Mineral Resources

Mineral Resources

are naturally occurring substances that are extracted from the Earth for their economic value.

Ores

is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals concentrated above background levels, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.

Gangue

The part of an ore that is not economically desirable and that can not be avoided in mining.

Metallic Mineral

These minerals contains metal in their chemical composition.

Metallic Mineral

These minerals have a shiny appearance of their own.

Metallic Mineral

These minerals are generally obtained from igneous rocks.

Metallic Mineral

These minerals are ductile.

Metallic Mineral

By the melting process, metals can be obtained from these minerals.

Metallic Mineral

These minerals are malleable.

Non Metallic Mineral

These minerals do not contain metals in their chemical composition.

Non Metallic Mineral

These minerals don’t have a shiny appearance of their own.

Non Metallic Mineral

These minerals are generally obtained from sedimentary rocks.

Non Metallic Mineral

These minerals are not ductile or brittle.

Non Metallic Mineral

These minerals do not yield any new product on melting.

Non Metallic Mineral

These minerals are non-malleable

Ore Deposits

Mineral deposit that has been tested and known to be economically profitable to mine.

Magmatic Ore Deposits

Concentrated within an igneous body through magmatic processes.

Hydrothermal Ore Deposits

Concentration of valuable substances by hot aqueous fluid flowing through fractures and pore spaces in rocks.

Sedimentary Ore Deposits

Concentrated by chemical precipitation coming from lakes or sea water in their form because of sedimentary processes.

Placer Ore Deposits

Deposits formed by concentration of valuable substances through gravity separation during sedimentary processes.

Residual Ore Deposits

A type of deposit that results from accumulation of valuable materials through chemical weathering processes.

Mining

Process of extracting mineral resources from the surface of the Earth.

Exploration

Development and Design

Construction

Production

Closure and Reclamation

Stages of Mining Process

Exploration

The process of searching for areas that contain mineral resources viable for mining. Involves prospecting, drilling, and modelling of ore deposit.

Development and Design

Determine whether the site can be operated in an environmentally safe, economically sound and socially responsible manner Involves scoping, feasibility studies, procurement of necessary facilities and equipment.

Construction

Involves building roads, processing facilities, environmental management systems, employee housing and other facilities.

Production

The stage where actual mining and processing of minerals happen.

Closure and Reclamation

The process of closing the mine and returning the land in its original state.

Surface Mining

Are mining operations that delve into rock to extract deposits of mineral resources that are close to the surface.

Open Pit Mining

which commonly involve large holes that extract relatively low-grade metallic ore.

Strip Mining

practice of mining an ore by first removing all of the soil and rock that lies on top.

Placer Mining

the process of extracting minerals from placer.

Mountaintop Removal

practice removing the top of the mountain to remove deposits not accessible by other techniques.

Underground Mining

Refers to a group of techniques used for the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials buried deep in the Earth’s crust.

Drifting Mining

method of accessing valuable geological material, by cutting into the side of the earth, rather than tunneling straight downwards.

Slope Mining

method of accessing valuable geological material where a sloping access shaft travels downwards towards the material.

Shaft Mining

the process where miners dig straight down, until they reach their desired depth.