Mineral resources are nonrenewable and provide the backbone for modern societies, but supplies are limited and demand is growing due to global industrialization. Common mineral resources used in daily life include metals like iron, aluminum, and copper extracted from ores, as well as nonmetallic minerals like gravel, gypsum, and salt. Plate tectonic processes help concentrate economically valuable metal ores along plate boundaries through mechanisms like hydrothermal deposition and magmatic differentiation.
This document summarizes South American Silver Corp., which is focused on developing two large-scale mining projects in South America. The company's flagship project is the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia, which hosts one of the world's largest silver-indium resources. The project is undergoing pre-feasibility and feasibility studies. The company's other project is the Escalones copper-gold-silver project in Chile, which has an inferred resource of over 3 billion pounds of copper. The company aims to become a top primary silver and indium producer globally from its Malku Khota project.
South American Silver Corp. April 2012 Corporate PresentationJinn-Erik Tveita
South American Silver Corp. owns two large-scale silver deposits in South America: the Malku Khota project in Bolivia and the Escalones project in Chile. Malku Khota has one of the world's largest silver-indium resources and the 2011 PEA study estimated production of 13.2 million ounces of silver per year. Escalones has an inferred resource of 3.8 billion pounds of copper and 610,000 ounces of gold. South American Silver aims to advance these projects and grow their significant silver and base metal resources to create shareholder value.
SAC Updated December 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver's December 2011 Corporate Presentation. Learn about the Malku Khota silver, indium and gallium project in Bolivia and the Escalones copper, gold, silver project in Chile.
South American Silver Corp's January 2012 Corporate Presentation. Learn about Malku Khota, one of the largest silver, indium and gallium resources, and Escalones, a large-scale copper project.
South American Silver February 2012 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver's February 2012 Corporate Presentation. Learn about the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia and Escalones copper-gold project in Chile.
SAC September 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver Corp. is growing and advancing one of the world's largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. The company has two large-scale deposits in South America - Malku Khota, one of the largest silver-indium-gallium resources, and Escalones, a high potential copper-silver-gold deposit. An updated study doubles estimated production at Malku Khota to 13.2 million ounces of silver, 80 tonnes of indium, and 15 tonnes of gallium per year for the first five years.
This document discusses the potential resources available from near-Earth asteroids, including their composition and location. It notes that asteroids contain valuable metals like nickel, platinum and gold, as well as rocks, ice and volatiles. The document outlines different categories of asteroids based on their composition and orbit. It proposes using small robotic probes and solar furnaces to mine and process asteroid materials with minimal human presence required for setup and repairs.
South American Silver Corp December 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
This document summarizes South American Silver Corp., which is growing and advancing one of the world's largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. It has two large-scale deposits in South America, including the Malku Khota project in Bolivia, which is one of the largest silver-indium-gallium resources globally. An updated 2011 study doubles estimated production to 13.2 million ounces of silver, 80 tonnes of indium, and 15 tonnes of gallium annually for the first five years.
This document summarizes South American Silver Corp., which is focused on developing two large-scale mining projects in South America. The company's flagship project is the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia, which hosts one of the world's largest silver-indium resources. The project is undergoing pre-feasibility and feasibility studies. The company's other project is the Escalones copper-gold-silver project in Chile, which has an inferred resource of over 3 billion pounds of copper. The company aims to become a top primary silver and indium producer globally from its Malku Khota project.
South American Silver Corp. April 2012 Corporate PresentationJinn-Erik Tveita
South American Silver Corp. owns two large-scale silver deposits in South America: the Malku Khota project in Bolivia and the Escalones project in Chile. Malku Khota has one of the world's largest silver-indium resources and the 2011 PEA study estimated production of 13.2 million ounces of silver per year. Escalones has an inferred resource of 3.8 billion pounds of copper and 610,000 ounces of gold. South American Silver aims to advance these projects and grow their significant silver and base metal resources to create shareholder value.
SAC Updated December 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver's December 2011 Corporate Presentation. Learn about the Malku Khota silver, indium and gallium project in Bolivia and the Escalones copper, gold, silver project in Chile.
South American Silver Corp's January 2012 Corporate Presentation. Learn about Malku Khota, one of the largest silver, indium and gallium resources, and Escalones, a large-scale copper project.
South American Silver February 2012 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver's February 2012 Corporate Presentation. Learn about the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia and Escalones copper-gold project in Chile.
SAC September 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver Corp. is growing and advancing one of the world's largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. The company has two large-scale deposits in South America - Malku Khota, one of the largest silver-indium-gallium resources, and Escalones, a high potential copper-silver-gold deposit. An updated study doubles estimated production at Malku Khota to 13.2 million ounces of silver, 80 tonnes of indium, and 15 tonnes of gallium per year for the first five years.
This document discusses the potential resources available from near-Earth asteroids, including their composition and location. It notes that asteroids contain valuable metals like nickel, platinum and gold, as well as rocks, ice and volatiles. The document outlines different categories of asteroids based on their composition and orbit. It proposes using small robotic probes and solar furnaces to mine and process asteroid materials with minimal human presence required for setup and repairs.
South American Silver Corp December 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
This document summarizes South American Silver Corp., which is growing and advancing one of the world's largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. It has two large-scale deposits in South America, including the Malku Khota project in Bolivia, which is one of the largest silver-indium-gallium resources globally. An updated 2011 study doubles estimated production to 13.2 million ounces of silver, 80 tonnes of indium, and 15 tonnes of gallium annually for the first five years.
SAC September 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
Growing and advancing one of the world’s largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. South American Silver Corp's flagship project is the Malku Khota project in Bolivia, which hosts one of the largest silver-indium resources globally. Updated resources in 2011 doubled estimated production to 13.2 million ounces of silver and 80 tonnes of indium annually for the first 5 years. The project has potential for low costs and to become a top primary silver and indium producer.
South American Silver Corp March 2012 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver Corp's March 2012 Corporate Presentation. Learn about the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia and the Escalones copper-gold project in Chile.
This document provides information about environmental studies and disaster management. It begins with definitions of key terms related to mining such as mine, mineral, rock, ore, gangue, waste, and the mining process. It then discusses different types of minerals including metallic ores, nonmetallic minerals, and fossil fuels. The document outlines India's significant mineral resources and the environmental effects of mining. It describes the five stages of mining operations and techniques for mineral conservation and site reclamation after mining is complete.
South American Silver Q2, 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
This document provides an overview of South American Silver Corp., a growth-focused exploration and development company. It summarizes the company's two large-scale projects in South America - the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia and the Escalones copper-gold project in Chile. It also discusses the positive fundamentals for silver, indium, and gallium, and outlines South American Silver's development plans and competitive advantages.
SAC November 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver Corp. November 2011 Corporate Presentation. Learn about Malku Khota, one of the world's largest undeveloped silver, indium and gallium resources. Contact us for more information.
South American Silver Q1, 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver is a growth-focused exploration and development company advancing one of the world's largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. It has two large-scale deposits in South America: Malku Khota in Bolivia, one of the world's largest silver-indium resources; and Escalones in Chile, a high potential copper-gold deposit. The company plans to drive shareholder value through advancing these projects, leveraging silver exposure, and exploring potential from new resources. It is well financed into feasibility studies on its projects.
South American Silver Corp. October 2011 corporate presentation. Contains information about the company's silver-indium-gallium project in Bolivia and copper-silver-gold project in Chile.
There are two main types of mining: surface mining and underground mining. The type used depends on factors like the depth and size of the ore deposit. Surface mining techniques include open-pit mining and strip mining. Underground mining techniques include room and pillar mining and block caving. Ore is also extracted through solution mining techniques like heap leaching. The ore is then processed through crushing, grinding, separation, smelting, and refining to extract the desired metal.
This document outlines several potential environmental problems from mining operations including waste disposal, noise, dust, subsidence, acid mine drainage, and disposal of waste rock and tailings. It also discusses issues from smelting/refining like air pollution and impacts on land, water and air from mineral extraction, processing, and waste disposal. Finally, it covers ways to minimize impacts through regulations, reclamation, recycling, and developing more sustainable practices.
SAC September 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
Growing and advancing one of the world’s largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. South American Silver Corp's flagship project is the Malku Khota project in Bolivia, which hosts one of the largest silver-indium resources globally. Updated resources in 2011 doubled estimated production to 13.2 million ounces of silver and 80 tonnes of indium annually for the first 5 years. The project has potential for low costs and to become a top primary silver and indium producer.
South American Silver Corp March 2012 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver Corp's March 2012 Corporate Presentation. Learn about the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia and the Escalones copper-gold project in Chile.
This document provides information about environmental studies and disaster management. It begins with definitions of key terms related to mining such as mine, mineral, rock, ore, gangue, waste, and the mining process. It then discusses different types of minerals including metallic ores, nonmetallic minerals, and fossil fuels. The document outlines India's significant mineral resources and the environmental effects of mining. It describes the five stages of mining operations and techniques for mineral conservation and site reclamation after mining is complete.
South American Silver Q2, 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
This document provides an overview of South American Silver Corp., a growth-focused exploration and development company. It summarizes the company's two large-scale projects in South America - the Malku Khota silver-indium project in Bolivia and the Escalones copper-gold project in Chile. It also discusses the positive fundamentals for silver, indium, and gallium, and outlines South American Silver's development plans and competitive advantages.
SAC November 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver Corp. November 2011 Corporate Presentation. Learn about Malku Khota, one of the world's largest undeveloped silver, indium and gallium resources. Contact us for more information.
South American Silver Q1, 2011 Corporate Presentationsoamsilver
South American Silver is a growth-focused exploration and development company advancing one of the world's largest undeveloped silver and indium resources. It has two large-scale deposits in South America: Malku Khota in Bolivia, one of the world's largest silver-indium resources; and Escalones in Chile, a high potential copper-gold deposit. The company plans to drive shareholder value through advancing these projects, leveraging silver exposure, and exploring potential from new resources. It is well financed into feasibility studies on its projects.
South American Silver Corp. October 2011 corporate presentation. Contains information about the company's silver-indium-gallium project in Bolivia and copper-silver-gold project in Chile.
There are two main types of mining: surface mining and underground mining. The type used depends on factors like the depth and size of the ore deposit. Surface mining techniques include open-pit mining and strip mining. Underground mining techniques include room and pillar mining and block caving. Ore is also extracted through solution mining techniques like heap leaching. The ore is then processed through crushing, grinding, separation, smelting, and refining to extract the desired metal.
This document outlines several potential environmental problems from mining operations including waste disposal, noise, dust, subsidence, acid mine drainage, and disposal of waste rock and tailings. It also discusses issues from smelting/refining like air pollution and impacts on land, water and air from mineral extraction, processing, and waste disposal. Finally, it covers ways to minimize impacts through regulations, reclamation, recycling, and developing more sustainable practices.
This document provides an overview of minerals, rocks, and energy resources related to the lithosphere and hydrosphere. It defines minerals as naturally occurring inorganic substances with distinct compositions and structures. It describes how minerals are classified based on properties like color, transparency, hardness, and streak. It also discusses the formation and classification of different rock types. Finally, it examines various energy resources derived from the lithosphere and hydrosphere, including fossil fuels, uranium, geothermal, hydropower, and renewable sources.
This document provides an overview of mineral resources and the mining process in 3 paragraphs:
1) It defines key terms related to mineral resources like ore, reserves, and commodities. It discusses factors that determine if a deposit is economically profitable to mine such as grade, deposit type, and environmental costs.
2) It outlines the major steps to obtain mineral commodities from prospecting and exploration, to mining, beneficiation, refining, transportation, and marketing.
3) It explains that the decision to mine depends on an analysis of tangible costs and benefits as well as intangible considerations about economic and environmental impacts. Safety hazards for miners are also discussed.
This document provides an overview of minerals, their composition and structure. It discusses that minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with definite chemical compositions and ordered internal structures. It describes the basic building blocks of minerals including elements, atoms, and different types of chemical bonding. It also summarizes the different physical properties used to identify minerals such as crystal form, luster, color, cleavage, fracture and hardness. Finally, it outlines some of the major mineral groups found in Earth's crust including silicates, carbonates, oxides, sulfides and others.
1.2 Raw materials and its preparation for iron making.pptxbijendra16
This document discusses the raw materials used in iron making, including iron ore, coking coal, pulverized coal, limestone, and air. It describes different types of iron ores such as hematite, magnetite, limonite, and carbonate ores. The document classifies iron ores based on their appearance, gangue content, and texture. It provides details on different types of iron ores including magnetite, hematite, siderite, titanomagnetite, and laterite ores. The structure and texture of iron ores can impact the beneficiation process and blast furnace behavior.
Lesson 7 Earth and Earth Resources - Mineral Resources.pptxBerniceCayabyab1
This document discusses mineral resources and their importance. It begins by outlining the learning objectives, which are to identify minerals important to society and understand how mineral deposits are formed. It then defines key terms like mineral occurrence, deposit, and ore. The document describes how geological processes like plate tectonics can concentrate minerals. It explains the main types of mineral deposits - magmatic, hydrothermal, sedimentary, placer, and residual - and provides examples of each. It concludes by outlining an assignment for students to research and report on specific computer components.
Me551:geo551 geology of industrial minerals 5 Tolun Vural
This document provides information on manganese and other industrial minerals including nepheline syenite, silica, rare earth elements, strontium, sodium sulfate, talc, trona, niobium, zeolites, and zircon. It discusses the schedule for an industrial minerals class including field reports, presentations, and exams. It then provides detailed information on the properties, production, uses, deposits, and substitutes of manganese, nepheline syenite, silica, silicon, and quartz crystals.
This document provides information about various aspects of mineral resources and mining. It discusses three current boom employers for geologists: mineral resources and mining, the petroleum industry, and the environmental industry. It then covers definitions and terms related to mineral resources. It outlines the steps involved in obtaining mineral commodities, from prospecting through refining and transportation. Finally, it notes that mining is an economic activity and the decision to mine depends on an analysis of costs, benefits, and risks.
Lecture 10 Mineral Resources and Mining s.pptMajidKhan858527
This document discusses mineral resources and mining. It covers several topics including the different industries that employ geologists, important ore types and deposits, steps involved in obtaining mineral commodities from prospecting through refining, factors that influence whether to mine a deposit, and various mining and processing techniques. Key employment centers for geologists include the mineral resources and mining industry, petroleum industry, and environmental industry.
This document discusses rocks, minerals, and mineral resources. It begins by defining rocks and minerals, and describes important minerals like aluminum, coal, copper, and iron. It then discusses how minerals form, their properties, and how mineral deposits are identified and extracted via mining. Specifically, it describes surface and subsurface mining methods and their environmental impacts like land disruption, erosion, and water pollution from activities like acid mine drainage.
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The document discusses mineral resources and their properties. Minerals are solid, inorganic substances that form in nature through geological processes. They are made up of elements like silicon, oxygen, iron and aluminum. Minerals have distinct physical properties depending on their chemical composition and crystalline structure, such as hardness, color, luster, cleavage and solubility. These properties determine a mineral's various industrial and commercial uses like abrasives, pigments, insulation, and conducting or storing electricity, heat, and magnetism. Minerals are an important source of elements and understanding their properties is key to utilizing mineral resources.
This document provides an overview of principles of extractive metallurgy. It outlines the course objectives which are to understand extractive metallurgy processes, identify extraction types, learn thermodynamics of extraction, and understand various metal production flow sheets. The syllabus covers topics like extraction processes, pyrometallurgy versus hydrometallurgy, calcination, roasting, smelting, thermodynamics principles, and electrometallurgy. Key extraction concepts like comminution, classification, separation methods, and kinetics are also mentioned.
This document discusses the mineral resources and mining industry, which is currently experiencing a boom. It provides definitions and descriptions of key terms related to mineral exploration, mining, and processing of ores. The stages involved are prospecting to find ore deposits, mine exploration and development to determine economic viability, mining to extract the ore, beneficiation to separate the ore minerals from waste rock, and refining to extract pure commodities. Common ore types and examples of important ore minerals are also mentioned.
Minerals are naturally occurring solid substances with distinct chemical compositions and internal crystal structures. They combine to form rocks. The main types of minerals include sulfides, carbonates, silicates, oxides, clays, silica, and halides. Mineral processing involves mechanical treatment like crushing and grinding to separate valuable minerals, often using gravity or flotation separation techniques. Mining excavates materials from the Earth's crust, while flotation is the most widely used process for extracting many minerals from their ores by altering surface properties. Ore refers to minerals rich enough in economically important elements to profitably extract.
The document discusses minerals and their extraction from Earth. It begins by explaining how the planet formed and developed a rocky crust rich in minerals. It then examines various types of minerals and rocks, as well as how minerals are vital resources. However, mineral extraction causes significant environmental impacts. Creating a sustainable mineral production system requires conservation, recycling, restoration, and expanding reserves through new technologies.
Deep ocean mining targets volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) ore deposits on the seafloor that contain valuable metals like copper, zinc, gold and silver. These deposits form from hydrothermal vents where superheated water and dissolved metals erupt from underwater volcanoes. While explored in the 1970s, the technology was not advanced enough to mine economically. However, with rising demand and limited new sources of critical metals, companies are again looking to mine these deep ocean deposits using new mining machines and ship-based processing. One project, Solwara 1 off Papua New Guinea, aims to extract over a million tons per year of high-grade copper and gold starting in 2013 at a depth of 1,600
This document summarizes information about nonrenewable mineral resources and the impacts of mining. It discusses how minerals and metals are distributed unevenly around the world, and how mining activities can release toxic and acid drainage that pollutes waterways. Mining processes like crushing ores and smelting can also spread pollutants. The document focuses on four metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic) that are especially persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, explaining their health effects and major sources like coal burning.
Mining and mineral extraction can have harmful environmental effects. Surface mining disrupts land and leaves exposed pits, while underground mining is dangerous. Mining produces acid mine drainage when exposed sulfur reacts with water and oxygen to form acid, polluting nearby streams. Heavy metals from excavated rock can also leach into water sources. Chemicals used to process ores, like cyanide and sulfuric acid, can spill and contaminate water if not properly contained. Large amounts of erosion and sedimentation from disturbed earth further degrades water quality and smothers aquatic life. Proper reclamation, containment, and pollution prevention are needed to reduce mining's environmental impacts.
2. Mineral Resources
• Backbone of modern societies
• Availability of mineral resources as a measure of
the wealth of a society
• Important in people’s daily life as well as in
overall economy
• Processed materials from minerals account for 5%
of the U.S. GDP
• Mineral resources are nonrenewable
3. Mineral Value
• Direct value
– Raw, recycles
– Import, export
• Indirect value
– Processes
• Value added
– E.g., agriculture
4. Common Use of Mineral
Products
METALLIC
HYDROCARBON
NON-METALLIC
5. Mineral Resources and Reserves
• Mineral resources: Usable economic commodity
extracted from naturally formed material
(elements, compounds, minerals, or rocks)
• Reserve: Portion of a resource that is identified
and currently available to be extracted legally and
profitably
• Defining factors: Geologic, technological,
economic, and legal factors
6. Reserves vs. Resources
• Reserves • Resources
– Natural resources that – Deposits that we know
have been discovered & or believe to exist, but
can be exploited that are not exploitable
profitably with existing today because of
technology technological,
economical, or political
– Oil – 700 billion barrels reasons
– Oil – 2 trillion barrels
7.
8. Mineral Resources Problems
• Nonrenewable resources
– Finite amount of mineral resources and growing demands for
the resources
• Supply shortage due to global industrialization
– More developed countries consuming disproportionate share of
mineral resources
• Erratic distribution of the resources and uneven
consumption of the resources.
– Highly developed countries use most of the resources; supply
varies
9. Major Import Sources (Table 14.2)
• Friends
– Canada: Metals
– United Kingdom: platinum, rare earths
• Other
– China: graphite, tin, tungsten…
– South Africa : platinum, fluorspar
– Chile: arsenic, iodine
10. Responses to Limited
Availability
• Find more sources
• Find a substitute
• Recycle
• Use less and make more efficient use of
what is available
• Do without
12. Geology of Mineral Resources
• Metallic ore: Useful metallic minerals that can be
mined for a profit
• Technology, economics, and politics
• Concentration factor: Concentration necessary
for profitable mining
– Variable with types of metals
– Variable over time
14. Some Important Minerals and there Uses
• Galena [PbS] – source of lead – car batteries
• Magnetite, Hematite [FexOy] – iron ore
• Bauxite [Al2O3*2H2O] – aluminum ore
• Chalcopyrite [CuFeS2] – copper ore
• Quartz [SiO2] – glass and electronic components
• Gypsum [CaSO4*2H2O] – sheetrock, plater of paris
• Sphalerite [ZnS] – zinc ore
• Calcite [CaCO3] – portland cement, soil conditioner, antacids
• Garnet [Al2(SiO4)3+other metals] – abrasives
• Olivine [(Fe,Mg)2SiO4] – silicon chips for computers
• Sulfur [S] – insecticides, rubber tires, paints, papermaking, etc.
• Halite [NaCl] – Table salt
• Graphite [C] – lubricant, pencil lead
• Feldspars [K,Ca,Na,Al, silicates] – porcelain, source of K
• Any other element that is not a major component of a mineral
• Gold [Au], Silver [Ag], Platinum [Pt], Titanium [ Ti], Tin [Sn], etc .
15. Plate Tectonics and Mineral
Resources
• Plate boundaries are related to the origins of
many ore deposits
• Plate tectonic processes (high temperature, high
pressure, and partial melting) promote release
and enrichment of metals along plate
boundaries
• Common metal ores along plate boundaries are
Fe, Au, Cu, and Hg, etc.
16. Daily Questions
• Within your groups, identify one task you
all have completed today. Collectively
think about the task and brainstorm.
Produce a list of all of the mineral resources
that were used in that task.
17. Geochemically Abundant Elements
(GAE)
• Elements comprise > 0.1% (by
weight) of the crust
• Form as principal component
in minerals within common
rocks – i.e. iron (Fe) Fe2O3
• Form very large deposits
• Form rock deposits
18. Geochemically Scarce Elements
(GSE)
• Elements that comprise < 0.1% (by weight) of the
crust
• Do not form as principal component in minerals
within common rocks, usually occur as a
substitute in rock forming minerals
• Form small deposits
• Ore minerals include sulfides, native elements, etc.
19. Mineral Deposits
• Elements need to be concentrated
• Minimum Grade - minimum amount of element
necessary to economically mine element
• Minimum Concentration Factor (MCF) –
Minimum Grade divided by the Crustal
Abundance
– GAE have MCF < 100
– GSE have MCF > 100
20. Comparison of Concentrations of Elements in the
Earth’s Crust with Concentrations needed to operate
a Commercial Mine
Element Natural Concentration Required Enrichment
Concentration in to Operate a commercial Factor
Crust (% by Weight) mine (% by Weight)
Aluminum 8 24-32 3-4
Iron 5.8 40 6-7
Copper 0.0058 0.46-0.58 80-100
Nickel 0.0072 1.08 150
Zinc 0.0082 2.46 300
Uranium 0.00016 0.19 1200
Lead 0.00010 0.2 2000
Gold 0.0000002 0.0008 4000
Mercury 0.000002 0.2 100,000
21. Process that concentrate elements
• Igneous Processes
– Hydrothermal
– Magmatic
• Sedimentary Processes
– Mechanical
– Chemical
• Metamorphism Processes
• Groundwater Processes
22. Hydrothermal Processes
• Precipitation of metallic
ions from hot, ion-rich
fluid
• Fluid could be
– Magmatic
– Groundwater
– Oceanic water
• Magmas heat up the water
• Water flows into fractures,
faults, joints, etc. where it
cools and precipitates
(deposits) the metals
23. Magmatic Processes
• Gravity Settling
– Dense, early-crystallizing
minerals sink to the bottom
of the magma chamber
• Filter Pressing
– Tectonic force compress a
magma chamber and force
the still-liquid portion into
fractures, creating large
crystals
• These processes have
produced large bodies of
iron, chromium, titanium,
and nickel
24. Sedimentary Processes
• Clastic
– Weathering of
rock also weathers
out elements of
interest
– Generally, the
elements are heavy
and are deposited
when a streams
competence is low.
– Placer deposits,
i.e. gold
26. Sedimentary Processes
• Chemical
Precipitates
– Water with high
concentrations of
elements is
evaporated
– Evaporation of
water leaves the
elements
– Ex. Salts, Iron,
etc.
27. Metamorphism
• Alteration of rock
concentrates the
elements
• The heat and
pressure force out
the GSE
(“impurities”)
28. Weathering
• Chemical weathering removes
soluble material.
• Ore material (elements of
interest) are left behind in a
concentrated residue.
29. Groundwater
• Secondary enrichment
• Groundwater dissolves and carries elements in
solution
• Chemical conditions change and the elements are
precipitated (deposited) out.
• Ex. Lead
30. Groundwater
• Secondary enrichment
• Groundwater dissolves and carries
insignificant elements in solution
• Insoluble elements of interest remain.
• Ex. Aluminum
31. Ore Mineral
• Ability to separate and readily process the
metal (element) from the ore material.
• Need to look at
– The energy to process the material
– The cost to process the material
– The value of the metal
• Basically, is it profitable to mine the metal?
32. Mineralogical Barrier
• Increase in energy and cost associated with
the production of GSE
Metals trapped in
minerals (silicates)
Energy and Cost
per mass of
metal Mineralogical Barrier
Metals the have been
GSE concentrated
$ GAE
Fixed
Costs
Low Grade of metal (element) in rock High
33. Ways to overcome the
mineralogical barrier
• Improve technology
• Recycle
• Come up with cheap energy to break
silicate bonds
34. Daily Assignment
Place the following on
the Venn Diagram
1.Gold
2.Oil
5 4 3.Coal
1
4.Iron
5.Copper
2, 3, 6
6.Gravel