Ore - History, Formation Of Ore, Igneous Ore Deposits, Hydrothermal Ore Deposits, Sedimentary Ore Deposits - Future developments
industrial rocks minerals —formed
Ore is metalliferous rock that can be mined and processed at a profit. Although a broader definition includes nonmetallic rocks like rock salt and gypsum, most geologists classify these materials as industrial rocks and minerals.
Unlike products from the forest and farm, ores are a nonrenewable resource. The economic survival of industrial societies is linked to the discovery of new supplies of metals and to improved technology for the extraction of metals from ever lower grade deposits. Industry, government, and universities are constantly developing new exploration techniques and more efficient recovery methods.
Resources
Books
Craig, James, David Vaughan, and Brian Skinner. Resources of the Earth. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988.
Evans, Anthony. Ore Geology and Industrial Minerals: An Introduction. Boston: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1993.
Kesler, Stephen. Mineral Resources, Economics and the Environment. New York: MacMillian College Publishing Company, Inc., 1994.
Klein, C. The Manual of Mineral Science. 22nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002.
Additional Topics
Gold, silver, and copper artifacts left by prehistoric tribes and ancient civilizations attest to an interest in ores extending back to earliest times. Indeed, human history is divided into chalcolithic (copper-stone), bronze, iron, and atomic (uranium) ages based on the use of metals. In spite of this, little was known about the origin of ore until relatively recent times. Greek philosophers beli…
A cubic mile of average rock contains approximately one trillion dollars worth of metal; yet no one is mining ordinary rock. The expense involved in processing ordinary rock is just too great. Fortunately, ore provides a less expensive option. Ore is formed by geologic processes which concentrate metals to tens or even thousands of times their average crustal abundances. Even then, a mine may not …
As magmas solidify, water and other gaseous constituents tend to be concentrated in the decreasing amount of molten rock. At some point these constituents may literally boil off, penetrate the surrounding rock, and condense to a hot, water-rich fluid. These igneous emanations are termed hydrothermal fluids. They are mobile and capable of dissolving metals from rock through which they pass. They te…
Sedimentary processes form ore either through the selective removal of nonmetallic components or by concentration of metallic minerals. Rock at the earth's surface is subjected to weathering and leaching, the process that turns rock into soil. Aluminum resists being leached, and bauxite, the ore of aluminum, is actually an aluminum-rich soil. Bauxite forms in the humid tropics from intense …
Mineral exploration has not always been a science. Since ancient times, prospectors relying heavily on luck and persistence have successfully discovered ore deposits of all descriptions. The ancient Romans worked every deposit of significance within the bounds of their empire, and it is said in Mexico that if gold and silver ore was at the surface, the Conquistadors found it. This testament to the…
Ore deposits supply much of the raw material on which modern industrial society is based. "If you can't grow it, it has to be mined," say mining geologists about the materials consumers use. In addition, much of what is grown would not be possible without metals. Platinum, for example, is used as a catalyst in the chemical reaction that produces nitrogen for fertilizer, and me…
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User Comments
10 months ago
Angela
thanks