notes+4.3

toc back to SBSK homepage =Mineral Resources=

**Vocabulary**

 * ore-** a mineral-bearing rock
 * gemstone**- a colorful mineral with a glassy luster
 * alloy**- a substance that holds two or more metals
 * smelting**- to melt ores in order to separate the metallic components

The Uses of Minerals

 * people are surrounded by minerals everyday
 * such as the metal body and glass windows of a car
 * minerals are the source of metals, gems, and other useful things
 * Gemstones
 * people value the gemstone for its luster and durability
 * it is also rare
 * once a gemstone is cut and polished, it is called a gem
 * they are commonly used for mechanical parts and for grinding and polishing
 * Metals
 * some minerals that are used as as metals are aluminum, iron, copper, and silver
 * they are useful because they can be stretched into wire or hammered or molded without breaking
 * even the small figment in a light bulb began as a mineral in Earth's crust
 * Other Useful Minerals
 * minerals are in food, medicines, and fertilizers
 * talc is used to make talcum powder
 * flourite is the key to making aluminum and steel

Ores

 * most metals don't occur in a pure form
 * the metal occurs as a mineral that is mixed with that metal and other elements

Prospecting

 * a prospector is someone who looks for something
 * geologists are considered to be prospectors
 * they observe what kind of rocks are on the Earth's crust
 * they observe plants growing in an area and test stream water to see if they have any chemicals in it

Mining

 * ore deposit maps help miners decide how to mine the ore from the ground
 * there are three types of mines: strip mines, open-pit mines, and shaft mines
 * strip mines
 * earthmoving equipment to scrape away soil and expose ore
 * open-pit mines
 * miners use giant equipment to dig a hole to remove ore deposits that might be close to the surface
 * shaft mines
 * these mines use big tunnels that go deep into the surface following veins of ore
 * strip mining hurts the environment
 * to recover land hurt by strip mining, miners substitute the soil

Smelting

 * after miners get the ores from mining, it is required to put the through the process of smelting
 * the process of smelting is very interesting
 * the high temperature melts the metal inside of the ore
 * the temperature also makes the metal separate from the oxygen in which it is combined
 * metalworkers pour of the molten metal from the ores
 * after the process of smelting, processing is needed to take away impurities form the iron
 * the aftereffect of the process is steel
 * for stronger steel, a little bit of carbon is added
 * type of mine || what it does ||
 * strip mine || earthmoving equipment scrape the soil and reveal ore ||
 * open-pit mine || giant equipment dig a massive hole and to remove ore deposits ||
 * shaft mines || have a network of tunnels that follow veins of ore ||