Who discovers and extracts minerals. Homework assignments
Friends, hello everyone. Today I will tell you about what methods of mining exist, and their impact on the environment, but first of all, these methods depend on the minerals themselves, their physical and chemical properties, locations and the development of technological progress.
Until recently, the extraction of natural resources was carried out manually, which required great physical effort and considerable labor costs, and it itself had rather low labor productivity.
In modern conditions, everything has changed radically: with the development of powerful technical means and the use of special machines, labor costs have decreased, and productivity and volumes of mineral extraction have increased significantly.
Basic methods and technology of natural resource extraction
Everything, both solid, liquid, and gaseous on our planet, is distributed unevenly and is either on the surface or deep underground, and depending on their location and occurrence, one or another method is used for their extraction. The most common methods of extracting natural resources can be considered:
- open path or career path,
- closed method or underground or mine method,
- combined method or open-underground method,
- geotechnological method or borehole method,
- dredging method.
All of these methods have both their advantages and disadvantages, therefore the open-pit mining technology involves the creation of deep pits in the form of large quarries or cuts at the sites of development and extraction of natural resources, the dimensions of which depend on the relatively small depth and length, as well as power fossil beds.
The advantage of this method of extraction is its relative cheapness, the highest productivity and labor intensity, safe working conditions, and the disadvantages are a large decrease in the quality of raw materials due to the content of a large amount of waste rock, and negative consequences for the environment.
Natural construction and industrial raw materials such as -
- limestone and chalk,
- sand and clay,
- peat and coal,
- copper and lead,
- molybdenum and nickel,
- tin and tungsten,
- chromium and manganese,
- zinc and iron.
Solid minerals located at a sufficiently large depth are mined underground, i.e. closed method, in which underground mines are constructed.
The disadvantage of this method is its huge risk for miners, associated with collapse and gas contamination, and therefore an explosion hazard.
Ores, polymetals and mineral raw materials are usually mined in this way.
such as:
- copper and gold,
- tungsten and iron,
- and mineral salts.
If the open and closed method of mining is not suitable for a given deposit of industrial raw materials, then a combined open-underground method is used, where raw materials from the upper layers are first extracted by open method, and then the remaining reserves of metal ores located at a sufficiently large depth are processed using the mine method. .
The advantages of this method are large volumes of extraction of natural raw materials, and many non-ferrous metals and diamonds are usually mined in this way.
The geotechnological or borehole method is used in the extraction of special types of raw materials that are in a gaseous or liquid state using a procedure such as drilling deep wells, where, using the physico-chemical method of sedimentation, leaching and melting, minerals coming out through pipes are extracted from the bowels of the earth to the surface.
This method is usually obtained:
- gas and oil,
- sulfur and lithium,
- phosphorus and uranium.
And finally, a separate dredge method, where the mining enterprise simultaneously carries out both the extraction of raw materials and its enrichment, i.e., with the help of special equipment, the primary separation of valuable rock from the accompanying waste rock occurs.
Placer deposits are usually developed in this way:
- gold and diamonds,
- platinoids and cassiterite.
Impact on the environment of mining of useful raw materials
Mining by any method cannot but have a negative impact on the environment, since it occupies huge areas of economic land, sometimes reaching tens of thousands of square kilometers.
Such a technogenic load on the natural environment disrupts the natural course of self-regulation of life processes in the environment and sometimes leads to its rapid degradation.
As a rule, the most productive soil chernozems are located under their development:
- fields and arable land,
- forests and reservoirs,
- roads and settlements.
Production begins with preparatory clearing work, where all artificial barriers are removed from the area, as follows:
- Perennial forests with valuable tree species are cut down,
- centuries-old reservoirs in the form of swamps, rivers and lakes are drained,
- Utilities are laid in the form of drainage ditches and access roads.
Then stripping work is carried out, the purpose of which is to layer-by-layer remove and move waste rock into dumps, which opens access to the natural resources themselves:
- soft and light rock is mined using bulldozers and earthmoving machines,
- rock and hard rock are first blasted using drilling and blasting equipment, and then mined using excavators and scrapers,
already exposed minerals are mined and loaded onto special vehicles - mining dump trucks,
which transport extracted raw materials to processing plants and metallurgical plants.
The extraction of natural raw materials also has such negative consequences for the environment as contamination of soil, water and air with chemical elements from dumps, which has a detrimental effect on both the flora and fauna of the area.
This negative impact on the environment also negatively affects the health of people living in nearby areas - increasing the incidence of illness in the local population.
Therefore, during the development of mineral deposits, such regular activities as observations and environmental monitoring are necessary.
It is possible to reduce the negative impact on the environment in the future by improving development methods, as well as by reclaiming these lands, returning them and bringing them to their original state, but this requires huge financial resources and a considerable time interval.
Therefore, mining enterprises, in accordance with the law of subsoil and environmental protection, are obliged, after all work carried out on the extraction of raw materials, to ensure the restoration of the natural landscape of the area, where at their own expense they plant forests and subsequently create recreation areas, and also restore the fertile layer of soil, involving it in agricultural turnover
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forms an important part of the economy of many countries, including Russia. In addition to underground mining, its important part is open-pit mining - in the event that the deposits are located relatively shallow. For this purpose, modern technologies are used, many types of quarry special equipment are used.
It is difficult to say when humanity began developing the first quarry in its history. But this probably happened before the first mine was dug: it is much easier to extract minerals located directly below the surface, or even on it. One way or another, it will be true to say that humanity has evolved along with the technology of extracting useful minerals and building materials. During the development of a quarry, millions of tons of rock are removed and sorted, which cannot but affect the state of the environment, at least on a local scale. Nevertheless, civilization's need for minerals, from coal to precious metals, is growing from century to century - and accordingly, the scale of production is growing.
The positive aspects of open-pit mining include such factors as the simplicity of preparatory (overburden and other) work, the relative safety of participants in the production process, relatively low costs of survey work and mining itself, and high productivity when extracting rock.
However, in addition to its advantages, open development also has its disadvantages. These include a large number of machinery and equipment working in the quarry, and therefore considerable costs for its acquisition and maintenance. As the pit deepens, the costs of developing deposits also increase: delivering rock to a processing plant or pre-sorting point requires more and more effort and longer and longer routes for equipment; therefore, the costs of the development company also increase.
The technological cycle of open-pit mining begins with geological exploration.
It is necessary not only to find deposits, but also to evaluate their volume, rock composition and depth to determine the feasibility of mining. Next, preliminary work is carried out at the site of future development, which includes draining (sometimes watering) the territory, laying communications (access roads, electricity, communications, Internet), uprooting forests and constructing administrative and auxiliary buildings. It is impossible to say with certainty how much time passes from the completion of geological exploration to the completion of preliminary work: it depends on the investment in the future quarry, the nature of the area, climatic and weather factors.
When mining minerals in an open way - be it deposits of coal, manganese, ores containing metals - quarry excavators are widely used - machines of cyclic action, poorly connected or scooping up destroyed rocks and moving them sequentially, interrupting digging while moving the rock. Opening deposits, extracting minerals and their subsequent loading into vehicles are the main functions of these machines. Along with giant multi-bucket walking excavators, rotary and cable electric machines, hydraulic mining excavators on crawler tracks are the most widely used in open-pit mining.
A typical example of machines of this type is the R9250. Equipped with a 15 cubic meter bucket, it is ideal for working with 100-ton class dump trucks. Depending on operating conditions, the model is equipped with a diesel or electric power plant with a capacity of 287 hp. The rotation speed of the rotary motor is 8 revolutions per minute. The machine can be equipped with both a forward and a backhoe and is capable of operating even at extremely low temperatures: down to minus 40-50 degrees Celsius. The R9250, like other machines in the Liebherr excavator family, has a low center of gravity and a large digging depth of 8.7 meters. The total weight of the vehicle is 253.5 tons.
The actual development of the quarry begins with stripping operations.
It is necessary to remove the surface, empty layer of rock under which the mineral deposits lie. To do this, the soil is removed in layers, as a result of which a cascade of ledges is formed along the perimeter of the future quarry. If earlier drilling and blasting operations were widely used for these purposes, today special equipment is more often used for stripping operations, primarily excavators and loaders, and mining dump trucks are used to remove waste rock. The thinner the surface layer, the more efficient mining operations are: the efficiency of open pit mining is determined by the ratio of the displaced waste rock to the mining result. The number of cubic meters of removed soil is divided by the tonnage of the removed mineral.
Quarry loader
Possessing much more impressive dimensions than their construction counterparts, these wheeled or tracked earth-moving vehicles have as the main working body a bucket with a capacity of up to 10 cubic meters or more, hinged at the end of the boom and unloaded forward. The functions of quarry loaders include ripping and bulldozing, cutting and transporting rock, as well as loading it into the back of a dump truck.
Modern machines of this type have an operating weight of up to 62 tons. In addition to the front bucket, a bulldozer blade, a ripper, a lifting platform and other units are used as replaceable equipment for quarry loaders.
A bright representative of the family of mining loaders - a model from a famous Japanese manufacturer of special equipment. This mining loader has an operating weight of 55 tons and is equipped with a 7.03 cubic meter bucket. The loader's original 529 horsepower SAS6D170E-7 powertrain meets Tier 4 Final environmental standards. According to the development company, the model has a number of improvements compared to previous generations of Komatsu equipment - in particular, the WA600-8 has significantly improved cab visibility, and the operator’s seat is equipped with a heating function.
The same technique is used for direct mining.
Currently, for reasons of economic feasibility, many processes are being automated - for example, unmanned dump trucks, which do not require a driver and often do not have a cabin at all, are becoming increasingly widespread; There are also facilities where the production process is controlled completely remotely (“smart quarry”). With higher initial costs, this approach guarantees significant savings on personnel wages, and in addition, ensures the safety of life and health of employees of the mining enterprise. Nevertheless, even work in a technically equipped quarry is still considered quite difficult, and sometimes even extreme, for the human body and therefore requires high physical and psychological stability. At the same time, the harm from working in a quarry to the human body is much less than in a mine, and the level of injuries is significantly lower.
Minerals mined in the quarry are crushed and sorted on site or transported by dump trucks to transshipment points and then to processing plants. Rock removal from the quarry is carried out by quarry dump trucks; the most capacious examples of this equipment are capable of transporting about five hundred tons of cargo - however, due to its size, this equipment cannot be moved on public roads, so it is usually delivered to the work site disassembled, by rail, highway or sea transport.
Drilling and blasting methods in open-pit mining are increasingly being replaced by surface miners, which allow not only the extraction of material, but also loading it directly onto trucks or placing it in dumps. If the dump truck is busy with other work, the rock cut by the combine is fed along a conveyor and dumped into a dump. This is exactly how the company's combines work. Depending on the angle of rotation of their conveyor, the material can be stored in one dump with 3-5 rounds of rock cutting. The material is then loaded into the dump truck body using a mining loader. Depending on the height of the resulting dump, it is possible to load material using a front loader.
Wirtgen's most productive surface miners for soft and hard rock mining, the 4200SM, are designed for milling depths of up to 830 and 650 millimeters with a milling width of 4.2 meters. In addition to its main task - the extraction of coal, limestone, bauxite, iron ore, phosphates, oil shale, kimberlite, salt - these surface miners are capable of working effectively in construction, including road construction. In particular, these machines are capable of performing such functions as laying routes for road construction and rail track construction, precision milling of trenches, planes and slopes, milling channels, forming the base of a tunnel and restoring roads.
Many valuable minerals are mined using open-pit methods: coal, amber, marble, diamonds - the list goes on for a very long time. And quarry development can last from several years to many decades. For example, the development of the Bingham Canyon quarry in the USA, Utah, the pit depth of which is currently 1200 meters, has been ongoing since 1863.
The characteristics of extraction are influenced by many factors; miners say that in principle there are no two identical quarries. However, most of these structures have a number of common elements; among them - working and non-working side; bottom or sole - the lower platform of the ledge; lower and upper contours; overburden and clearing benches; platforms (below the slope, above the slope); breed collection point; transport communications. The perimeter of the quarry base is determined by the convenience of rock extraction and loading into quarry dump trucks.
Mining dump trucks are a type of off-road vehicle of this type used in open-pit mining. Due to their impressive size, their operation on public roads is impossible - and they are delivered to the work site disassembled. The most appropriate for heavy dump trucks is a design with two axles, with rear unloading, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A separate subclass of mining dump trucks consists of articulated vehicles, for which a three-axle design is used. For example, such as those produced by the South African company Bell - every fifth articulated dump truck in the world comes off its assembly line. The main feature of this technology is the lowest weight in all load classes, which is achieved through the use of a high-strength welded alloy steel chassis and durable, weight-optimized components. Other features include powerful Mercedes Benz engines and ZF and Allison integral retarder transmissions. One of the popular models - the B50D with a 6x6 wheel arrangement and a dead weight of 34.5 tons is capable of transporting 45.4 tons of cargo. It is equipped with a 523 hp diesel engine. and a 640-liter fuel tank. Among the safety systems of the dump truck, it is worth noting the automatic exhaust brake, the quick-fill fuel function with a dry shutter and tire pressure monitoring and cab protection against rollovers and falling objects.
As mentioned above, mining is not in vain for the environment.
The construction of a quarry destroys the landscape that has been formed over centuries, and sometimes even millennia. Many hectares of forests are uprooted, lakes are drained, blasting operations are carried out, and the groundwater level changes. Thousands of cubic meters of soil that could be used for agricultural purposes are turned into dumps during stripping operations. Depending on the chemical composition of the soil, dumps may contain elements that are dangerous not only to flora and fauna, but also to the health of people living in nearby settlements. Their residents also suffer from high noise levels, wastewater pollution and carbon monoxide emissions from the engines of special machinery and equipment.
Despite the fact that open-pit mining causes significant harm to the environment, its harmful consequences can be minimized. To do this, mined-out quarries are often filled with water, creating artificial reservoirs, and reclamation is carried out in the surrounding areas, planting them with trees and shrubs. As for dump rocks, mineral fertilizers, alumina, and also some types of building materials are often obtained from them. All these measures make it possible not only to partially compensate for the damage caused to nature by open-pit mining, but often also to obtain economic benefits. In the world, the number of enterprises specializing in the recultivation of the territory of mined-out quarries and the processing of mining waste is growing year by year.
Quarries, open-pit mines where coal is mined, and quarries allow people to annually obtain millions of tons of valuable natural materials. In Russia alone, more than 4/5 of the total volume of iron ore and mining chemical raw materials, up to 2/3 of non-ferrous metal ores, almost the entire volume of non-metallic minerals and building rocks, more than a third of coal are obtained, and in the near future it is planned to increase the share of its production is up to 56-60%. Due to its high economic efficiency, open-pit mining also prevails in a number of other countries with significant mineral deposits - the USA, Canada, Australia and China.
Often, primary processing of minerals is carried out directly at the extraction site. Various things are used for this. For example, Telsmith horizontal shaft primary and secondary impact crushers are well suited for processing limestone and other low abrasive materials. They are designed with a large margin of safety and have a solid, massive rotor, which is their main advantage compared to analogues on the market, as well as a large crushing chamber, which ensures high productivity and a cubic shape of the material at the exit. The most productive of the crushers for primary crushing is the Telsmith 6071 with an 800-1500 hp drive, which has a capacity of 1000-2100 tons per hour. The crusher with an operating weight of 89 tons is designed for a maximum incoming piece size of 1422 mm. Of the crushers for secondary crushing, the most productive is Telsmith 5263 with a 300 hp drive; its productivity reaches 320 tons per hour. This model is designed for a maximum incoming piece size of 406 mm; crusher weight - 22 tons.
The mining industry of Russia is the extraction of minerals
Despite the fact that the Russian Federation is very rich in mineral resources, little was known about them a hundred years ago. Active searches for deposits began in the 30s in the USSR.
The discovery of large volumes of deposits in the bowels of the earth on the territory of the Union made the country an undisputed leader. Russia inherited the bulk of the identified deposits, thanks to which it received the status of the country most endowed with mineral resources in the world.
According to the most conservative estimates of foreign and domestic experts, the value of mineral resources is $27 trillion. With the growing pace of technical progress, technologies are improved, production volumes increase, labor intensity decreases, and profits of mining companies increase.
Despite such impressive data and development prospects, the mining industry needs significant capital investments, which, first of all, should be directed to providing infrastructure for deposits, establishing transportation, and modernizing enrichment plants. There are big problems in Russia with the raw material processing industry.
This results in a paradoxical situation when huge volumes of extracted resources are exported at a low cost, but the country imports processed products at a price several times higher than the cost of raw materials. When it is much more profitable and economically advantageous to establish processing plants within the country, and provide surplus production for export.
Basic information
In Russia, mining is carried out in almost all directions; the country is largely rich:
Map of mineral resources of Russia
- natural gas;
- petroleum products;
- ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals;
- precious metal ores;
- rough diamonds;
- peat slates;
- deposits of natural salt;
- ores containing precious and semi-precious stones;
- ores containing radioactive metals;
- mineral waters.
Federal legislation, preventing the formation of mining monopolies, promotes business development by providing licenses for the extraction of mineral resources, tax breaks and deductions. The main requirements put forward to enterprises in the industry are to ensure environmental and labor safety, as well as timely replenishment of the treasury with fees and taxes.
The largest enterprises in the mining industry in Russia are the following:
Forecast of demand and supply of diamonds on the world market until 2020
- Rosneft;
- Lukoil;
- Tatneft;
- Gazprom;
- Kuzbassrazrezugol;
- Evraz;
- Atomredmetzoloto;
- Dalur;
- Alrosa;
- Severalmaz.
It is also possible for an individual to obtain a license for individual fishing, however, this process is quite difficult; private entrepreneurs get out of the situation by concluding employment contracts with large enterprises. This situation is typical for the mining of gold, precious stones, and diamonds.
Mineral deposits in Russia
Mining production is geographically distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Russia. However, some patterns and places of greatest concentration of individual species have been identified.
Coal basins of Russia
The Pechera, Ural, and Bashkiria basins are rich in coal.
Ore minerals are concentrated in the Siberian platform; copper-nickel ores, platinum, and cobalt are actively mined here.
Potassium salt is concentrated in the Caspian lowland, in the territory of lakes Baskunchak and Elton. The Urals region is also rich in deposits of table salt.
Construction materials such as glass sand, gypsum, sand, and limestone are mined on the territory of the East European Plain.
The Baltic shield is rich in a variety of ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Mining of minerals such as oil and gas is carried out in the lower reaches of the Volga and Ural rivers, on the territory of the northwestern Siberian plate. The largest gas field is located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, as well as on Sakhalin Island.
The largest diamond quarry in Yakutia
Yakutia is rich in diamond ores, gold mines and coal.
Polymetallic ores lie in the depths of the earth in the Altai Territory.
Gold, tin, and polymetallic raw materials are mined in Kolyma, in the Sikhote-Alin mountains and spurs of the Chersky Range.
The main uranium mining is concentrated in the Chita region.
Copper and nickel occur in layers located in the Urals and the Kola Peninsula. These ores are also rich in associated minerals - cobalt, platinum and other non-ferrous metals. Near the active fields of Eastern Siberia, the largest city grew up - the center of the Arctic - Norilsk.
Oil shale rocks are located in the European part of the Russian Federation, the largest deposit is St. Petersburg, which is part of the Baltic shale basin.
Peat is mined in 46 thousand deposits, the bulk of which are concentrated in the Northern Urals and Western Siberia. Total reserves are estimated at 160 billion tons. Some deposits have an area of about 100 km 2.
Manganese in the Russian Federation is mined in 14 deposits, they are small in terms of deposit volumes, and the ore is of low quality, it contains a high content of carbonates, the beneficiation of such ore is difficult. The largest deposits are recorded in the Urals - Ekaterininskoye, Yurkinskoye, Berezovskoye.
Mining of minerals, such as aluminum ores - bauxite, is carried out in the Northern Urals - Tikhvinskoye and Onega deposits. In the Komi Republic, the Srednetimanskaya group of bauxite deposits has been recorded. The ore here is of high quality, and the volume of confirmed reserves is estimated at 200 million tons.
Lecture “Mineral deposits”
In terms of silver reserves, the Russian Federation ranks first in the world; the main deposits are found in complex ores that contain non-ferrous metals and gold - 73%. Copper pyrite ores in the Urals contain up to 30 grams of silver per ton. Lead-zinc deposits in Eastern Siberia contain 43 grams of silver per ton. Silver ores themselves are mined in the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt.
Precious and semi-precious stones such as:
- emerald;
- beryl;
- jasper;
- nephritis;
- cornelian;
- malachite;
- rhinestone
mined in the Urals and Altai.
Lapis lazuli in Transbaikalia, carnelian and chalcedony in Buryatia and the Amur region, amethyst in the White Sea region.
Main mining methods
Methods of mining in Russia
Depending on the type of fossil raw material, the forms in which it is contained, and the depth of its occurrence, various extraction methods are used.
In Russia, two methods are mainly used - open and underground. The open-pit or open-pit mining method involves developing deposits by extracting useful ore using excavators, tractors and other equipment.
Before development begins, blasting operations are carried out, the rock is crushed, and in this form it is easier to mine and transport. Open pit mining is suitable for minerals that lie shallow underground.
Quarries whose depth reaches 600 m can no longer be developed. This method produces 90% of brown coal, 20% of hard coal, and about 70% of non-ferrous and ferrous metal ores. Many building materials and peat are located on the surface of the earth; they are extracted using quarry methods with complete mechanization of production processes.
Mining minerals such as gas and oil are extracted from the depths of the earth using wells, the depth of which sometimes reaches several kilometers. Gas through the well rises to the surface under its own energy, in the depths of the earth it accumulates and is held by high pressure, and rushes to the surface, since it is several times lower there.
During the initial development of a well, oil may gush out for some time and rise to the surface in this way. When the fountain stops, further production is carried out using gas lift or mechanical methods. The gas lift method involves downloading compressed gas, thus creating conditions for lifting oil. The mechanized method is most often used; it involves the use of pumps:
Minerals are extracted from groundwater and surface water, such as gas and oil- electric centrifugal;
- electric screw;
- electric diaphragm;
- hydraulic piston.
Mining by mine or underground method is used in the case of deep occurrence of useful rock. The mine is a tunnel, the depth of which sometimes reaches several kilometers. This method is labor-intensive and quite expensive.
To ensure safe working conditions, extensive infrastructure and expensive equipment are required. The operation of mines is associated with great risks; rock falls occur quite often in Russia. However, underground mining methods have a less harmful impact on the environment compared to open-pit mines.
Some minerals are extracted from groundwater and surface water, such as gold, lithium, copper. Gold-bearing sands can be found on the banks of mountain rivers and swamps; lithium is found in groundwater in the form of simple compounds. Copper can also precipitate from some groundwater by dissolving sulfur-containing compounds.
Production volumes
Despite the general economic downturn in 2015, growth rates were recorded in the mining industry. The total volume of mineral production in Russia increased by 1.3% compared to 2014. This was largely influenced by the discovery and development of new deposits; since 2011, more than fifty of them have been developed.
In terms of oil production, Russia ranks second in the world, second only to Saudi Arabia. About 530 million tons are produced per year. There has been a steady increase in production volumes in this industry.
New fields increase resource potential, so in 2015 the increase in oil reserves amounted to 600 million tons, which is 20% more than production. In total, more than 80,000 million tons lie in already discovered oil fields on the territory of the Russian Federation; according to this indicator, Russia is in 8th place in the world ranking.
Gas production in 2015 increased by 6.2% compared to the previous year and amounted to 642 billion cubic meters. According to experts, the proven volumes of gas in the country are 43.30 trillion tons, this figure indicates the unconditional leadership of Russia, Iran is in second place, its reserves are estimated at 29.61 trillion tons.
Gold production volumes in the first half of 2015 amounted to 183.4 tons, and Russia is also among the world leaders in this mineral resource.
Video: Diamond mining
Mining- the process of extracting solid, liquid and gaseous minerals from the bowels of the Earth using technical means.
Mining process
Mining is carried out in two main types of mining operations - open and closed.
Solid minerals are extracted through open-pit mining.
In underground mining, mining is either carried out from underground mine workings, or minerals are extracted through wells. The latter method is used for the extraction of all liquid and gaseous minerals, as well as solid minerals, when the deposit is exposed to one of the physical and chemical methods (for example, underground dissolution, underground leaching, borehole hydraulic mining, underground coal gasification).
A direction is developing related to the use of microorganisms for the extraction of minerals (bacterial leaching.
A special place is occupied by the development of mineral deposits located at the bottom of the World Ocean and the extraction of minerals from sea water.
The process of mining consists of extracting valuable components in a relatively pure form (natural flammable gases, oils, coals, rock salt, precious stones, construction sands and stones, clays and others) or in the form of a rock mass (a special case of which is metal ores) , which undergoes further processing. Mining is accompanied by the opening of the geological body that contains it. In this case, barren rock mass - overburden rock - is removed from the depths.
Mining methods
Mining is carried out in five main ways: open pit (quarry), underground (mine), combined, hydrotechnological (borehole) and dredge.
The overwhelming majority of solid minerals are extracted from the subsoil using the open-pit (quarry) method, which is more productive and cheaper than the mine method. The advantages of the quarry method end when the depth of the reserves exceeds 300 m, and the stripping ratio (the ratio of the mass of mined ore to the mass of waste rock) is more than 8. Another disadvantage of the quarry mining method is the increased values of ore dilution (the amount of waste rock that enters the ore during mining) and its losses in the depths.
The average values of losses of useful components in the subsoil during quarry mining in Russia are for coal - 11%, chromite - 25%, lead-zinc and iron ores - 10% each, tungsten and molybdenum - 14% each, tin - 7%.
Dilution of ores during quarry mining is usually quite high - from 5-8 to 20% and can reach 60% (i.e., the content of useful components in commercial ore is reduced by more than one and a half times). Increased dilution of ores reduces the quality of ores and has a harmful effect on the process of further enrichment of ores.
The quarry method is used for the extraction of coal (95% thermal and 35% coking), nonmetallic (industrial) raw materials, molybdenum, copper-zinc, copper-nickel, iron and other types of ores (share of about 70%).
The underground or mine mining method is used for the extraction of ores of gold, copper, polymetals, iron, tungsten, coal, i.e. for fairly expensive types of mineral raw materials, occurring in the form of thin veins, layers, mineralized zones.
The combined mining method is used for the extraction of mineral reserves with a large hypsometric span of ore bodies. With this method, first, the reserves of the upper horizons are removed from the subsurface by open-pit mining, after which, after mining, deep-lying ore reserves are refined using the mine method. A typical example of the use of this mining method is diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes.
The geotechnological or borehole mining method is used to extract specific types of minerals that have a liquid and gaseous state (oil, gases, mineral and fresh water brines) or those that can transform into this state with the help of simple manipulations. For example, leaching of uranium and phosphorus ores with sulfuric acid underground; completion of losses of minerals and low-grade ores in the contours of exhausted quarries (copper, uranium, etc.). Sometimes underground melting of sulfur and refractory paraffins with steam is used.
The dredge mining method is distinguished as a separate type, since it combines the processes of extraction and enrichment at the same time. The dredge method is used in the development of placer deposits of gold, platinum group metals, diamonds, cassiterite, etc.
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:
- placers;
- strata;
- veins;
- rods;
- nests
If we talk about the general distribution of fossils, we can highlight:
- provinces;
- districts;
- swimming pools;
- Place of Birth.
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.
If the division into types is based on the use of minerals, then the classification takes the following form.
- Flammable. Examples: oil, combustible 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 (diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, jasper, chalcedony, opal, carnelian and others).
Judging by the diversity presented, it is obvious that minerals and their properties are a whole world that is being studied by a huge number of specialist geologists and miners.
Main deposits
Various 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:
- North and South America.
- Eurasia.
- Africa.
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 plan of mineral resource deposits. 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
In order to extract minerals and prepare them for use, different methods are used.
- 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.
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:
- colored;
- noble;
- non-metallic components.
Let us give examples of some ore mineral resources.
- Iron.
- Nickel.
- Argentite.
- Cassiterite.
- Beryl.
- Bornite.
- Chalcopyrite.
- Uraninite.
- Asbestos.
- Graphite and others.
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:
- Russia.
- Canada.
- South Africa.
- Australia.
Fossil fuels
This group includes such mineral resources as:
- brown coal;
- oil;
- gas (methane, helium);
- coal.
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 at a relatively shallow depth in 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 there are huge amounts of coal reserves throughout 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:
- Russia.
- Algeria;
- Mexico.
- Indonesia.
- Venezuela.
- Libya.
Which is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons, it 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:
- clay;
- sand;
- pebbles;
- gravel;
- crushed stone;
- talc;
- kaolin;
- barite;
- graphite;
- diamonds;
- quartz;
- apatites;
- phosphorite and others.
All varieties can be combined into several groups according to their area of use.
- Mining chemical minerals.
- Metallurgical raw materials.
- Technical crystals.
- Construction Materials.
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.
Everything about everything. Volume 5 Likum Arkady
When did people start mining minerals?
Minerals are chemical substances or compounds that occur naturally in the depths of the earth. Ore is a deposit rich in some mineral for which it is mined. No one knows exactly when mining began. One of the first mining ventures recorded in history was the Egyptian expedition to the Sinai Peninsula around 2600 BC. e. They set out to mine mica, but discovered and mined a more useful mineral - copper.
The ancient Greeks mined silver in mines south of Athens in 1400 BC. e. The Greeks built mines around 600–350 BC. e. Some of the wells reached 120 m depth. Later, other metals such as lead, zinc and iron were mined from these same spears. To supply their vast empire, the Romans carried out mining on a large scale. Their mines were everywhere - from Africa to Britain.
Among the most valuable Roman mines was the Rio Tinto mine in Spain, which produced large quantities of gold, silver, copper, tin, lead and iron. Mining reached a large scale in the 18th century, when the Industrial Revolution began. Large quantities of coal were required for metallurgy and factory furnaces.
Therefore, coal mining developed rapidly. Modern mining technology was born in those times. In the 19th century, the so-called “gold rush” broke out in the United States. It started in California in 1848. Over the years, more than $500 million worth of gold was mined there.
In 1896, the gold rush swept through Alaska. The largest deposits of diamonds were discovered in South Africa in 1870, and rich gold deposits were discovered in 1886.
Where did gold mining first begin? Gold is such a rare and precious metal that you might think it was only recently mined. Nothing like this! Gold is one of the oldest metals known to man. We will never know when man first found it and
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The economies of many countries depend on mining. This is one of the main resources for the development of industry, construction and the economy. There are two main mining options: underground mining and open-pit mining. The choice of method depends on the depth of valuable rock deposits, terrain features and other factors.
Work on extracting useful resources from the bowels of the Earth has a thousand-year history. Equipment and mining methods have gone through a serious evolutionary path. Nevertheless, the basic principles have been preserved.
Quarries are being developed in almost every corner of the planet. Metals, minerals, construction raw materials are mined. This type of mining has a negative impact on the environment and ecological situation. However, there are a number of advantages that determine the popularity of the open-pit mining method:
- simplified version of preparatory and construction work;
- high degree of safety for participants in the process;
- relatively low costs of organizing and conducting development;
- comfortable conditions for workers;
- the possibility of more efficient rock extraction.
The positive aspects of quarrying are identified in relation to other mining options (underground, combined). Labor costs for open-pit mining are quite high. The economic benefit decreases with the deepening of the pit. Delivery of the breed to the collection point is constantly becoming more complicated, increasing the cost of the procedure.
Open development technology
Extraction of natural resources is a process that consists of many stages. Preparatory work begins with geological exploration. Experts search for fossil deposits and estimate the likely volumes of mined rock.
Preparatory work
After positive results of geological exploration, the primary preparation stage begins. Mining enterprises carry out the following work:
- uprooting of forests;
- drainage or watering of the area;
- construction of necessary communications (sewage, communications, access roads);
- erection of administrative buildings and other premises.
The duration of the preparatory stage depends on the financial investment, the scale of the work, weather conditions, and terrain features.
Minerals (coal, metal, etc.) are hidden under waste rock. This layer of soil must be removed. To achieve this, stripping operations are carried out. The top soil is removed layer by layer. There is a systematic advance towards valuable deposits. As a result, a cascade of benches is formed, and the development of the quarry approaches the direct production phase.
The following equipment is used for stripping operations:
- bulldozer;
- excavator;
- dragline (excavator with rope connection);
- drilling and blasting equipment.
The efficiency of open pit mining is determined by the ratio of the displaced waste rock to the mining result. The number of cubic meters of removed soil is divided by the tonnage of the removed mineral.
Mining process
After stripping operations, direct extraction of the mined rock is carried out. It is removed from the subsoil and transported to warehouses or processing plants. To reduce the cost of this stage of development, they use large-tonnage equipment and try to automate some processes.
Transportation of raw materials is often entrusted to mining dump trucks of the BelAZ plant. In 2013, a model was released that is capable of transporting cargo weighing up to 450 tons. During testing, the dump truck handled a record 503.5 tons.
New technologies and equipment are regularly developed, which are used for the development and extraction of valuable rocks. The level of security is increasing, and some processes are being fully automated. But work in quarries and mines remains difficult and dangerous. Working conditions are often extreme and require high physical and psychological stability.
Quarry structure
Open mining is suitable for many valuable rocks. There are chalk quarries, coal quarries, amber quarries, marble quarries, and copper quarries. One of the largest open-pit mining sites is located in Utah, USA. Mining of the Bingham Canyon quarry began in 1863. The depth of the pit is about 1,200 meters. Active ore mining continues in the quarry.
Features of quarry development depend on many factors. We can identify the main elements that are characteristic of all such structures:
- working and non-working board;
- lower and upper contours;
- overburden and clearing benches;
- platforms (below the slope, above the slope);
- breed collection point;
- transport communications.
The bottom of the quarry is also often called the bottom - this is the lower platform of the ledge. Its dimensions take into account the necessary safety conditions for removing rock and loading at the last level.
The influence of quarries on the environmental situation
Each quarry development is a significant blow to the environment and ecological background of the area. Already at the preparatory stage of rock extraction, actions are carried out that destroy the landscape. Enterprises cut down entire forests, drain water bodies, and carry out blasting operations.
Open pit mining has a detrimental effect on the soil. Cubic meters of soil are removed for fossil deposits. Often these are lands that could be effectively used for agricultural purposes. The development of valuable rocks entails a decrease in groundwater levels. The region's water supply and soil productivity are declining.
Overburden dumps pose a particular danger. The extent of the negative impact depends on the depth of the quarry and the chemical composition of the soil. Dumps pollute water, air, and soil. Various salts can leach into vegetation and lead to increased risk of certain diseases in local populations.
Mining in quarries is always accompanied by:
- wastewater pollution;
- carbon monoxide emissions;
- loud noise.
All this also negatively affects the environment.
Ecological restoration measures
The open-pit method of mining does not have a gentle approach to the area being mined, but the negative consequences can be somewhat mitigated. In many countries, companies involved in quarrying are required to carry out reclamation and replant the site with vegetation after the end of mining. This allows you to start the process of regeneration of the soil and the ecological background.
Work with industrial waste can also be optimized. From the dump rocks the following is extracted:
- mineral fertilizers;
- alumina;
- Construction Materials.
This makes it possible to expand the range of economic benefits for the mining industry and reduce the negative impact of dumps on the environment.
Conclusion
Open pit mining is common throughout the world. This method allows you to remove a wide variety of rocks: chalk, coal, etc. We have to come to terms with the fact that quarrying has a negative impact on the environment.
However, conscious states are trying to control this process by setting certain requirements for mining enterprises. Mining and development of valuable rocks is a help for a stable economy. It is difficult for governing bodies to refuse the impressive financial flow that lies in the bowels of the country.
How minerals are mined
check yourself
1.Question: Tell us about the variety of minerals.
Answer: minerals can be in different forms: solid, liquid, gaseous. They are mined underground, from underground, on the surface of the earth. For example: iron ore, coal - mined both underground and on the surface, like clay, sand, limestone, granite - mined in quarries, oil, natural gas - mined from underground.
2. Question: why do people mine minerals? What is their use based on?
Answer: to obtain the items a person needs, to satisfy his needs. The application depends on the properties of the minerals. Sand, clay, limestone, granite, marble - used in construction; oil for fuel, plastics, road construction materials; coal for heating and electricity generation; various ores for obtaining metals.
3. Question: what methods of mining do you know?
Answer: mine, drilling rig and platform, quarry, well.
Homework assignments
Task 2.
Question: What minerals are mined in your area?
Answer: copper ore, gold ore, coal, sand, clay, precious stones, iron ore, titanomagnetite ore, etc.
Task 3. Prepare a report about some mineral.
Answer: Coal.
Coal is a solid, exhaustible, non-renewable mineral that man uses to produce heat by burning it. According to the classification, it belongs to sedimentary rocks.
People began to use coal as an energy source in ancient times, along with firewood. The “combustible stone” was found on the surface of the earth, and later it began to be deliberately mined from underneath it.
Coal appeared on Earth about 300-350 million years ago, when tree ferns grew luxuriantly in ancient swamps and the first gymnosperms began to appear. Huge trunks fell into the water, gradually forming thick layers of undecomposed organic matter. With limited access to oxygen, the wood did not rot, but gradually sank deeper and deeper under its weight. Over time, thanks to the displacement of layers of the earth's crust, these layers sank to a considerable depth and there, under the influence of high pressure and elevated temperature, a qualitative change occurred from wood to coal.
Today, various types of coal are mined.
Anthracites are the hardest varieties from great depths and have a maximum combustion temperature.
Hard coal - many varieties mined in mines and in open pits. It is widely used in many areas of human activity.
Brown coal - formed from the remains of peat, the youngest type of coal. Has the lowest combustion temperature.
All types of coal occur in layers and their locations are called coal basins.
At first, coal was simply collected in places where the seam came to the surface. This could have happened as a result of displacement of layers of the earth's crust. Often, after landslides in mountainous areas, such deposits were exposed, and people were able to get to pieces of “combustible stone.”
Later, when primitive technology appeared, coal began to be mined using the open pit method. Some coal mines sank to depths of more than 300 meters.
Today, thanks to the availability of sophisticated modern technology, people descend underground into mines more than a kilometer deep. The highest quality and valuable coal is mined from these horizons.
All types of coal can be used to produce heat. When burned, it is released in much greater quantities than can be obtained from firewood or other solid fuels. The hottest types of coal are used in metallurgy, where high temperatures are required. In addition, coal is a valuable raw material for the chemical industry. Paints, plastics and other valuable materials are extracted from it.
Coal is mined in mines and quarries. And they are transported in wagons by rail.
In the next lesson.
Question: remember what plants are called cultivated. Give examples of such plants. What kind of plant growing work is done at different times of the year? What agricultural professions do you know?
Answer: cultivated plants (agricultural crops) are plants grown by humans to produce food products, agricultural feed, medicines, industrial and other raw materials and other purposes. Examples of cultivated plants: various grains, potatoes, carrots, tomato, pepper, cucumber, cotton, rice, etc.
In the spring, the land is plowed and plants are sowed, in the summer - weeding, fertilizing, loosening; in the fall - harvesting, soil preparation - plowing plowed land, shutting off autumn moisture, sowing winter crops is possible; in winter - they carry out “snow retention”, work to retain snow in the fields.
Agricultural professions related to growing plants: combine operator, agronomist, field grower, vegetable grower, tractor driver.
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 were used as raw materials.
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 create a wide net. 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 also occurs 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 from 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 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 a building 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, c. 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 quarried 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 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 common in the Moscow and Kirov regions. Abroad, they are mined in the USA (Florida Peninsula), etc.
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 in color, containing a significant amount of 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 is why it is widely used 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. are of great importance, since the fission of the nuclei 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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