Where are ore minerals mined? What are ore minerals? Non-metallic natural elements

General characteristics of minerals

First of all, minerals are rocks and minerals that are used in the economy of countries.

According to their physical condition, they can be:

• solid - coal, salt, ore, marble, etc.;
• liquid – oil, mineral waters;
• gaseous - flammable gas, helium, methane.

When their use is taken as a basis, then they distinguish:

• combustibles - coal, oil, peat;
• ore – rock ores, including metal;
• non-metallic – gravel, clay, sand, etc.

A separate group is represented by precious and ornamental stones.

Mineral resources were formed in different ways and are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic in origin, the distribution of which in the bowels of the earth is subject to certain patterns.

Folded areas are usually characterized by igneous, i.e. ore minerals. This circumstance is due to the fact that they are formed from magma and hot aqueous solutions released from it.

Magma rises from the bowels of the earth through cracks in the earth's crust and freezes in them at different depths.

Also, ore minerals can be formed from erupted magma-lava, which cools relatively quickly. Magma is introduced, as a rule, during a period of active tectonic movements, so ore minerals are associated with folded areas of the planet.

Ores can also form on platform plains, but in this case they are confined to the lower tier of the platform. On platforms, ore minerals are associated with shields, i.e. with the platform foundation reaching the surface or in those places where the sedimentary cover is not very thick and the foundation comes close to the surface.

An example of such a deposit is the Kursk magnetic anomaly in Russia and the Krivoy Rog basin in Ukraine.

Note 1

In general, ore is a mineral aggregate from which metal or metal compounds can be extracted technologically.

Metal ores are associated with areas of active mountain formation, but the presence of mountains does not mean the presence of rich deposits. A third of Europe, for example, is occupied by mountains, but there are very few large ore deposits.

Based on the area of ​​application, ore minerals are divided into groups - ferrous metal ores, non-ferrous metal ores, precious metal ores and radioactive metals.

An ore mineral such as iron ore is the basis for the production of ferrous metals - cast iron, steel, rolled products. The largest reserves of iron ore are concentrated in the USA, India, China, Brazil, and Canada.

There are separate large deposits in Kazakhstan, France, Sweden, Ukraine, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Australia, Liberia, Malaysia, and North African countries.

In Russia, large reserves of iron ore, in addition to KMA, are in the Urals, the Kola Peninsula, Karelia, and Siberia.

Ferrous metal ores

Among ferrous metal ores, the most popular and used in industry are iron ores.

Minerals such as hematite, magnetite, limonite, siderite, chamosite and thuringite are the main iron-containing rocks.

Iron ore production in the world exceeds 1 billion tons. The largest producer of iron ore is China, producing 250 million tons, while Russia produces 78 million tons. The USA and India produce 60 million tons each, Ukraine – 45 million tons.

Iron ore mining in the United States is carried out in the Lake Superior region and in the state of Michigan.

In Russia, the largest iron ore basin is the KMA, the deposits of which are estimated at 200-210 billion tons or 50% of planetary reserves. The deposit covers the Kursk, Belgorod, and Oryol regions.

The production of alloy steel and cast iron uses manganese as an alloying additive to impart strength and hardness.

The world's industrial reserves of manganese ores are concentrated in Ukraine - 42.2%. There are manganese ores in Kazakhstan, South Africa, Gabon, Australia, China, and Russia.

Large amounts of manganese are also produced in Brazil and India.

In order for steel not to rust, to be heat-resistant and acid-resistant, chromium is needed, one of the main components of ferrous metal ores.

Experts suggest that out of the world reserves of this ore, 15.3 billion tons of high-grade chromite ore are in South Africa - 79%. Chromium is found in small quantities in Kazakhstan, India, Turkey, and a fairly large deposit of this ore is located in Armenia. A small deposit is being developed in Russia in the Urals.

Note 2

The rarest of the ferrous metals is vanadium. It is used to produce grade iron and grade steel. Vanadium is very important for the aerospace industry because its addition provides the high performance of titanium alloys.

When producing sulfuric acid, vanadium is used as a catalyst. It is not found in its pure form, and vanadium is found in titanomagnetite ores and is sometimes found in phosphorites, uranium-bearing sandstones and siltstones. True, its concentration is no more than 2%.

Sometimes even significant amounts of vanadium can be found in bauxite, brown coal, tar shale and sand. When extracting the main components from mineral raw materials, vanadium is obtained as a by-product.

In terms of recorded reserves of this ore, the leaders are South Africa, Australia and Russia, and its main producers are South Africa, the USA, Russia, and Finland.

Non-ferrous metal ores

Non-ferrous metals are represented by two groups:

1. lightweight, these include aluminum, magnesium, titanium;
2. heavy ones are copper, zinc, lead, nickel, cobalt.

Of all the non-ferrous metals, aluminum is the most abundant in the earth's crust.

Among its physical properties are low density, high thermal conductivity, plasticity, electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance. This metal lends itself well to forging, stamping, rolling, and drawing. It can be easily cooked.

The starting material for aluminum metal is alumina, which is obtained by processing bauxite and nepheline ores.

There are bauxite reserves in Guinea, Brazil, Australia, and Russia ranks 9th in them.

Russian bauxite reserves are concentrated in the Belgorod and Sverdlovsk regions, as well as in the Komi Republic. Russian bauxite is of low quality. Nepheline ores occur on the Kola Peninsula. Russia ranks 6th in the world in alumina production. All alumina is produced from domestic raw materials.

Titanium was discovered in 1791. Its distinctive characteristics are high strength and corrosion resistance. For industry, the main type of titanium ores are coastal-sea placers. Such large placers are known in Russia, Australia, India, Brazil, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.

Placer deposits of titanium are complex and contain zirconium.

Light non-ferrous metals include magnesium, which has been used in industry relatively recently. During the war years, most of it was used for the production of incendiary shells, bombs, and flares.

Raw materials for the production of magnesium are confined to many areas of the planet. Magnesium is found in dolomite, carnallite, bischofite, kainite and other rocks that are widespread in nature.

The United States accounts for about 41% of world production of magnesium metal and 12% of its compounds.

In addition to the United States, Türkiye and the DPRK are major producers of magnesium metal. Manufacturers of magnesium compounds are Russia, China, North Korea, Austria, Greece, Türkiye.

Among the heavy non-ferrous metals, copper stands out, which is a plastic element of a golden-pink hue, covered with an oxygen film in the open air.

A distinctive feature of copper is its high antibacterial properties. In alloys with nickel, tin, gold, zinc it is used in industry.

After Chile and the United States, Russia ranks third in the world in terms of copper reserves.

In addition to native copper, the raw materials for its production are chalcopyrite and bornite. Copper deposits are widespread in the USA - the Rocky Mountains, in the Canadian Shield and the provinces of Quebec, Ontario in Canada, in Chile and Peru, in the copper belt of Zambia, DRC, in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia.

The main and largest producers of this metal are Chile and the USA, as well as Canada, Indonesia, Peru, Australia, Poland, Zambia, and Russia.

Zinc was first obtained from calamine, essentially zinc carbonate ZnCO2. Today, zinc is obtained from sulfide ores, the most important of which are zinc blende and marmatite.

Zinc ores are mined in Canada, the USA, Russia, Australia, Mexico, central Africa, Kazakhstan, Japan and other countries.

Large producers of zinc ore are Japan and the USA, and they are also its major importers.

Nickel, known since ancient times, when added to steel increases its toughness, elasticity, and anti-corrosion properties.

Cobalt metal was first obtained in 1735. Today it is used to produce superhard alloys.

The raw material for lead is its main ore mineral galena. Lead ores are mined in many countries, and its leading producers are Australia, China, Peru, and Canada.

Lead mining is carried out in Kazakhstan, Russia, Mexico, Sweden, South Africa, and Morocco. There are large deposits of lead in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan.

In Russia, lead deposits are concentrated in Altai, Transbaikalia, Yakutia, Primorye, and the North Caucasus.

To get metal, you need ore. It is not surprising that one of the most ancient human activities is mining, i.e. prospecting, exploration, mining and processing of ores.

Ferrous metals include iron, manganese, chromium, titanium, and vanadium. It is not enough to extract ore; you still need to extract a useful component from it in order to smelt the metal. As a result, environmental pollution inevitably occurs. If in the Middle Ages the extraction of ferrous metals was the key to economic prosperity for many countries, today, in order to protect and protect nature, many countries are already abandoning open-pit ore mining, as at the Kursk magnetic anomaly, preferring the closed mine mining method. After all, almost a billion tons of ore are extracted from the ground every year. Waste rock extracted from the subsoil during ore mining is a major environmental problem for areas where active mining takes place. Metallurgical plants spend huge amounts of money on installing cleaning filters that prevent all harmful production waste from entering the environment. However, without the extraction of ferrous metal ores there would be no progress in the development of civilization.

Noble metals - gold, silver, platinum have always been valued due to their exquisite appearance, softness and unique properties (gold, for example, is very resistant; silver has a disinfectant property).

"Gold rush"

As soon as they heard about the finds of gold, thousands of people lost their peace, fell ill with “gold fever” and rushed to remote and wild lands in the hope of getting rich. One of the most famous “fever” is associated with the development of gold placer deposits in Alaska. Gold in nature can be found in primary deposits (veins) or in the form of placers, when the precious metal, together with river sand from a destroyed vein, is transported by water and stored along the banks of rivers and streams. Rivers can subsequently change their course, move away from their previous place, but the placer remains.

Among the golden sand, you may also find nuggets - fairly large pieces of metal. In 1896, news spread across America about the richest placer deposits found by prospectors in the Klondike Creek valley. Numerous gold miners rushed to search for gold, many of whom were completely unprepared for the hardships of a miner's life. Jack London colorfully spoke about the epic of mining the Klondike placers. But alluvial deposits are quickly depleted. The richest placers were mined over several decades.

The largest gold deposit is located in South Africa in the Witwatersrand province. From here they get up to 50% of the total production of this metal in the world.

Non-ferrous ores

Non-ferrous metal ores include copper, tin, lead, mercury, and zinc, known since ancient times. They have been in demand throughout human history. But in recent decades, when the structure of the economy has become more progressive, it is simply impossible to do without them. Non-ferrous metals are used in the electrical, aviation, space industries, production of semiconductors, catalysts, automobile filters, etc.

Radioactivity is a property of metals that became known only in the 20th century. It is associated with the ability of certain elements - uranium, thorium, radium, zirconium - to emit energy of a special type. This property is used in nuclear energy. However, it also turned out that the waste from such production has lethal properties. For now, the problem of nuclear waste remains unresolved.

Minerals are formations of the earth's crust, consisting of minerals, the chemical and physical properties of which allow them to be used in the industrial and domestic sphere. Without the variety of substances that the Earth is rich in, our world would not be so diverse and developed. Technological progress would be unattainable and prohibitively difficult. Let's consider the concept, types of minerals and their characteristics.

Concepts and terms related to the topic

Before examining the types of minerals, it is necessary to know the specific definitions related to this topic. This will make it easier and easier to figure everything out. So, minerals are mineral raw materials or formations of the earth’s crust, which can be of organic or inorganic origin and used in the production of material objects.

A mineral deposit is the accumulation of a certain amount of mineral matter on the surface or in the interior of the Earth, which is divided into categories depending on the field of application in industry.

Ore is a mineral formation that has arisen in natural conditions and consists of such components and in such a ratio that its use is possible and advisable for the industrial and technical sphere.

When did mining start?

It is not known for certain when exactly the first mining took place. According to historians, the ancient Egyptians opened the veil. The expedition was sent to the Sinai Peninsula in 2600 BC. It was assumed that they would mine mica. However, there was a breakthrough in the knowledge of the ancient inhabitants about raw materials: copper was found. The mining and processing of silver is known from the history of Greece. The Romans learned about metals such as zinc, iron, tin and lead. Having established mines from Africa to Britain, the Roman Empire mined them and then used them to make tools.

In the 18th century, after the Industrial Revolution, minerals became urgently needed. In connection with this, their production developed at a rapid pace. Modern technologies are based on the discoveries of that period. In the 19th century, the famous “gold rush” occurred, during which a huge amount of the precious metal – gold – was mined. Several diamond deposits were discovered in the same places (South Africa).

Characteristics of minerals by physical state

From physics lessons we know that substances can be in one of four states of aggregation: liquid, solid, gaseous and plasmatic. In ordinary life, everyone can easily observe the first three. Minerals, like any other chemical compounds, can be found on the surface of the Earth or in its interior in one of three states. Thus, the types of minerals are primarily divided into:

• liquid (mineral waters, oil);
• solid (metals, coals, ores);
• gaseous (natural gas, inert gas).

Each of the groups is an important and integral part of industrial life. The diversity of resources allows countries to develop in the technical and economic spheres. The number of mineral deposits is an indicator of the wealth and well-being of a country.

Industrial types, classification of minerals

After the discovery of the first mineral rocks, man began to think seriously about the benefits they could bring to his life. With the emergence and development of industry, a classification of mineral deposits was formed based on their use in the technical field. Let's look at these types of minerals. The table contains complete information about their characteristics:

The types of minerals considered, together with fresh water reserves, are the main characteristic of the wealth of the earth or an individual country. This is a typical gradation of mineral resources, with the help of which all natural substances used in the industrial and domestic sphere are grouped depending on their physical and chemical properties. Let's get acquainted with each category separately.

Fossil fuels

What type of mineral is oil? What about gas? A mineral often appears to be a solid metal rather than an obscure liquid or gas. People are familiar with metal from early childhood, while understanding what oil or even household gas is comes a little later. So, what type, according to the classifications already studied, should oil and gas be classified as? Oil belongs to the group of liquid substances, gas – to gaseous substances. Based on their application, clearly, to combustible or, in other words, fuel minerals. After all, oil and gas are used primarily as a source of energy and heat: they power car engines, heat living quarters, and cook food with their help. The energy itself is released by burning the fuel. And if you look even deeper, this is facilitated by carbon, which is included in all fossil fuels. We figured out what type of mineral resource oil is.

What other substances are included here? These are solid fuel compounds formed in nature: hard and brown coal, peat, anthracite, oil shale. Let's look at their brief characteristics. Types of minerals (combustible):

• Coal is the first fuel that man began to use. The main source of energy used on a large scale in production, it was thanks to this fossil that the industrial revolution took place. It is formed by plant residues without air access. Depending on the specific gravity of carbon in coal, its varieties are distinguished: anthracite, brown and hard coal, graphite;
• Oil shale was formed on the seabed about 450 million years ago from the remains of vegetation and animals. Consists of mineral and organic parts. When dry distilled, it forms a resin that is close to petroleum;
• peat is an accumulation of incompletely decomposed plant remains in swamp conditions, more than half of its composition is carbon. Used as fuel, fertilizer, thermal insulation.

Combustible natural substances are the most important types of minerals. Thanks to them, humanity learned to produce and use energy, and also created many industries. Currently, the need for fossil fuels is very acute for most countries. This is a large segment of the world economy, on which the well-being of countries around the world depends.

Metal minerals: types, characteristics

We know the types of minerals: fuel, ore, non-metallic. The first group has been successfully studied. Let's move further - ore, or metal, fossils - that's what industry was born and developed for. Since ancient times, people have realized that metal provides much more opportunities in everyday life than its absence. In the modern world it is no longer possible to imagine life without any metal. In household appliances and electronics, in homes, in the bathroom, even in a small light bulb - it is everywhere.

How do they get it? Only noble metals, which due to their chemical properties do not react with other simple and complex substances, can be found in their pure form. The rest actively interact with each other, turning into ore. The mixture of metals is separated if necessary or left unchanged. Alloys formed by nature have “taken root” due to their mixed properties. Iron, for example, can be made harder by adding carbon to the metal to create steel, a strong compound that can withstand heavy loads.

Depending on individual characteristics, as well as the area of ​​application, ore minerals are divided into groups: ferrous, non-ferrous, noble, rare and radioactive metals.

Ferrous metals

Ferrous metals are iron and its various alloys: steel, cast iron and other ferroalloys. It is used in a variety of industries: military, shipbuilding, aircraft, mechanical engineering.

Many iron products are used in everyday life: kitchen utensils are made from steel, and many plumbing items are covered with it.

Non-ferrous metals

The group of non-ferrous metals includes a large number of minerals. The name of the group comes from the fact that many metals have a specific color. For example, copper is red, aluminum is silver. The remaining 3 types of minerals (noble, rare, radioactive) are essentially a subtype of non-ferrous metals. Many of them are mixed into alloys, because in this form they have better properties.

Non-ferrous metals are classified into:

• heavy – highly toxic with high atomic weight: lead, tin, copper, zinc;
• light, having low density and weight: magnesium, titanium, aluminum, calcium, lithium, sodium, rubidium, strontium, cesium, beryllium, barium, potassium;
• noble ones, due to their high resistance, practically do not enter into chemical reactions, are beautiful to look at: platinum, silver, gold, rhodium, palladium, ruthenium, osmium;
• small (rare) – antimony, mercury, cobalt, cadmium, arsenic, bismuth;
• refractory have a high melting point and resistance to wear: molybdenum, tantalum, vanadium, tungsten, manganese, chromium, zirconium, niobium;
• rare earth - the group consists of 17 elements: samarium, neodymium, lanthanum, cerium, europium, terbium, gadolinium, dysprosium, erbium, holmium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium, thulium, promethium, terbium;
• scattered ones are found in nature only in the form of impurities: tellurium, thallium, indium, germanium, rhenium, hafnium, selenium;
• radioactive ones independently emit a stream of radioactive particles: radium, plutonium, uranium, protactinium, californium, fermium, americium and others.

Aluminum, nickel and copper are of particular importance to humanity. Developed countries are striving to increase their production, since the amount of these non-ferrous metals directly affects technical progress in aircraft construction, astronautics, atomic and microscopic devices, and electrical engineering.

Non-metallic natural elements

Let's summarize. The main categories from the table “Types of minerals” (fuel, ore, non-metallic) have been studied. What elements are classified as non-metallic, i.e. non-metallic? It is a group of hard or soft minerals occurring as individual minerals or rocks. Modern science knows more than a hundred such chemical compounds, which are nothing more than a product of natural processes.

In terms of the scale of their extraction and use, non-metallic minerals are ahead only of fuel types of minerals. The table below contains the main rocks and minerals that make up the non-metallic group of natural resources, and their brief characteristics.

Non-metallic minerals are very important for various industries, construction, and are also necessary in everyday life.

Classification of resources by exhaustibility

In addition to the gradation of minerals according to their physical state and characteristics, indicators of their exhaustibility and renewability are considered. The main types of minerals are divided into:

• exhaustible, which at a certain moment may run out and will not be available for production;
• inexhaustible – relatively inexhaustible sources of natural resources, for example, solar and wind energy, oceans, seas;
• renewable - fossils that, at a certain level of depletion, can be partially or completely restored, for example, forests, soil, water;
• non-renewable - if resources have been completely exhausted, it is usually not possible to renew them;
• replaceable – fossils that can be replaced if necessary, for example, fuel types.
• irreplaceable – those without which life would be impossible (air).

Natural resources require careful treatment and rational use, since most of them have an exhaustible limit, and if they are renewable, it will not be very soon.

Minerals play an important role in human life. Without them, there would be no technical and scientific discoveries, or even normal life in general. The results of their extraction and processing surround us everywhere: buildings, transport, household goods, medicines.

Iron Ore is the main raw material for the global metallurgical industry. The economies of different countries largely depend on the market for this mineral, which is why the development of mines is receiving increased attention all over the world.

Ore: definition and features

Ores are rocks that are used for processing and extracting the metals they contain. The types of these minerals differ in origin, chemical content, concentration of metals and impurities. The chemical composition of the ore contains various oxides, hydroxides and carbon dioxide salts of iron.

Interesting! Ore has been in demand on the farm since ancient times. Archaeologists were able to find out that the manufacture of the first iron objects dates back to the 2nd century. B.C. This material was first used by the inhabitants of Mesopotamia.

Iron- a common chemical element in nature. Its content in the earth's crust is about 4.2%. But in its pure form it is almost never found, most often in the form of compounds - in oxides, iron carbonates, salts, etc. Iron ore is a combination of minerals with a significant amount of iron. In the national economy, the use of ores containing more than 55% of this element is considered economically feasible.

What is made from ore

Iron ore industry is a metallurgical industry that specializes in the extraction and processing of iron ore. The main purpose of this material today is the production of cast iron and steel.

All products made from iron can be divided into groups:

• Pig iron with high carbon concentration (above 2%).
• Foundry cast iron.
• Steel ingots for the production of rolled products, reinforced concrete and steel pipes.
• Ferroalloys for steelmaking.

What is ore needed for?

The material is used for smelting iron and steel. Today there is practically no industrial sector that can do without these materials.

Cast iron is an alloy of carbon and iron with manganese, sulfur, silicon and phosphorus. Pig iron is produced in blast furnaces, where the ore is separated from iron oxides at high temperatures. Almost 90% of the resulting cast iron is marginal and is used in steel smelting.

Various technologies are used:

• electron beam melting to obtain pure high-quality material;
• vacuum processing;
• electro-slag remelting;
• steel refining (removal of harmful impurities).

The difference between steel and cast iron is the minimum concentration of impurities. Oxidative smelting in open-hearth furnaces is used for purification.

The highest quality steel is smelted in electric induction furnaces at extremely high temperatures.

Ore differs in the concentration of the element it contains. It can be enriched (with a concentration of 55%) and poor (from 26%). It is advisable to use low-grade ores in production only after enrichment.

Based on their origin, the following types of ores are distinguished:

• Magmatogenous (endogenous) - formed under the influence of high temperature;
• Surface - settled remains of the element on the bottom of sea basins;
• Metamorphogenic - obtained under the influence of extremely high pressure.

Main mineral compounds containing iron:

• Hematite (red iron ore). The most valuable source of iron with an element content of 70% and a minimum concentration of harmful impurities.
• Magnetite. A chemical element with a metal content of 72% is characterized by high magnetic properties and is mined from magnetic iron ores.
• Siderite (iron carbonate). There is a high content of waste rock, the iron itself is about 45-48%.
• Brown iron ores. A group of aqueous oxides with a low percentage of iron, with admixtures of manganese and phosphorus. An element with such properties is characterized by good recoverability and porous structure.

The type of material depends on its composition and the content of additional impurities. The most common red iron ore with a high percentage of iron can be found in different states - from very dense to dusty.

Brown iron ores have a loose, slightly porous structure of brown or yellowish color. Such an element often needs enrichment, but is easily processed into ore (high-quality cast iron is obtained from it).

Magnetic iron ores are dense and granular in structure, looking like crystals embedded in the rock. The color of the ore is characteristic black-blue.

How ore is mined

Iron ore mining is a complex technical process that involves diving into the depths of the earth to search for minerals. Today, there are two methods of ore mining: open and closed.

Open (quarry method) is a common and safest option compared to closed technology. The method is relevant for cases where there are no hard rocks in the working area, and there are no populated areas or utility systems nearby.

First, a quarry up to 350 meters deep is dug, after which iron is collected and removed from the bottom by large machines. After extraction, the material is sent on diesel locomotives to steel and iron factories.

Quarries are dug using excavators, but this process takes a lot of time. As soon as the machine reaches the first layer of the mine, the material is submitted for examination to determine the percentage of iron content and the feasibility of further work (if the percentage is above 55%, work in this area continues).

Interesting! Compared to the closed method, mining in quarries costs half as much. This technology does not require the construction of mines or the creation of tunnels. At the same time, the efficiency of work in open pits is several times higher, and the loss of material is five times less.

Closed mining method

Mine (closed) ore mining is used only if it is planned to maintain the integrity of the landscape in the area where ore deposits are being mined. This method is also relevant for work in mountainous areas. In this case, a network of tunnels is created underground, which leads to additional costs - the construction of the mine itself and the complex transportation of metal to the surface. The main drawback is the high risk to the lives of workers; the mine can collapse and block access to the surface.

Where is ore mined?

Iron ore mining is one of the leading areas of the economic complex of the Russian Federation. But despite this, Russia's share in world ore production is only 5.6%. World reserves amount to about 160 billion tons. The volume of pure iron reaches 80 billion tons.

Countries rich in ores

The distribution of minerals by country is as follows:

• Russia - 18%;
• Brazil - 18%;
• Australia - 13%;
• Ukraine - 11%;
• China - 9%;
• Canada - 8%;
• USA - 7%;
• other countries - 15%.

Significant deposits of iron ore have been noted in Sweden (the cities of Falun and Gellivar). In America, a large amount of ore was discovered in the state of Pennsylvania. In Norway, the metal is mined in Persberg and Arendali.

Ores of Russia

The Kursk magnetic anomaly is a large deposit of iron ore in the Russian Federation and in the world, in which the volume of unrefined metal reaches 30,000 million tons.

Interesting! Analysts note that the scale of mineral production at the KMA mines will continue until 2020, and there will be a decline in the future.

The area of ​​the Kola Peninsula mines is 115,000 sq. km. Iron, nickel, copper ores, cobalt and apatites are mined here.

The Ural Mountains are also among the largest ore deposits in the Russian Federation. The main development area is Kachkanar. The volume of ore deposits is 7000 million tons.

The metal is mined in smaller quantities in the West Siberian basin, Khakassia, the Kerch basin, Zabaikalsk and the Irkutsk region.

Remember which minerals are classified as ore minerals? What is the origin of ore minerals?

DISTRIBUTION OF ORE FOSSIL. In the depths of Ukraine lie minerals and rocks containing various metals - from aluminum and iron, which are the most common in the earth's crust, to rare elements that are found only occasionally or dispersed in small quantities as impurities in other minerals. Reserves of ores alone are not of industrial importance. And in terms of reserves of iron, manganese, titanium and uranium ores, Ukraine ranks first among European countries. These ores are mined in large quantities. Our state provides for its own needs and sells ore mineral resources to other countries. Ukraine also has significant reserves of mercury ores (2nd place in Europe).

Most ore deposits are associated with rocks of the Ukrainian shield, as well as ancient (Donetsk) and young (Carpathian) folded regions (Fig. 77

ORES OF FERROUS METALS. Ukraine is a unique country in the world in terms of reserves and location of deposits of iron and manganese ores, from which ferrous metals (cast iron, steel) are smelted. The largest deposits of these minerals are located nearby - within the Dnepropetrovsk and neighboring regions.

Total iron ore reserves amount to more than 27 billion tons. The Krivoy Rog iron ore basin (Krivbass) is the main mining area in Ukraine and one of the largest in the world (Fig. 76). It includes a number of fields that stretch over a strip of more than 100 km through the Dnepropetrovsk, Kirovograd and Nikolaev regions. Industrial development of the basin began in the 19th century. Of greatest importance for the economy are rich (with an iron content of more than 46%) and high-quality ores - red iron ores (hematites), which contain almost no harmful impurities.

They are mined using the mine method. Low-grade ores (ferruginous quartzites), in which the iron content is lower (from 20%), are mined in open pits (in quarries). Iron ores with a high metal content also occur in the Kremenchug (Poltava region) and Belozersk (Zaporozhye region) iron ore regions. They are mined using both quarry and mine methods. In the future, the Azov iron ore region (Zaporozhye region) may become promising. But in the Kerch iron ore basin (Crimea) ore was no longer mined.

Manganese ores are used as raw materials for the production of high-quality steel. Their reserves in Ukraine amount to more than 2.5 billion tons. They are concentrated in

The Dnieper manganese ore basin is one of the largest in the world in terms of reserves and production. Since the end of the 19th century. Ore is mined by open-pit and mine methods in the western part of the basin - the Nikopol deposit (Dnepropetrovsk region) (Fig. 78).

At the same time, twice as many ore reserves have been explored in the Velikotokmak deposit (Zaporozhye region).

Ferrous metal ores also include chromite ores, small deposits of which were found in Pobuzhye (Kirovograd region).

ORES OF NON-FERROUS METALS. Titanium and its alloys are light and resistant metals, and therefore are necessary materials in aircraft, rocket and shipbuilding, and the production of chemical reactors. Deposits of titanium ores are concentrated within the Ukrainian shield. The largest explored deposits are Irshanskoye (Zhytomyr region) and Samotkanskoye (Dnepropetrovsk region).

Since the end of the 19th century. In Ukraine, mercury ores were mined in one of the largest deposits in Europe, the Nikitovsky deposit (Donetsk region), but their development was stopped. In the Po-Buzhsky nickel ore region (Kirovograd region), nickel ores are mined and cobalt ores have been explored. In Ukraine there are many deposits of non-ferrous metal ores that have not yet been developed. Some of them were discovered relatively recently, and the metal reserves there are being clarified, others are well explored and prepared for exploitation. These include deposits of polymetallic and aluminum ores, gold, molybdenum, and many rare metals. Among the deposits of polymetallic (lead-zinc) ores, the largest is Beregovskoe (Transcarpathian region). Deposits of aluminum ores have been found in Transcarpathia, the Dnieper region and the Azov region. However, the total reserves of these types of raw materials are insignificant, so they are not mined.

Geological exploration work carried out in recent years indicates that in the depths of Ukraine

There are industrial reserves of gold, silver, copper, and many rare and rare earth metals. Thus, gold was found in the Carpathian and Donetsk regions, on the southern slopes of the Ukrainian shield. In Transcarpathia it was mined in the Muzhievskoe deposit. Large reserves of native copper have been discovered and are being explored in Volyn.

URANIUM ORES. Uranium ores occupy a special place among ore minerals. This is an important fuel and energy resource. Three uranium deposits are exploited in Ukraine, but much more have been explored. Most of the deposits are in the Kirovograd region, among them Novokonstantinovskoe. It is one of the world's leading reserves. The total reserves of uranium ores, for which Ukraine is among the top ten countries in the world, make it possible to meet the needs of existing domestic nuclear power plants for 100 years.

REMEMBER

In terms of reserves of iron and manganese ores, Ukraine is one of the leading countries in the world. Iron ore is mined in the Krivoy Rog basin and the Kremenchug region, manganese ore is mined in the Dnieper basin.

Of non-ferrous metal ores, Ukraine has significant reserves of titanium and mercury ores; reserves of other ores are limited or have no industrial significance.

Ukraine has large reserves of uranium ores, which it can provide itself with for the long term.

QUESTIONS AND TASKS

1. Name the ore minerals, the reserves of which Ukraine occupies a leading place in Europe and the world.

2. What tectonic structures are mainly associated with deposits of ore minerals?

3. Where is iron ore mined in Ukraine? Which ores are considered rich in iron content and which are considered poor?

5. What non-ferrous metal ores are mined in Ukraine? Where are their deposits located?

6. Are there ore minerals in your area (region)? If so, where are they obtained?

7*. Describe Ukraine’s prospects for the extraction of its traditional ore resources and the development of deposits of new minerals.

This is textbook material