Earth Sci: Minerals

Naturally occurring; inorganic; solid with a crystalline structure; definite chemical composition

Enumerate the four (4) properties of a mineral:

Rock

It is a natural substance composed of one or more minerals.

Ore

It is a rock that contains a high concentration of minerals or valuable substances.

Mineralogist

Scientist who studies the distribution of minerals, mineral properties, and their uses.

Crystal structure

Arrangement of atoms forming a repeating pattern. Uses a microscope.

Hardness

Resistance of a mineral to being scratched; measured on the Mohs hardness scale (1-10).

Mohs hardness scale

A scale ranking ten minerals from softest to hardest; used in testing the hardness of minerals.

Color

The visible hue of a mineral often influenced by impurities.

Streak

Color of a mineral's powder when scratched on a porcelain plate.

Transparency

The degree to which light can pass through a mineral (transparent, translucent, opaque).

Luster

The way a mineral reflects light from its surface (metallic, vitreous/glassy, pearly, etc).

Cleavage

Tendency of a mineral to breaking smooth, flat planes; the mineral's resistance to being broken.

Crystal habit

Overall shape of a crystal (e.g., acicular, dendritic, tabular, etc). Does not use a microscope.

Native elements

Found in naturally fine form (ex. diamond, gold, silver).

Silicates

Largest group of minerals; made from metals combined with silicon and oxygen.

Sulfides

Made of compounds of sulfur with a metal.

Sulfates

Made of compound of sulfur combined with metals and oxygen.

Halides

Form from halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine) combined with metallic elements.

Carbonates

Made of carbon, oxygen, and metallic elements.

Phosphates

Made of phosphorus, oxygen and metallic elements.

Hydroxides

Form from hydroxyl (OH-) in combination with metal.

Discovery of mineral ore

The mining process starts with the __________.

Mineral ore

A mineral from which metals or other elements can be profitably recovered.

Exploration

The discovery of the ore is carried through this. It aims to locate the concentration of the ore, define the extent of the concentration, and find out the value of the ore.

Extraction

Removal of mineral ore from the mines. It consists of two types: surface mining and underground mining.

Surface mining

May involve strip, quarrying, or open-pit mining. It involves the stripping or removal of surface vegetation and layers of bedrock to reach the buried ore deposits.

Underground mining

Involves slope and drift mining. It consists of digging tunnels or shafts to reach buried ore deposits.

Processing

May be by chemical or physical means.

Physical processing method

A type of processing which includes crushing, grinding, and washing.

Washing

It enables the separation of valuable metals/minerals from the waste material.

Gangue

Waste rock that must be removed before a mineral can be used.

Chemical processing method

A type of processing which includes smelting (heating and melting), roasting (heating w/o melting), and electrolysis.

Tailings

Waste materials from the ore processing phase. If not properly dumped or store, may lead to soil and water pollution.

Lead poisoning

It causes neurological damage, physical growth impairment, nerve disorder, anemia, and reduced IQ, among others.

Black lung

Primarily caused by the inhalation of coal dust.

Asbestosis

A respiratory disease caused by inhalation of asbestos. It may also lead to cancer.

Republic Act 7942/Philippine Mining Act of 1995

Governs the exploration, development, utilization, and processing of all mineral resources within the territory and exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

Specific gravity

The ratio of the density of a mineral to the density of water.

Magnetism, electrical conductivity, fluorescence, radioactivity, reaction to acids

Enumerate five (5) special properties that describe a mineral:

Oxides

Form from the combination of metal with oxygen.

Open-pit mining

Involves digging an open pit to extract resources, ideal for large, low-grade deposits like copper or gold. Safest and most common type of mining.

Silicosis

The inflammation and scarring of lungs due to inhalation of silica dust.

Process of mining

Exploration → Mining → Extraction/Processing → Product Manufacturing → Environmental Considerations