Minerals & Power Resources
The present age is known as IRON AGE.
A naturally occurring substance that has a definite chemical composition is a mineral.
Minerals and power resources form the backbone of industry in any country.
There are over three thousand minerals
On the basis of composition, minerals are classified into two
Ferrous minerals contain iron in itIron ore, manganese, chromites etc
Non-metallic minerals do not contain metals
Non-ferrous minerals do not contain iron, but contain some other metals
Limestone, mica, gypsum etc
The minerals which occur in the metal form is known as METALLIC MINERALS.
Minerals which are not metals are known as NON-METALLIC MINERALS.
Metallic minerals which are mixed with impurities are called ORES.
The process of taking the minerals from rocks under the earth’s surface is known as mining.
Extraction of Minerals
Mining
Quarrying
Deepshaft
Opencast
Drilling
Minerals do not occur near the surface of the Earth.
The extraction of minerals from the Earth’s depth is known as MINING.
A MINE is an opened-up hole on the surface of the Earth to extract minerals from the depth of the Earth.
Mines are of TWO kinds.
Opencast Deep shaft
Minerals that lie at small depth can be taken out by removing the surface layer . This is OPEN CAST mining.
Shaft Mining is used for taking out the minerals that lie at great depths.
Minerals like gold, diamond and iron are extracted from OPENCAST mines.
OPENCAST mines are also known as QUARRIES.
QUARRIES are usually used for mining stones, marble, granite etc.
Distribution of Minerals
All the minerals are found in rocks on the Earth.
Some are found in igneous, some in sedimentary and some in metamorphic rocks.
Generally metallic minerals are found in igneous and metamorphic rocks, because they are directly formed as a result of solidification of MAGMA.
Usually SEDIMENTARY rocks contain non-metallic minerals like limestone.
Mineral fuels such as petroleum are also found in sedimentary rocks.
Asia’s mineral WealthChina and India have large iron ore
depositsThe two countries produce more than half of the world’s tin.
China leads in the production of lead and tungsten etc.
Asia ha s good deposit of manganese, bauxite, nickel zinc and copper too.
Leading producer of iron ore in the world after China.
Europe’s mineral Wealth
Russia, Ukraine, Sweden, and France
Deposits of copper, lead, zinc, manganese and nickel
Mineral deposits in three zones.North
AmericaMinerals in North
America
Canadian Shield
Appalachian Region
Western Cordilleras
South AmericaBrazil produces high grade iron
Chile and Peru produce copper
Deposits of gold, silver, zinc, chromium, manganese, bauxite, mica, platinum, asbestos and diamond
Petroleum is found in Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Columbia.
AFRICARich in mineral resources
Largest producer of diamonds, gold and platinumSouth Africa, Zimbabwe and Zaire produce goldCopper, iron ore, chromium, uranium, cobalt, bauxite
Petroleum is found in Nigeria, Libya and Angola
Top Related