Scarce Metals

Scarce Metals "The geochemically scarce metals are the enzymes of industry. It is their special properties that have led to such technological marvels as the generation and distribution of electricity, the telephone, radio and television, automobiles, aircraft, rockets, computers and the Internet. Yet it is in this same group of metals that many experts once believed shortages and restrictions of natural resources might appear. "

Scarce Metals "When the world's annual production of iron has, for many years, been a 100 million tons or more, only four (really five) of the geochemically scarce metals have ever been produced at rates that exceed 1 million tons a year." page 280, Resources of the Earth

Scarce Metals Classified on the basis of usage

Ferrous or ferro-alloy V Vanadium Ni Nickel Mo Molybdenum Cr Chromium Co Cobalt W Tungsten

Non Ferrous or Base Metal Cu, Pb, Zn, Sn, Hg, Cd

PGE—Platinum Group Elements Precious Au Ag PGE—Platinum Group Elements Pt, Pd, Ir, Os, Rh, Ru

Special Metals For example Ta Tantalum Be Beryllium

Ferro Alloy We will start with those metals used in making steel

Chromium (Cr) Crustal average 96 ppm Uses Steel industry 12-36 wt% Refractory Chemical Pigment—yellow to bright orange or deep green Tanning--Cr in solution forms bonds with amino acids in leather—stabilizes organic material

In Millions of metric tons Producers 2006 In Millions of metric tons India 3.3 Kazakhstan 3.6 South Africa 8.0 Other 5.0

In millions of metric tons Reserves In millions of metric tons India 25 Kazakhstan 290 South Africa 160 World unavailable

Chromite: the ore mineral

Geological Occurrence Restricted to Igneous Rocks Mafic—rich in Fe and Mg Podiform Stratiform

Location of Chromite Deposits Kelser’s book

Locations of Podiform Chromite GSA Today Article: pp. 4–11 | Abstract | PDF (12.55M) Archean Podiform Chromitites and Mantle Tectonites in Ophiolitic Mélange, North China Craton: A Record of Early Oceanic Mantle Processes Table of Contents: Introduction Geological Setting Discussion and Conclusions Acknowledgments References Cited Figures Options: Create Reference Email this Article Search CrossRef for: Articles Citing This Article Search Google Scholar for: Jianghai Li Timothy M. Kusky Xiongnan Huang Jianghai Li1, Timothy M. Kusky2, *, Xiongnan Huang3 2002

Geologic Map Bushveld Complex

Eroding layers

Rhythmic layering, Bushveld

Vanadium Found in “solid solution” in magnetite. V is mined as a by product of other mining Only makes up 0.014% wt% of crust

Uses of Vanadium Tanning and pigments (since 1830) Steel (since 1896) Only need as much as 0.2 wt%--increases strength

Geological Occurrence Mafic layered intrusions Sedimentary from weathering Concentrated in organic matter Coal 0.02 wt% Crude oil 0.005 wt% Tar sands 0.025 wt% to 0.05wt%

Location of V Deposits Kelser’s book

Vanadium Production 2007 pdf files of V from USGS

Nickel 72 ppm in the crust 1781--pure metal Takes its name from: Discovered in Saxony—Cu Mines Minors tried to smelt some of the Cu ore Kupfernickel—Old Nick’s Cu

Uses Initially electroplating (Michael Faraday) Now > 50% in steel >30% in non ferrous alloys and Superalloys

Major Producers Russia Canada Australia New Caledonia Indonesia

Location of Ni Deposits

Geological Occurrence Igneous Sudbury, Ontario Ore mineral pentlandite Sedimentary Laterites (4 to 5 wt% in Ni silicate) Ore mineral garnierite

Resources/Reserves We’ve already covered this in our Ni problem earlier on

Molybdenum 1.2 ppm in the crust 1778—new element 1893 pure metal

Uses As a Sulfide As a Metal Lubricant Orange pigment Steel: 0.1 to 10% added to steel Makes it tough and resilient Could replace W steels for high speed cutting tools

Producers USGS 2007 PDF file

Geological Occurrence Igneous Plate boundaries--porphyries

Environmental Problems Large amounts of waste rock Very large scars on the land

Cobalt Has been known as a blue coloring agent for thousands of years 28 ppm in crust Kobolds—Ag Stealing goblins

Uses Steel Superalloys Chemical Applications up to 5% Co in steel Major use Chemical Applications Coloring, tanning, Co compounds

Major Producer/Reserves Kinshasa PDF file

Geological Occurrence Sedimentary Black shales Laterites

Tungsten 1 ppm in crust Highest melting point Highest tensile strength 1855—added to steel in France WC Light filaments

Geological Occurrence Igneous Convergent Plate Boundaries

Producers China! Pdf file