Today we will talk about what minerals are. Their properties and applications will also be discussed. Industry is actively developing in our country. This is necessary in order to improve the standard of living. For this we need more and more more resources and materials. Most of these raw materials are mined by humans from the depths of planet Earth. The well-being of all humanity depends on its reserves. Children study the properties of minerals in class (3rd grade). Apparently, the state wants to raise competent ecologists and energy workers! This will be beneficial for our planet.
Almost every person knows what minerals are. The properties of these resources tell us that they are extracted from the bowels of the earth. These raw materials can be solid (mineral), liquid (oil) and even gaseous (natural gas). All minerals were called useful. This means that substances extracted by humans are beneficial. What properties of minerals do you know?
It would seem that there is nothing complicated in this issue. We know a lot about resources such as minerals. We studied the properties, application and composition of these gifts of nature back in school. However, there is a fine line that is associated with understanding what is useful to a person. Many eras and centuries passed before our ancestors were able to understand the usefulness of the stone found on the river bank. For a very long time they learned to process this find so that it could be used as a digging stick.
Passed a large number of time before man realized what was under his feet, in earth's crust, there are countless reserves of ore, minerals and other useful raw materials. For several centuries, people have been extracting minerals and using them for their own benefit. A difficult problem arises: when a person brings all these fossils to the surface, the interior of the Earth is depleted. All this leads to disruption of the geological structure, the earth's surface is overloaded with mineral processing products, as well as waste that is generated during their processing. Every year this ecological problem is becoming more acute, people are forced to look for new ways of extracting and processing minerals.
Minerals, the properties and applications of which we will consider in this article, have a large number of classifications. Let's look at them in detail. So, geologists have identified:
Colored miners are a special family hard materials. It was classified as a mineral. They are not used as fuel, nor are they used to obtain various metals or any products for the production of chemical raw materials. They are divided into two groups:
Let's take a closer look at precious and semi-precious stones. Diamond is of interest to most gem miners. It got its name from the Greek word “adamas”, which means “indestructible”. Indeed, it is the hardest mineral in nature, which means it is used not only in jewelry, but also in general technical production. Diamond is used for polishing and grinding various hard substances. It is used for drilling very deep wells. Particularly hard drill bits are made from the mineral. Metals are also processed using diamond. Hard incisors are made from stone.
Today, scientists have achieved that they can obtain diamonds artificially, but they are used for technical purposes. Chemists have come to the conclusion that the composition of diamond is carbon. It's amazing how much carbon varies from mineral to mineral. Graphite is also based on carbon. But it can no longer boast of such hardness as diamond. In addition, the mineral is famous for its play of light. If a stone passes through sunlight, then we can observe various bright highlights - from blue to red shades. Man saw all the beauty of diamonds only in the 18th century, when he learned to make a special cut that turns a stone into a brilliant diamond. But they are no longer used for technical purposes. A diamond is a stone intended for jewelry.
Valuable minerals for humans have different properties. It is not difficult to guess that these include peat, coal, natural gas, oil and oil shale. It turns out that these fossils are used not only as fuel. Oil, gas, coal and peat are used today by power plants and various industrial enterprises. But this group of minerals is widely used for other purposes, especially in the chemical industry. Such substances are formed and mined on the site of former lakes, which over time turned into swamps and then into plains. At the bottom of these reservoirs, various chemical processes took place for many years: deposits of plant remains and other organisms. Over the years, they rotted and then turned into sapropel. Many have never even heard of this word; from Greek it means “rotten” and “dirt.” Thus, sapropel is mud from the rotted remains of living organisms. It becomes peat bogs or turns into brown coal.
Scientists have noticed that the process of formation of fossil fuels is very complex and long, it requires a lot of time. For example, peatlands generally form over several millennia. Environmentalists say that those who like to drain swamps need to know and remember this. The very first oil shale mining sites appeared more than a billion years ago. Almost half of all oil shale appeared in the Paleozoic era. The coal seams were formed about 350 million years ago. In those distant times, our planet resembled lush thickets of giant ferns, horsetails and mosses. Thanks to these plants, the soil did not have time to rot, turning into woody pulp. Plants and trees that died, fell into the water, were covered with clay and sand, did not decompose, but gradually formed and turned into coal. If you take a piece of such coal in your hand, you can safely imagine that now in your palm there is a guest from the distant past.
Let's move on to the next category - metal ores. On the outskirts of cities, advertisements for the acceptance of ferrous and non-ferrous metals are very common. You should know that a black resource does not look black in color at all. These are metals that are used in the production of cast iron and steel by smelting. These include iron, manganese, vanadium or chromium. They come in silver or white shades. Non-ferrous metals include nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead and others. Most of them formed in deep magma rocks. Gradually they rise to earth's surface. Thanks to the natural influence of air, sun and water, mountains are destroyed, and metal deposits appear in their sedimentary rocks and are revealed to humans.
Metals are used in light and heavy industry. They are used to make weapons, parts for transport, and so on. The strength of a product depends on what material it is made from. Steel is famous for its strength. Aluminum is widely used in aircraft construction because it is very lightweight. Electrical wiring is made of copper, as it conducts electricity best.
Construction Materials
The properties of minerals have been valued since ancient times. Man built various buildings from them. For example, ancient civilizations built various occult objects from marble, granite or limestone - temples, obelisks, pyramids, and so on. Limestone was very easy to saw into blocks, so the ancient Egyptian pyramids were built from this fossil.
Properties of minerals: clay and sand
Man began to use clay to make dishes, bricks, tiles and various other plumbing items. It is known that it is still used as insulation. It has an excellent property - water resistance. Clay has healing properties. It comes in different colors. Red clay contains iron and potassium. The green substance contains copper and iron. Cobalt was found in blue clay. Carbon and iron are found in dark brown and black clay.
Minerals: sand
The properties of clay and sand are very valuable for humanity. These are a kind of first building materials. They learned how to make glass from sand. Sand and water were often used to wash dishes. This mixture perfectly washed away any dirt. Even from school we begin to study the properties of minerals (3rd grade). People use these resources everywhere. But are they really endless? An important task for all humanity is to learn to rationally use what nature gives us.
Minerals and their properties. Application of minerals
There are many natural deposits of substances important for humans. These are resources that are exhaustible and should be conserved. Without their development and production, many aspects of people's lives would be extremely difficult.
Mineral resources and their properties are the object and subject of study of mining geology. The results obtained by her are further used for processing and production of many things.
Minerals and their properties
What exactly are minerals called? These are rocks or mineral structures that are of great economic importance and are widely used in industry.
Their diversity is great, so the properties for each species are specific. Several main variants of accumulations of the substances under consideration in nature can be distinguished:
If we talk about the general distribution of fossils, we can highlight:
Minerals and their properties depend on the specific type of raw material. This is what determines the area of their use by humans, as well as the method of extraction and processing.
Types of minerals
There is more than one classification of the raw materials in question. So, if the basis is based on the characteristics of the state of aggregation, then such varieties are distinguished.
- Solid mineral. Examples: marble, salts, granite, metal ores, non-metallic.
- Liquid - underground mineral waters and oil.
- Gas - natural gas, helium.
- Flammable. Examples: oil, oil shale, coal, methane and others.
- Ore or igneous. Examples: all metal-containing ore raw materials, as well as asbestos and graphite.
- Nonmetallic. Examples: all raw materials that do not contain metals (clay, sand, chalk, gravel and others), as well as various salts.
- Gemstones. Examples: precious and semi-precious, as well as ornamental stones (diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, jasper, chalcedony, opal, carnelian and others).
- Open path. The necessary raw materials are extracted directly from the quarries. Over time, this leads to the formation of vast ravines and is therefore not kind to nature.
- The mine method is more correct, but expensive.
- Fountain method of pumping out oil.
- Pump method.
- Geotechnological methods of ore processing.
- Mining chemical minerals.
- Metallurgical raw materials.
- Technical crystals.
- Construction Materials.
- 1.
Marina Serebryannikova 434 - 2.
Egor Ushakov 298 - 3. Elizaveta Ancherbak 257
- 4.
Elena Konovalova 188 - 5. Varvara Efremova 162
- 6.
Green Glass 122 - 7.
Anna Tkachenko 120 - 8.
Alina Smorodova 94 - 9. Sahhem D 88
- 10. Sayed Kholikov 85
If the division into types is based on the use of minerals, then the classification takes the following form.
Based on the diversity presented, it is obvious that minerals and their properties are the whole world, which is being studied by a huge number of geologists and miners.
Main deposits
Various mineral resources (minerals) are distributed fairly evenly across the planet according to geological features. After all, a significant part of them is formed due to platform movements and tectonic eruptions. There are several main continents that are richest in almost all types of raw materials. This:
All countries located in the designated territories widely use minerals and their properties. Export supplies go to the same areas that do not have their own raw materials.
In general, of course, it is difficult to determine the general layout of the deposits mineral resources. After all, everything depends on the specific type of raw material. Some of the most expensive are precious (containing noble metals) minerals. Gold, for example, is found everywhere except Europe (of the continents listed above plus Australia). It is highly valued, and its extraction is one of the most common phenomena in mining.
Eurasia is the richest in combustible resources. Mountain minerals (talc, barite, kaolin, limestone, quartzite, apatite, salt) are distributed almost everywhere in large quantities.
Mining
Various methods are used to extract minerals and prepare them for use.
The development of mineral deposits is an important and necessary process, but one that leads to very disastrous consequences. After all, resources are finite. Therefore, in recent years, special emphasis has been placed not on large volumes of extraction of mineral resources, but on their more correct and rational use by humans.
Ore (igneous) rocks
This group includes the most important and largest mineral resources in terms of production volumes. Ore is a formation of a mineral nature that contains a large amount of one or another desired metal (another component).
Places where such raw materials are extracted and processed are called mines. Igneous rocks can be classified into four groups:
Let us give examples of some ore mineral resources.
Gold is an ore mineral
There are also special minerals among the ores. Gold, for example. Its extraction has been relevant since ancient times, because it has always been highly valued by people. Today, gold is mined and laundered in almost every country that has at least small deposits of it.
In nature, gold occurs in the form of native particles. The largest ingot was found in Australia, weighing almost 70 kg. Often, due to the weathering of deposits and their erosion, placers in the form of sand grains of this precious metal are formed.
It is extracted from such mixtures by washing and sifting. In general, these are not very common and voluminous minerals. That is why gold is called a precious and noble metal.
The centers for the extraction of this ore mineral are:
This group includes such mineral resources as:
The use of minerals of this kind is fuel and raw materials for the production of various chemical compounds and substances.
Coal is a mineral that lies on a relatively great depth wide layers. Its quantity is limited in one specific deposit. Therefore, having exhausted one pool, people move on to another. In general, coal contains up to 97% pure carbon. It was formed historically as a result of the death and compaction of plant organic remains. These processes lasted millions of years, so now coal reserves great amount all over the planet.
Oil is another name for liquid gold, highlighting just how important a mineral resource it is. After all, this is the main source of high-quality combustible fuel, as well as its various components - the basis, raw material for chemical syntheses. The leaders in oil production are the following countries:
Natural gas, which is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons, is also an important industrial fuel. It is one of the cheapest raw materials, so it is used on a particularly large scale. The leading countries in production are Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Non-metallic or non-metallic types
This group includes minerals and rocks such as:
All varieties can be combined into several groups according to their area of use.
Gemstone fossils are often included in this group. The areas of use of non-metallic minerals are multifaceted and extensive. These are agriculture (fertilizers), construction (materials), glass making, jewelry, technology, general chemical production, paint production, and so on.
Perm region minerals and their properties
Today we will talk about minerals in the Perm region. What is mined there, what value are the minerals, how does the region live? All these and other questions will be answered in the article below.
A little about the territory
Perm region is geographically located in the eastern part European Russia and on the western slopes of the Urals. Only 0.2% of its area is located in Asia, the rest of the territory is in Europe. The boundaries are uneven and winding, their length is more than 2200 km. Locals They live according to Yekaterinburg time, which is 2 hours ahead of Moscow time and 5 hours ahead of world time.
As for the climate, it is moderate here. Winter is long and snowy. Mineral resources in the Perm region were greatly influenced by education Ural mountains which happened many millions of years ago. The subsequent accumulation of sedimentary rocks on the basement, which has a crystalline structure, also contributed to the diversity of fossils. 
Perm region: mineral resources
To begin with, it is worth saying that in total you can find more than 500 types of fossils, which this region is rich in. These include dolomites, lime, mineral paints, chrome ores, marl, sands, etc. However, among all this diversity there are rocks that are given paramount importance, because they ensure the economic prosperity of the region. As mentioned above, the presence of a large number of rocks provides mountainous and flat terrain. Highest value Among all fossils, oil and salt are attached. 
In 1929, oil was first discovered in this area. More precisely, they found her in the village of Verkhnechusovskie towns. Today, more than 160 fields are known in the Perm region that are rich in hydrocarbon raw materials. Many are still being developed, but are already actively used. 89 fields are oil, 18 are gas and oil and 3 are gas. Despite the fact that everyone knows that there is enough oil in this region, the deposits here are quite modest. They are small in size, but quite rich.
Oil production is carried out mainly in the center and south. There are most oil deposits here. The most famous ones include Kuedinskoye, Krasnokamskoye, Polaznenskoye, Chernushinskoye and Osinskoye. There are some deposits in the north of the region, but they are still at the development stage. The problem is that the oil is located under layers of salt at very great depths. This significantly slows down the development process; The question arises about the appropriateness of this activity. 
The main feature of mineral deposits in the Perm region is that there are many of them, but they are small. This is the case with both oil and coal. Although it is worth saying that the latter is mined here recent years 200. For a long time, the most important role in economic stability and prosperity was played by the Kizelovsky coal plant, where there was uninterrupted mining of coal. The maximum occurred in 1960, when it was possible to extract 12 million tons. However, despite this success, after that the volumes only began to decrease. Various works to discover new deposits were not carried out. There are many small deposits in the territory, but they do not play a significant role in the economy of the region.
The mineral resources of the Perm region, the list of which, as mentioned above, includes about 500 items, cannot be imagined without salts. There are many of them, they are different and have a great impact on the economy. It is here that the famous deposit of potassium salts is located - Verkhnekamskoye, which is rightfully considered one of the largest in the world. Huge quantities of chloride salts of potassium, sodium, magnesium, as well as rock salt are regularly mined here. The area of the bearing territory is 1800 km2, despite the fact that the thickness of the layers along the entire length is 514 m. 
The Perm region is very rich in chromites. It is here that the main Saranovskoe deposit is located - the only one in the Russian Federation where chromites are mined. Large deposits of chromium iron ore provide the region with constant economic prosperity, especially considering the complete uniqueness of the deposit. However, it is regularly developed to expand the boundaries and mine even more chromites. Copper and iron have been mined here since the 18th century. Also in the Middle Urals in the area of the Koiva River and in the Northern Urals in the area of two rivers - Ulus and Vels - large deposits of gold were discovered. Currently, these data are in an abandoned state, development is not underway. 
We have already learned what minerals are mined in the Perm region. Almost all. Here, in this cold region, people mine diamonds. The deposit is located near the known gold deposit in the Gornozavodsky district (Koiva River). In 1829, it was here that the first diamond in Russia was discovered. We all know that in jewelry diamonds are in high demand. However, only the best breeds that are of high quality are selected for industrial purposes. The Perm region is rich in such diamonds. In the same territory, active mining of citrine, marble, and quartz is carried out. 
What mineral resources are there in the Perm region, in addition to those that we already know about? Minerals! And not the usual ones, but those that are used in various dyes. Ocher, minium, and volkonskoite are mined.
There are three small deposits of red lead on the territory - Shudinskoye, Solovinskoye and Paltinskoye. Ocher is extracted from 42 deposits, which are located in different areas.
Volkonskoite is a very rare clay material that is actively used in the production of enamels, pastes, protective and decorative paints. Most often it is green, but this does not matter. In total, there are 25 deposits in the region (Selinskoye, Krutolozhskoye, Samosadkinskoye, etc.).
The mineral resources of the Perm region are very diverse. It is simply impossible to list all the types. Let us dwell on those breeds that make a great contribution to the economy and are of great economic importance. 
Mining in the Perm region, apart from the top three, is concentrated on limestone. It is necessary for the production of construction lime, therefore it is in great demand. In the region, 7 deposits are actively used: Sharashinskoye, Severo-Sharashinskoye, Gora Matyukovaya, Bolshe-Sarsinskoye, Chikalinskoye, Vsevolodo-Vilvenskoye.
Anhydrite and gypsum mined here are used for the production of gypsum plaster, binder mixtures, panels, plasterboard, fiber boards, etc. The highest gypsum content was found in the Uinsky and Orda regions. All deposits of anhydrite and gypsum are on the state balance. Among the most famous are Polaznenskoe, Odinovskoe, Ergachinskoe, Chumkasskoe and Selishchenskoe.
Expanded clay - minerals mined in the Perm region for many years, used for the production of expanded clay. Clays are fusible clayey rocks, which are rich in various deposits. The two largest are Kostarevsoke and Sanatorskoe.
It is interesting that almost every administrative district of the region has clay deposits. The demand for this material is explained by the fact that clay and sand are two materials that are basic in the production of brick and tile products.
Deposits of waste sands are distributed evenly throughout the entire territory. The most famous: Bukorskoye, Nichkovskoye and Everzikovskoye.
The territory is also rich in sand and gravel mixtures - a loose accumulation of fragments of minerals and rocks. The value of this material is that it serves as a filler in the production of asphalt concrete. There are 30 such fields actively operating in the Perm region.
Mineral resources of the Perm region are big variety breeds that are in high demand on the market. The economy of the region largely relies on the ability to extract profitable rocks. Do not forget that processing and mining of minerals provides additional jobs. The peculiarity of the deposits of the Perm region is that all the fossils are quite simple and practical. They are needed constantly and in different sectors of life, so the economy of the Perm region is not yet in danger of a crisis.
Minerals and their properties
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Clay as a mineral: description, types and properties
Clay is a mineral and is a sedimentary, fine-grained rock. When dry it is dusty, but when moistened it becomes plastic and can increase in size.
The material contains one or more minerals of the kaolinite group. The base may be a mineral of the montmorillonite group and other layered aluminosilicates, which are also called clay minerals. May contain carbonate and sand particles.
The rock-forming mineral is kaolinite, which consists of silicon oxide in a volume of 47%, aluminum oxide - 39%, and water - 14%. A significant part of the chemical composition of yellow clay is Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2. The material can have the following colors:
Clay is the most stable waterproofing material that does not allow moisture to pass through, which is one of the important qualities. Clay soil has stability. It is developed in wastelands and wastelands. The development of root vegetation in clay deposits is impossible.
To preserve the quality of groundwater, the material's water-impermeability is useful. Most of the high-quality artesian springs lie between the clay layers.
Technical characteristics and additional properties
Now you know whether clay is a mineral. However, this is not all there is to know about this rock. It is also important to become familiar with the basic characteristics, for example, the specific and volumetric gravity of ground clay, which is 1400 kg/m3. Fireclay clay has a characteristic value of 1800 kg/m3.
When the clay is in the form of a dry powder, its volumetric and specific gravity is 900 kg/m3. The density of wet clay is also important, which varies from 1600 to 1820 kg/m3. For dry, this figure is approximately 100 kg/m3. Dry raw materials have thermal conductivity that reaches 0.3 W/(m*K). For the material in a wet state, this parameter is 3.0 W/(m*K).
Symbol
The symbol for clay should be of interest to you if you are studying it. When a material contains sand impurities, it is indicated by strokes and dots. If there are boulders in the clay, then circles are added to the strokes. Shales have the same designation as laminated clay; they are long streaks, densely spaced and drawn in the direction of the strata.
Sand and clay are the minerals that are most common. They are formed during the destruction of rocks such as granite. Under the influence of water, sun and wind, granite is destroyed, this contributes to the formation of clay and sand. They differ in color from each other: sand is often yellow, sometimes gray, while clay is white or brown.
Sand consists of individual particles of different sizes. The grains are not attached to each other. Therefore, sand is free-flowing. Clay consists of small particles, similar to scales, well bonded to each other. Sand is a sedimentary rock or may be a man-made material made from rock grains. It usually consists of almost pure quartz mineral, the substance being silicon dioxide.
The natural material has grains with sizes within 5 mm in diameter. The minimum value is 0.16 mm. Sand can be classified according to accumulation conditions. Taking this into account, the material is divided into the following types:
If sand appeared as a result of the activity of reservoirs, then it has a more rounded particle shape.
Sand, clay, granite, limestone are minerals. If we look at granite in more detail, it is an igneous platonic rock of acidic composition. It is based on:
Granite is common in the continental crust. Its density reaches 2600 kg/m³, while the compressive strength is 300 MPa. The material begins to melt at 1215 °C. In the presence of pressure and water, the melting point decreases to 650 °C.
Granite is the most important rock of the earth's crust, it is widespread and makes up the majority of all components. Among the varieties of granites, alaskite and plagiogranite can be distinguished. The latter has a light gray color with a sharp predominance of plagioclase. Alaskite is a pink granite, it contains a sharp predominance of potassium-sodium feldspar.
Looking at the table of minerals: sand, clay, granite, limestone, you can focus on the latter. It is a sedimentary rock of organic or chemogenic origin. The basis is most often calcium carbonate in the form of crystals of different sizes.
Limestone is made up of marine animal shells and debris. The density of the material is 2.6 g/cm 3, its frost resistance is F150. The compressive strength is equivalent to 35 MPa, while the loss of strength in moisture-saturated conditions reaches 14%. The porosity of the material is 25%.
Clay is a sedimentary rock that, when combined with water, begins to soak and separate into individual particles. As a result, a suspension or plastic mass is formed. Clay dough is plastic, and when raw it can take any shape. After drying, the material retains it, but decreases in volume. Plastic clays are also called fatty clays, because they feel exactly like that to the touch. If the plasticity is low, then the material is called lean. Bricks made from it quickly crumble and have poor strength.
The rock is sticky and has a binding ability. It is saturated with a certain volume of water, and then no longer allows liquid to pass through, which indicates water resistance. Clay has a covering ability, so in the past it was widely used for whitewashing the walls of houses and stoves. Among the properties, sorption capacity should be highlighted. This is expressed in the ability to absorb substances dissolved in water. This characteristic allows the clay to be used for purifying vegetable fats and petroleum products.
Minerals, appearance, properties (hardness, flowability, gaseous state), human use
Topic: Minerals. Appearance, properties (hardreach, flowability, gaseous state). Human use.
Target: Systematization of students’ knowledge about minerals.
Tasks: 1.To consolidate knowledge about the types of rocks; to develop in students the ability to give examples of the use of rocks and minerals by humans.
2. Develop skills in filling out tables; develop logical thinking;
3. Continue teaching accuracy when working in a notebook.
Equipment: samples rocks, task cards, illustrations and photographs of rocks, educational presentation.
Practical work “Study of rocks from samples.”
I. Organizing time.
II. Checking homework.
1. Oral survey. One student answers at the board, the second student shows the named rocks in the collection as he answers.
Explain according to the diagram what types of minerals there are.
2. “Clap dictation.” Children fold their hands as if to applaud. The teacher gives a task, for example, “I dictate the name of minerals, you must clap your hands 1 time only when I name combustibles, 2 times construction, 3 times p.i., from which metals are obtained.
3. Decipher the word in the table.
4. Guess the puzzles.
5. Individual tasks.
A) Fill out the punched card, mark with a “+” sign - construction P.I., with a “*” sign - flammable P.I.
III. Practical work
The teacher shows rocks and minerals, students name the signs by which they differ.
Then, handouts with the properties of rocks are given to students at their desks.
1. Color. When describing color, you should strive to describe the color as accurately as possible.
2. Transparency. The ability of a mineral to transmit light is characterized. There are opaque ones - they do not allow sunlight to pass through; transparent - transmitting light like ordinary glass; translucent or translucent - transmitting light like frosted glass.
3. Luster shows the ability of minerals to refract light. Minerals with shine are distinguished, while minerals without shine are matte.
4. Hardness: hard, soft, brittle.
5. Weight: heavy, medium, light
The teacher examines the first rock together with the students, and the students study the remaining samples independently. After filling out the table, students draw conclusions about the connections between the properties of rocks and minerals and their origin.
1. The children are offered rock samples, which they must describe according to the plan in the form of a table.
Presentation on the topic: Properties of minerals
Properties of minerals The presentation was prepared by Victoria Vetrova, 3rd grade student of the branch in the village of Zhemchuzhny, Municipal Educational Institution Chakinskoy Secondary School, Zhaksinsky District, Tambov Region, Head: Ignatieva Lyudmila Vladimirovna
Minerals Minerals are mineral formations in the earth's crust. Accumulations of minerals form deposits, and when large areas distribution - regions, provinces and basins. There are solid, liquid and gaseous minerals.
granite Granite is hard, opaque, very dense. the main property is strength. Granite is used in construction: buildings, bridge supports, stair steps, paving roads; It is well polished, it is used to decorate buildings, embankments, and metro stations; make monuments.
Iron ore Iron ores are natural mineral formations containing iron and its compounds. Hard, opaque, very dense, non-flammable, dark brown in color. The main property is fusibility; Cast iron -> steel -> iron -> metal is smelted in blast furnaces.
hard coal Hard coal is hard, opaque, dense, flammable, and black in color. It is used as fuel for residential premises, factories, factories, and railways.
peat Peat is a combustible mineral; formed by the accumulation of plant remains that have undergone incomplete decomposition in swamp conditions. Peat is loose, opaque, flammable, hard, light brown in color. It is used for heating residential premises; some power plants operate on peat. This mineral consists of the remains of extinct plants. Found in swamps...
clay Clay is hard, opaque, friable, non-flammable, brown in color. Used in construction: bricks are made from clay with the addition of sand; molds well, soft under the influence of water, used for making dishes. Found everywhere, a very common mineral. Formed by the destruction of various rocks, such as granite. Clay consists of small particles, similar to scales, strongly bonded to each other.
limestone Limestone is a widespread sedimentary rock formed with the participation of living organisms in sea basins. Limestone has no shine and is usually white in color. Limestone was widely used as a building material, and fine-grained varieties were used to create sculptures. Limestone is used in construction to cover streets and roads, to obtain lime, which is needed for fastening building materials, whitewashing premises, and preparing mortars.
oil Oil is one of the most important minerals for humanity.
diamond Diamond is a rare, but at the same time quite widespread mineral. Industrial diamond deposits are known on all continents except Antarctica. Several types of diamond deposits are known. Already several thousand years ago, diamonds industrial scale were mined from alluvial deposits.
riddles Mom has an excellent assistant in the kitchen. It blooms like a blue flower from a match. (Gas) They cover roads with it, Streets in the village, And it is also in cement, It itself is fertilizer. (Limestone) Plants that grew in the swamp became fuel and fertilizer. (Peat) This white-white master does not lie idle at school: He runs across the board, Leaves a white mark. (Chalk)
Neither a taxi nor a motorcycle will run without it. The rocket won't rise. Guess what it is? (Oil) If you meet one on the road, Your feet will get very stuck, But to make a bowl or vase - You will need it right away. (Clay) It is very strong and elastic, a reliable friend for builders: Houses, steps, pedestals will become beautiful and noticeable. (Granite) Children really need it, It’s on the paths in the yard, It’s at a construction site, and on the beach, It’s even melted in glass. (Sand)
List of used literature 1. Mirlin G. A., Mineral wealth of Russia, M.: INFRA - 2005, - 2. Smirnov V. I. Geology of mineral resources, M., "Nedra", 2003. –
Sedimentary minerals most typical for platforms, since the platform cover is located there. These are mainly non-metallic minerals and fuels, the leading role among which is played by gas, oil, coal, and oil shale. They were formed from the remains of plants and animals accumulated in the coastal parts of shallow seas and in lake-marsh land conditions. These abundant organic remains could accumulate only in sufficiently humid and warm conditions favorable for lush development. In hot, dry conditions, in shallow seas and coastal lagoons, salts accumulated, which are used as raw materials in.
Mining
There are several ways mining. Firstly, this is an open method in which rocks are mined in quarries. It is more economically beneficial, as it helps to obtain a cheaper product. However, an abandoned quarry can cause a wide net to form. The mine method of coal mining requires large expenditures and is therefore more expensive. The cheapest method of oil production is flowing, when oil rises through a well under oil gases. The pumping method of extraction is also common. There are also special methods of mining. They are called geotechnological. With their help, ore is mined from the depths of the Earth. This is done by pumping hot water and solutions into the layers containing the necessary minerals. Other wells pump out the resulting solution and separate the valuable component.
The need for minerals is constantly growing, the extraction of mineral raw materials is increasing, but minerals are exhaustible natural resources, so it is necessary to use them more economically and fully.
There are several ways to do this:
- reducing losses of minerals during their extraction;
- more complete extraction of all useful components from the rock;
- integrated use of mineral resources;
- search for new, more promising deposits.
Thus, the main direction in the use of minerals in the coming years should not be an increase in the volume of their production, but a more rational use.
In modern searches for mineral resources, it is necessary to use not only the latest technology and sensitive instruments, but also a scientific forecast for the search for deposits, which helps to conduct targeted subsoil exploration on a scientific basis. It was thanks to such methods that diamond deposits in Yakutia were first scientifically predicted and then discovered. A scientific forecast is based on knowledge of the connections and conditions for the formation of minerals.
Brief description of the main minerals
The hardest of all minerals. Its composition is pure carbon. It is found in placers and as inclusions in rocks. Diamonds are colorless, but they are also found in various colors. A cut diamond is called a diamond. Its weight is usually measured in carats (1 carat = 0.2 g). The largest diamond was found in Yuzhnaya: it weighed more than 3,000 carats. Most diamonds are mined in Africa (98% of production in the capitalist world). In Russia, large diamond deposits are located in Yakutia. Clear crystals are used to make gemstones. Before 1430, diamonds were considered common gemstones. The trendsetter for them was the Frenchwoman Agnes Sorel. Due to their hardness, opaque diamonds are used industrially for cutting and engraving, as well as for polishing glass and stone.
A soft, malleable metal, yellow in color, heavy, and does not oxidize in air. In nature it is found mainly in its pure form (nuggets). The largest nugget, weighing 69.7 kg, was found in Australia.
Gold is also found in the form of placers - this is the result of weathering and erosion of the deposit, when grains of gold are released and carried away, forming placers. Gold is used in the production of precision instruments and various jewelry. In Russia, gold lies on and in. Abroad - in Canada, South Africa, . Since gold occurs in nature in small quantities and its extraction is associated with high costs, it is considered a precious metal.
Platinum(from the Spanish plata - silver) - a precious metal from white to steel-gray color. It is characterized by refractoriness, resistance to chemical influences and electrical conductivity. It is mined mainly in placers. It is used for the manufacture of chemical glassware, in electrical engineering, jewelry and dentistry. In Russia, platinum is mined in the Urals and in Eastern Siberia. Abroad - in South Africa.
Gems(gems) - mineral bodies with beautiful color, brilliance, hardness, and transparency. They are divided into two groups: stones used for cutting and semi-precious stones. The first group includes diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, and aquamarine. The second group includes malachite, jasper, and rock crystal. All precious stones, as a rule, are of igneous origin. However, pearls, amber, and coral are minerals of organic origin. Precious stones are used in jewelry and for technical purposes.
Tuffs- rocks of various origins. Calcareous tuff is a porous rock formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate from sources. This tuff is used to produce cement and lime. Volcanic tuff - cemented. Tuffs are used as construction material. Has different colors.
Mica- rocks that have the ability to split into thin layers with a smooth surface; found as impurities in sedimentary rocks. Various micas are used as a good electrical insulator, for the manufacture of windows in metallurgical furnaces, and in the electrical and radio industries. In Russia, mica is mined in Eastern Siberia, in. Industrial development of mica deposits is carried out in Ukraine, the USA, .
Marble- crystalline rock formed as a result of limestone metamorphism. It comes in various colors. Marble is used as a building material for wall cladding, architecture and sculpture. In Russia there are many of its deposits in the Urals and the Caucasus. Abroad, the most famous marble is mined in.
Asbestos(Greek: inextinguishable) - a group of fibrous, fireproof rocks that split into soft greenish-yellow or almost white fibers. It occurs in the form of veins (a vein is a mineral body that fills a crack in the earth’s crust, usually has a plate-like shape, going vertically to great depths. The length of the veins reaches two or more kilometers), among igneous and sedimentary rocks. It is used for the manufacture of special fabrics (fire insulation), tarpaulins, fire-resistant roofing materials, as well as thermal insulation materials. In Russia, asbestos mining is carried out in the Urals, in, and abroad - in and other countries.
Asphalt(resin) - a brittle, resinous rock of brown or black color, which is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Asphalt melts easily, burns with a smoky flame, and is a product of changes in certain types of oil, from which some of the substances have evaporated. Asphalt often penetrates sandstones, limestones, and marl. It is used as a building material for road surfaces, in electrical engineering and the rubber industry, for the preparation of varnishes and mixtures for waterproofing. The main asphalt deposits in Russia are the Ukhta region, abroad - in, in France,.
Apatity- minerals rich in phosphorus salts, green, gray and other colors; found among various igneous rocks, in some places forming large accumulations. Apatites are mainly used for the production of phosphate fertilizers, they are also used in the ceramics industry. In Russia, the largest deposits of apatite are located in, on. Abroad, they are mined in the Republic of South Africa.
Phosphorites- Sedimentary rocks rich in phosphorus compounds that form grains in the rock or bind various minerals together into a dense rock. The color of phosphorites is dark gray. They, like apatites, are used to produce phosphate fertilizers. In Russia, phosphorite deposits are widespread in the Moscow and Kirov regions. Abroad, they are mined in the USA (Florida Peninsula) and.
Aluminum ores- minerals and rocks used to produce aluminum. The main aluminum ores are bauxite, nepheline and alunite.
Bauxite(the name comes from the area of Beau in the south of France) - sedimentary rocks of red or brown color. 1/3 of the world's reserves lie in the north, and the country is one of the leading countries in their production. In Russia, bauxite is mined in. The main component of bauxite is aluminum oxide.
Alunites(the name comes from the word alun - alum (French) - minerals that contain aluminum, potassium and other inclusions. Alunite ore can be a raw material for the production of not only aluminum, but also potash fertilizers and sulfuric acid. Alunite deposits are in the USA , China, Ukraine, and other countries.
Nephelines(the name comes from the Greek “nephele”, which means cloud) - minerals of complex composition, gray or green, containing significant amount aluminum They are part of igneous rocks. In Russia, nephelines are mined in and in Eastern Siberia. Aluminum obtained from these ores is a soft metal, produces strong alloys, and is widely used in the production of household goods.
Iron ores- natural mineral accumulations containing iron. They are varied in mineralogical composition, the amount of iron in them and various impurities. Impurities can be valuable (manganese chromium, cobalt, nickel) and harmful (sulfur, phosphorus, arsenic). The main ones are brown iron ore, red iron ore, and magnetic iron ore.
Brown iron ore, or limonite, is a mixture of several minerals containing iron with an admixture of clay substances. It has a brown, yellow-brown or black color. It is most often found in sedimentary rocks. If the ores of brown iron ore - one of the most common iron ores - have an iron content of at least 30%, then they are considered industrial. The main deposits are in Russia (Ural, Lipetsk), Ukraine (), France (Lorraine), on.
Hematite, or hematite, is a red-brown to black mineral containing up to 65% iron.
It is found in various rocks in the form of crystals and thin plates. Sometimes it forms clusters in the form of hard or earthy masses of a bright red color. The main deposits of red iron ore are in Russia (KMA), Ukraine (Krivoy Rog), USA, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Canada, Sweden.
Magnetic iron ore, or magnetite, is a black mineral containing 50-60% iron. This is high quality iron ore. Composed of iron and oxygen, highly magnetic. It occurs in the form of crystals, inclusions and solid masses. The main deposits are in Russia (Ural, KMA, Siberia), Ukraine (Krivoy Rog), Sweden and the USA.
Manganese ores- mineral compounds containing manganese, the main property of which is to give steel and cast iron malleability and hardness. Modern metallurgy is unthinkable without manganese: a special alloy is smelted - ferromanganese, containing up to 80% manganese, which is used to smelt high-quality steel. In addition, manganese is necessary for the growth and development of animals and is a microfertilizer. The main ore deposits are located in Ukraine (Nikolskoye), India, Brazil and the Republic of South Africa.
Tin ores- numerous minerals containing tin. Tin ores with a tin content of 1-2% or more are being developed. These ores require beneficiation - increasing the valuable component and separating waste rock, so ores are used for smelting, the tin content of which has been increased to 55%. Tin does not oxidize, which caused it wide application in the canning industry. In Russia, tin ores are found in Eastern Siberia and on, and abroad they are mined in Indonesia, on the peninsula.
Nickel ores- mineral compounds containing nickel. It does not oxidize in air. The addition of nickel to steels greatly increases their elasticity. Pure nickel is used in mechanical engineering. In Russia it is mined on the Kola Peninsula, the Urals, and Eastern Siberia; abroad - in Canada, in Brazil.
Uranium-radium ores- mineral accumulations containing uranium. Radium is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium. The radium content in uranium ores is negligible - up to 300 mg per 1 ton of ore. have great importance, since the nuclear fission of each gram of uranium can produce 2 million times more energy than burning 1 gram of fuel, so they are used as fuel in nuclear power plants to generate cheap electricity. Uranium-radium ores are mined in Russia, the USA, China, Canada, Congo, and other countries of the world.
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Even in the early stages of his development, Homo sapiens actively used the resources that nature provided him. At first it was what was in sight - water, wood, stones. Later, people began to increasingly ask themselves the question: what useful things could be hidden underground? And the depths of our planet presented him with many pleasant surprises.
This article is dedicated to the mineral resources of the Earth. In particular, we will talk about the main types of minerals that are distinguished by modern geological science. Where are they mined, and in what sectors of the economy are they used? And what types of minerals are considered the most valuable and in demand today?
Mineral wealth of the Earth
In the depths of our planet lie hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of minerals. Some of them are harder than steel (such as diamonds), while others crumble and crumble from the slightest blow (a striking example is kaolin). Selected species extracted minerals are in a liquid (oil) or gaseous (natural gas) state of aggregation. Their development is carried out using a system of special wells.
Minerals in the earth's crust can be in the form of placers, nests, layers, lenses or veins. Clusters of several deposits often form entire basins, provinces, and ore fields. The development and extraction of mineral resources is carried out by a separate branch of science and technology called mining.
What types of minerals do scientists identify today? We will talk about this in more detail in the next section of our article.
Types of minerals
The genesis of certain mineral substances and compounds can be completely different. For example, the origin of many ores is associated with magmatic processes occurring deep in the earth's crust. But oil was formed from the remains of plants and animals that died millions of years ago. Therefore, it is quite logical to distinguish two types of minerals:
- Organic.
- Inorganic.
There are a number of other classifications. Yes, according to state of aggregation solid, liquid and gaseous minerals are distinguished, according to the conditions of occurrence in the earth's crust - strata, veins, etc. The following types of minerals are also distinguished according to their origin and formation conditions:
- Endogenous (formed at great depths in the earth's crust).
- Exogenous (formed on the surface of the lithosphere - at the bottom of lakes, swamps, seas or oceans).
- Metamorphic (substances formed under the influence of ultra-high temperatures and pressure).
There is another, generalized classification. Thus, according to it, the most important types of minerals are fuel (or combustible), ore (metal) and non-metallic. Sometimes raw materials for the construction industry are classified as a separate subclass. We will dwell on these 3 types of minerals in more detail.
Fossil fuels
Combustible (or fuel) minerals are a type of mineral resource characterized by the property of combustion. And they are used mainly as a source of thermal energy. The main types of fuel minerals include oil, natural gas, hard and brown coal, peat, anthracite and oil shale.
The combustion of all of the above types of fuel releases large amounts of energy. This is facilitated by carbon, which is contained in all, without exception, combustible minerals. It's impossible to imagine life modern city without oil, from which gasoline is obtained, or without gas, which is used to heat many residential buildings. Coal is widely used in heavy industry, in particular in thermal power engineering and ferrous metallurgy.
Metal ores
Metals are present in many things we use every day: cars, laptops, mobile phones, household appliances and even the most common light bulbs. Moreover, most often these are not pure metals, but alloys created artificially by man. Thus, widely used steel is an alloy of iron with carbon and some other elements (for example, manganese). But the very first stage in the production process of any metal or alloy is the extraction of the necessary ore raw materials.
There are five main types of ore minerals. This:
- Ferrous metals (iron, chromium, manganese).
- Non-ferrous metals (copper, aluminum, nickel).
- Rare metals (tungsten, molybdenum, tin).
- Radioactive compounds (radium, uranium).
- Noble metals (gold, silver, platinum).
The greatest significance for humanity is modern stage Its development is represented by iron ores (as the basis for the production of various alloys), as well as aluminum and copper-nickel ores. In particular, the presence in the depths of the country of large deposits of non-ferrous metals largely contributes to its technical progress. After all, they are widely used in electrical engineering, aircraft manufacturing, astronautics and the production of high-precision instruments.
Non-metallic minerals
Nonmetallic mineral raw materials are a type of minerals that do not contain metals and are used primarily in the construction industry. In total, this group contains about 100 names of rocks and minerals. And the current volumes of extraction of non-metallic mineral resources are quite large.
There is no single and generally accepted classification of non-metallic minerals. Here it is customary to highlight:
- Mining raw materials (asbestos, graphite, talc).
- Chemical raw materials (potassium salt, native sulfur, phosphorites).
- Building materials (limestone, sand, marble, granite, sandstone, tuff, clay and others).
- Piezo-optical raw materials (Iceland spar, quartz, optical fluorite).
- Precious and semi-precious stones (labradorite, sapphire, ruby, amethyst, opal and others).
Geography of the planet's mineral resources
The distribution of certain minerals on the surface of our planet is associated, first of all, with the geological structure of the territory. Thus, on the shields of ancient platforms there are numerous deposits of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. But significant deposits of oil, gas, coal, and salt are confined to the zones of marginal and foothill troughs. Non-metallic minerals are dispersed everywhere: both within folded (mountain) areas and within platform areas.
On geographical maps deposits of mineral resources are indicated by special graphic symbols and signs. Moreover, each mineral has its own designation (see photo below). So, for example, coal is indicated by a filled square, salt by an empty square, iron ore by black equilateral triangle and so on.
Oil and gas
If you list the types of minerals that are used by humans today, the number will go into hundreds, or even thousands. The mineral resource potential of the earth's interior is simply amazing! But few would argue with the fact that the most important types of minerals, as of the first quarter of the 21st century, are oil and natural gas.
Oil is often called black gold, thereby emphasizing the importance and value of this resource. This fuel is in demand all over the world, and some countries replenish their budgets well from its sales. Oil is the most important mineral resource for North Africa and South-West Asia. The world leaders in terms of total reserves of this mineral are Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Iran, Iraq and Canada.
Oil production brings enormous profits to countries. Oil is extracted from the depths of the Earth in three main ways:
- Mechanical.
- Fountain.
- Slantsev.
The most common is the mechanical (or pumping) extraction method. To do this, wells are drilled, after which the oil is pumped out using powerful compressor equipment. It is worth noting that black gold They are mined not only on land, but also at sea. For this purpose, special floating platforms are installed on the water.
Gas deposits are often discovered near oil deposits. Together they often form entire oil and gas bearing areas and provinces, occupying significant areas. Natural gas means a mixture of several gases (methane, propane, butane and some others), which is formed in the thickness of the earth’s crust as a result of anaerobic decomposition of organic substances. It is extracted from the bowels of the planet using wells, the depth of which can reach several kilometers.
Coal
Fossil coal is one of the most abundant mineral resources in the world. Its deposits have been found on all continents of the Earth. But the largest coal deposits are found in following countries: USA, China, Russia, India and Australia.
Depending on the carbon content, there are three main types of this mineral:
- Brown coal (up to 65-70% carbon).
- Hard coal (75-95%).
- Anthracite (more than 95%).
The color of coal varies from brown to dark gray and black.
Coal is extracted from the bowels of the planet in two main ways:
- Closed.
- Open.
The closed (or mine) mining method is used at significant depths of coal seams (over 100 meters). For this purpose, mines or adits are built. The main advantage of this mining method is environmental friendliness. Coal mines cause much less harm to the environment than quarries or open pit mines. At the same time, mining is extremely dangerous to the health and life of workers.
The open-pit (or quarry) mining method is used in cases where coal seams are located as close as possible to the surface of the earth. In this case, the upper layer of the earth's crust (including soil) is opened and direct development of the field begins. The rock is crushed using special machines (draglines and crushers) and transported to the surface. Among the advantages of the open coal mining method are efficiency and relative safety. However, quarries “eat up” huge areas of land and cause enormous harm to the environment. Plus, coal extracted in this way usually contains a large number of different impurities.
Iron ore
Iron ores are natural mineral formations with an iron (Fe) content of 10% to 75%. In total, two hundred minerals are known to contain iron. But the most important of them are magnetites and hematites. Ores with an iron content of up to 45% are considered poor and require additional enrichment.
Iron ore serves as the main raw material for ferrous metallurgy. The main part of it goes to the production of cast iron and rolled steel. The largest suppliers of iron ore to the world market are India, China, Ukraine, Russia, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Australia. These countries account for over 80% of global production.
The extraction of this mineral is carried out in mines and quarries (less often in mines). High-grade ores are immediately sent to open-hearth and converter shops for steel smelting. Poor ores with low iron content need beneficiation. This process is carried out at special mining and processing plants (GOKs). First, the ore extracted from the bowels of the earth is crushed, and then the resulting mass is sent to a magnetic separator, which “pulls” iron particles out of it. After this, the enriched ore is sintered into small pellets (8-15 mm in diameter) and sent to metallurgical plants.
Global iron ore production is growing rapidly. If in 2001 about 1 billion tons of this raw material were extracted, then in 2010 this figure already amounted to 2.4 billion tons. True, some highly developed countries are gradually reducing their consumption of iron ore and moving to recycling the scrap metal they already have.
Gold
There is probably no person on Earth who has not heard the word “Klondike”. This region of Alaska has become a household name for a place full of precious treasures. At the end of the 19th century, colossal deposits of gold were discovered here. And thousands of adventurers went to a wild and distant land in search of him. A lucky few managed to get there and find a priceless yellow treasure.
Gold is still the most valuable metal on Earth today. Most often it is used in the jewelry industry and as an investment object. Gold bars are considered the most reliable way to save your savings. Besides, noble metal also used in microelectronics, dentistry and the food industry.
Throughout history, humanity has extracted about 160 thousand tons of gold from the earth. In monetary terms, this is an amount equal to approximately 8 trillion US dollars. The leaders in gold mining in the world are the following countries: China, Russia, Australia, USA, South Africa, Peru, Canada. Today there are 37 gold mining companies operating in the Russian Federation. They are located in Buryatia, Amur and Irkutsk regions, Transbaikalia, Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Tyva and some other regions of the country.
Diamonds
Diamond is natural mineral, one of the forms of carbon. It is characterized by extremely high hardness and thermal conductivity. A cut diamond is commonly called a diamond. For quite a long time it has been the most expensive and valuable decoration. True, the price of diamonds is largely determined by the extreme high degree monopolization of this market in the global economy.
In addition to jewelry, diamonds have found their use in electronics, aerospace and nuclear industries. Due to the exceptional hardness of the mineral, it is used in the production of heavy-duty drills and cutters.
Diamonds are Africa's most important mineral resource. At least some of its countries. Thus, every second diamond in the world is mined in four countries of the “dark continent”. These are Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Tanzania. Other large importers of the most durable mineral are India, Russia, Angola, and Canada.
On the territory of Russia, the first diamond was found by the serf Pavel Popov in the Perm province. For such a valuable find he was granted freedom. Subsequently, large kimberlite pipes were discovered in Yakutia, as well as significant deposits in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Arkhangelsk Region.
Rock salt
When talking about the most popular minerals, one cannot fail to mention salt. The value of this mineral and food product unusually large. In ancient times, salt often served as money of account. It is vital for any human body. Salt deficiency is accompanied by weakness, headaches and nausea.
The chemical formula of this mineral is NaCl (sodium chloride). In nature it occurs in the form of colorless transparent crystals. Kitchen salt is obtained in several ways. Actually, rock salt is mined using the mine method. The mineral is also obtained by boiling liquid brine solutions.
In total, about 200 million tons of salt are mined in the world per year. The largest producers of this product are countries such as the USA, China, India, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Chile. The oldest saltworks were discovered by archaeologists on the Black Sea coast (modern Bulgaria). Scientists have found that salt began to be mined here in the sixth millennium BC.
Good afternoon, my reader. Today I will tell you about what the largest mineral deposits exist in the world and separately in our country. First, let me remind you what minerals are.
Minerals throughout the world are considered to be organic and mineral formations located in the earth's crust, the composition and properties of which can be effectively used in the national economy.
One of the types of natural resources are mineral resources - rocks and minerals used in mineral resource base world economy.
Today, the world economy uses over 200 types of ore, fuel, energy and mineral resources.
In the distant past, our Earth has experienced numerous natural disasters, one of which was volcanic eruptions. Hot magma from the crater of the volcano spread over the surface of our planet and then cooled, flowing into deep crevices, where it crystallized over time.
Magmatic activity was most evident in areas of seismically active zones, where, over a long period of development of the earth's crust, useful resources were formed, which are distributed relatively evenly throughout the planet. The main continents for the distribution of raw materials are South and North America, Eurasia and Africa, Asia and Australia.
As is known, different metals different temperatures melting, and the composition and location of ore accumulations depend on temperature.
The location of these deposits had its own certain patterns, depending on geological features and weather factors:
- the time of the appearance of the earth,
- structure of the earth's crust,
- type and terrain,
- shape, size and geological structure of the territory,
- climatic conditions,
- atmospheric phenomena,
- water balance.
Mineral resource areas are characterized by a closed area of concentration of local mineral deposits and are called basins. They are characterized by common rock formations, single process accumulation of sediments in a tectonic structure.
Large accumulations of minerals of industrial importance are called deposits, and closely located, closed groups of them are called basins.
Types of resources on our planet
The main resources on our planet are found on all continents - South and North America, Africa and Eurasia, Australia and Asia, are not evenly distributed and therefore different territories their set is different.
World industry annually requires more and more raw materials and energy, so geologists do not stop searching for new deposits for a minute, and scientists and industry specialists are developing modern technologies extraction and processing of extracted raw materials. 
This raw material is already mined not only, but also at the bottom of the seas and coastal oceans, in hard-to-reach areas of the earth and even in permafrost conditions.
The presence of proven reserves over time required specialists in this industry to record and classify them, so all minerals were divided according to physical properties into: solid, liquid and gaseous.
Examples of solid minerals include marble and granite, coal and peat, as well as ores of various metals. Accordingly, liquids are mineral waters and oil. As well as gaseous ones - methane and helium, as well as various gases.
According to their origin, all fossils were divided into sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic.
Igneous fossils are classified as places that are superficial or close to the surface of the outcrop of the crystalline foundation of platforms during the period of activity of tectonic processes.
Sedimentary fossils are formed over many centuries and millennia from the remains of ancient plants and animals, and are used primarily as fuel.
Fuel minerals form the largest oil, gas and coal basins. Metamorphic fossils are formed by alteration of sedimentary and igneous rocks due to changes in physicochemical conditions. 
By area of use: combustible, ore and non-metallic, where precious and ornamental stones were designated as a separate group.
Fossil fuels are natural gas and oil, coal and peat. Ore minerals are rocks containing metal components. Non-metallic minerals are rocks of substances that do not contain metals - limestone and clay, sulfur and sand, various salts and apatites.
Availability of general mineral reserves
For industrial development, not all explored mineral deposits could be extracted by humanity due to their unfavorable and inaccessible conditions, therefore, in the world ranking for the extraction of reserves of natural raw materials, each country is retaining its specific place.
Every year, mining engineers and geologists continue to identify new reserves of underground wealth, which is why the leading positions of individual states change from year to year.
So it is believed that Russia is the richest country in the world in terms of production volumes natural resources, namely, 1/3 of the world's natural gas reserves are located here.
The largest gas fields in Russia are Urengoyskoye and Yamburgskoye, which is why our country ranks first in the world ranking for this raw material. Russia is in second place in terms of tungsten reserves and production.
Our largest coal basins are located not only in the Urals, but also in Eastern Siberia, the Far East and Central Russia Therefore, Russia is in third place in the world ranking for coal. In fourth place - in gold, in seventh - in oil.
The main gas and oil fields on the continents are located in foothill troughs and depressions, but the world's largest deposits of this raw material are located on seabed continental shelf. So in Africa and Australia, large reserves of oil and gas were found in the shelf zone of the mainland coast.
IN Latin America there are huge reserves of colored and rare metals Therefore, this country ranks first in the world for this natural raw material. North America has the largest coal basins, so these natural resources in terms of their reserves have brought this country to first place in the world. 
The Chinese platform, where fossil fuels such as oil and gas have been used for lighting and heating human homes since the 4th century BC, can be considered very promising in terms of oil reserves.
IN foreign Asia contains the richest variety of mineral resources, influenced by volcanic and seismic landforms, as well as activities permafrost, glaciers, wind and flowing waters.
Asia is famous all over the world for its reserves of precious and semi-precious stones, so this continent is very rich in a variety of minerals.
The tectonic structure in the history of the geological development of such a continent as Eurasia determined the diversity of the terrain, which is why it has the richest oil reserves in the world compared to other countries.
Large reserves of ore minerals in Eurasia are associated with the foundation of Mesozoic folding platforms.
In search of fuel and other raw materials, humanity is moving more and more confidently in, where black gold and natural gas are mined at continental depths of over 3000 meters, because the bottom of this area of our planet has been little studied and definitely contains innumerable reserves of precious natural raw materials.
And that's all for today. I hope you liked my article about largest deposits minerals in Russia and in the world, and you learned a lot of useful things from it. Maybe you also had to engage in amateur mining of some of them, write about it in your comments, I will be interested in reading about it. Let me say goodbye to you and see you again.
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What are minerals and why are they called that? Have you ever thought about it?
They are useful because people create from them, which later serve for comfort, heating and safety. Fossils - because they are extracted from the depths of the earth.
No one knows the exact time when the first mining began. However, around 2600 BC, the Egyptians went to the Sinai Peninsula to mine mica, and discovered and mined more useful mineral copper.
To develop their state, the Romans built mines from Africa to Britain. Among them was the Rio Tinto mine in Spain, where many precious metals were mined:
- gold and silver,
- copper and tin,
- lead and iron.
In the development of trade and military affairs, the extraction of various iron and precious ores played a large role.
I hope you've heard about the gold rush in the mid-19th century in South America? In addition to gold, diamond deposits were found there.
And in childhood, I hope everyone read a fairy tale about the mistress of the copper mountain. There, master Danila wanted to make a stone flower alive. The events in the fairy tale took place in the Urals, and the minerals from which he made his flower were found in the mountains.
What are natural resources?
The list of natural resources is very rich and varied.
All these riches of our land can be classified based on their main characteristics:
- Hard ones, such as granite, varieties of coal, ores of various metals, salts.
- Liquids, such as mineral waters, mercury, oil.
- Gaseous, these include flammable and non-flammable gases.
Types of minerals will reveal their origin.
- Combustible (sedimentary)
- Ore (igneous)
- Non-metallic (non-metallic)
- The groundwater
It will be interesting for you to know that in addition to igneous rocks, there are also metamorphic rocks. I'll tell you a little about them. This very name - igneous rock - reveals to us the secret of its origin. The ordinary pumice that you have in your bathtub, as well as granite, basalts and liparites, are all of igneous origin.
What is metamorphic rock? This is even more interesting. Metamorphosis or changes in rock under the influence of atmospheric pressure and temperatures environment led to the formation of new minerals such as marble, talc, chlorite, graphite and pace.
Metallic and non-metallic natural resources
As you probably already guessed, metal ones are those that contain metal, such as iron ore, manganese ore, tin ore and others. Non-metallic are the remaining hard rocks.
To make it clearer, I will show you the map and symbols natural resources around the world. It is quite difficult, and sometimes impossible, to estimate the world's mineral reserves in the earth's crust. Every year, according to scientists, approximately 120 billion tons of various fuels and raw materials are mined.
For the development of production and prosperity of any state, mineral resources play an important role. Their use is important in any sector of the economy, as a raw material or combustible material.
Did you know that in the beginning, mineral deposits were predicted by scientists based on scientific predictions and prospecting? only confirmed these predictions and discovered the exact locations of valuable raw materials, using advances in technology and instrumentation.
The development of mineral deposits has become much easier in our time, and mineral resources are becoming scarcer.
With the advent of such human achievements as electricity and the creation different types With special machines, the extraction of natural resources also accelerated. The following methods of developing mineral deposits have become widespread:
- Open method - creating pits (cuts and quarries)
- Closed method - used at great depths of mineral deposits (mines and adits)
- Drilling of the wells
- Marine method - mining below sea level.
The types of deposits depend on the types of natural resources, which can be classified into several main groups -
- Metal
- Non-metallic
- Mineral
- Flammable
- Water
These names speak for themselves. All countries and states on our planet have different quantity natural resources. They are distributed unevenly throughout the huge planet.
This depends on many factors, including geographical location and the geological structure of the earth. We won’t look for rock deposits or iron ore on the plain, will we? Of course not, because their formation requires certain conditions.
What methods of mining exist today?
Do you know that minerals such as coal, gold and diamonds are mined open method. Develop a quarry using special equipment, delving deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth. The extracted rock is transported to mining enterprises, where it is further processed. This is the most effective method of extraction.
The second mining method is an underground mine shaft or adit that has access to the surface of the earth, from where the rock is removed. Such mines have both horizontal and vertical workings, where hard rocks are drilled.
Rich mineral reserves: coal and natural gas, oil and minerals are located throughout to the globe. And all this must be rationally used and extracted from the deep bowels of our earth, without harming nature and the environment.
Rational use of the natural resources of the earth in our time is simply vital, because their reserves are not limitless. Therefore, we must extract natural raw materials without loss, taking care, among other things.
Today there are more rational methods of extracting natural resources, which allow them to be extracted and processed with low costs and losses. They also allow the extraction of associated substances and raw materials, which are often contained in rock.
I hope you liked mine short review minerals located in the depths of our earth and you learned a lot of useful things for yourself. Write your feedback about my article in the comments. I will be interested to read them. And that's all for today. Let me say goodbye to you and see you again.
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