4.3 Using Mineral Resources Key Concepts How are minerals used? How are ores produced to obtain metals? Vocabulary Terms Gemstone Ore Smelting alloy

Uses of Minerals Modern civilization uses many minerals and you are surrounded by materials that come from minerals all the time Minerals are the source of gemstones, metals and a variety of materials used to make many products

*Think – Pair – Share* Talk with the people at your table and create a list of products you can name that are made from minerals. Remember the 5 characteristics of minerals!

Uses of Minerals Gemstones – hard colorful minerals with a brilliant or glassy luster. Gemstones are valued for their color, luster, durability and rarity. Gems are cut and polished gemstones Can be used for jewelry, decoration, mechanical parts and polishing.

Uses of Minerals Metals Some minerals are the sources of metals Ex) aluminum, iron, copper or silver Metals can be stretched, flattened, hammered or molded without breaking Ex) aluminum foil, steel beams, or copper wire

Uses of Minerals Other useful minerals There are many other useful minerals besides metals and gems. People use materials from minerals in foods, medicines, fertilizers, and building materials.

Uses of Minerals Talc: Baby powder, soapstone, gymnastics to grasp bars Gypsum: Wall board, Plaster of paris Bauxite: Aluminum foil, Airplane parts/ aluminum Copper: Tubing, electrical wires, sculptures Borax: Antiseptic soaps/welding flux/cleaner-found in dry lake beds Sulfur: Fungicides, kills bacteria, vulcanizes rubber, in coal/fuels Muscovite/Mica: White, gray material in electrical insulators Halite: Salt Calcite: Hard water deposit/part of limestone rock of ancient sea beds/forming along shores of the Great Salt Lake Limonite/Taconite: Source of Iron / around Cedar City Feldspar: Ceramics and porcelain, colors in granites (not black) Quartz /Quartz crystal: Glass manufacturing, radios/computers /electronic equipment Diamond: Cutting tools/ blades/ saws Lead: Primarily used in the construction of batteries. Aluminum: Cans, aircraft and automobile construction, sporting and electronic equipment, appliances.

USA Mineral Areas

Crushed and broken stone PA Minerals Mined Crushed and broken stone Lime Sand and Gravel Coal Portland Cement Principal Minerals Mined Here!

STOP and THINK! What are some ways that the use of minerals has affected the development of society? Think about the ways we use minerals and apply those uses to the ways society has been changed.

Producing Metals from Minerals To produce metal from a mineral, a rock containing the mineral must be located through prospecting and mined. Then the rock must be processed to extract the metal.

Producing Metals from Minerals Most metals are not found in pure form They occur as a mineral that is a combination of metal and other elements Ore – is a rock that contains solid metal or other minerals that can be mined and sold for profit

Producing Metals from Minerals Prospecting – searching for an ore deposit Geologists prospect for ores by observing rocks on and beneath the surface Geologists can map the size and shape of an ore deposit by measuring the magnetic field. Depending on the map of the ore deposit, geologists determine the type of mining they will do to extract the ore.

Producing Metals from Minerals Mining There are three types of mines: strip mines, open pit mines and shaft mines. Strip mines – the soil is scraped away to expose the ore Open pit mines – large pits are dug to remove the ore deposits Shaft mines – tunnels extend deep into the ground following the veins of ore.

Strip Mining

Open Pit Mining

Shaft Mines

Producing Metals from Minerals Smelting – ore is mixed with other substances and melted to separate the useful metal from the other elements. Ore must be processed before the metals contained in it can be used

Figure 13 on page 134 of your text book.

* Think – Pair – Share * Work with a partner and answer the following questions. The chemical formula for hematite is Fe2O3 What does the chemical symbols stand for? What is the purpose of smelting? What is added to the iron ore? Where does the oxygen go?

Producing Metals from Minerals Further Processing Additional processing is needed to remove impurities from metal Alloys are solid mixtures of two or more elements and at least one is a metal Carbon + iron = steel Steel + chromium + nickel = stainless steel

Section Summary We discussed how minerals are used. Uses include gemstones, metals and other uses (glass, talcum powder, electronics) We learned the steps that must occur so that pure metals can be available to society. Ores must be found (prospecting), mined (3 types) and processed (smelting)