average in the Earth's crust.
