Metallic and Non-metalic Resources Flashcards
Describe the main classes of metallic and non-metallic mineral resources.
Metallic minerals: Lustrous, conductive, malleable, readily form cations (e.g., iron, aluminium, copper).
Non-metallic minerals: Various types, including aggregates, phosphates, graphite, micas, diatomite, zeolites.
Name the major economic minerals and their occurrence.
Iron ore: Banded iron formations (BIFs), found in regions like the Pilbara in Western Australia.
Aluminium: Derived from bauxite through weathering in tropical to subtropical settings.
Rare earth elements (REEs): Found in minerals like bastnasite, monazite, xenotime, allanite.
Understand the basic extraction methods and uses of economic minerals.
Iron ore: Simple crushing/screening for high-grade hematite ores; additional processing for magnetite ores. Used in steel manufacturing.
Aluminium: Extracted from bauxite through processing. Used in transport, construction, packaging, household items.
Rare earth elements (REEs): Extracted through mining and processing. Used in electronics, glass industry, technology products.
