NSSS4.3

toc =4.3 Mineral Resources=

Vocabulary

 * Gemstone**: A hard, colorful mineral that has a brilliant or glassy luster.
 * Ore**: A rock that contains metal or economically useful mineral is called an ore.
 * Smelting**: The process in which ore is melted to separate the useful metals from other elements in the ore.
 * Alloy**: A solid mixture of two or more metals.

Introduction

 * Thousands of years ago there lived people named the Hopewell people.
 * They lived in such an area that they could build many things.
 * By the benefit of living in a good area, the Hopewell people made marvelous objects.

The Uses of Minerals

 * Minerals are the sources for metals, gemstones and other materials used to make a bunch of products.
 * Gemstones
 * Gemstones, such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, have captured many people's imagination for decades
 * Gemstones are valued for their luster, color, durability, and the fact that they are rare
 * Cut gemstones which are called gems are mainly used in jewelry and decorations, but are also used for mechanical parts and grinding and polishing
 * Metals
 * Minerals are sources for some metals such as aluminum, iron, copper and silver
 * Metal tools and machinery all began as minerals within the Earth's crust
 * Other Useful Materials
 * People use many materials made from minerals
 * Talc ( talcum powder )
 * Calcite crystals ( optical instruments )
 * Quartz ( glass, electronic equipments and watches )
 * Kaolin ( pottery )
 * Gypsum ( wallboard, cement,and stucco )
 * Corundum ( cleaning and polishing products )

Ores

 * Ores are rocks which contain metals and are also of use for the economy
 * Metals rarely occur in a pure form
 * Copper comes from a mineral called "//chalcopyrite"//

Prospecting

 * Prospectors are people who search for ores
 * Geologist search for ores by:
 * Observing what type of rocks are on the surface
 * Examining plants on the surface
 * Test water from streams to find any presence of certain chemicals
 * Employing shock waves in order to map the location, size, and shape of an ore deposit

Mining

 * Geologist use three types of mines to find ore deposits
 * Strip mines
 * Earth-moving equipment scrapes away soil to reveal ore deposits
 * Strip mining scars the land
 * To reduce damage, mine operators grade the surface and replace soil
 * Open-pit mines
 * Open-pit mines are used to find ore deposits that start out at the surface and then extend downward for hundreds of meters.
 * Shaft mines
 * When ore deposits occur in veins, miners use shaft mines
 * Shaft mines have a network of tunnels following ore veins

Smelting

 * After the ore has been found, it has to be smelted
 * Smelting is when ore has been melted and all the useful metals have been separated
 * In the smelting process, there are many things you have to do in order to get the useful metals seperated from the other things.
 * First, smelting involves mixing ore and other things and then heating it to a very high temperature.
 * Because of the intense heat inside the blast furnace, the ore melts.
 * After the ore has melted the metal inside sinks to the bottom and is then poured into carts.
 * The remaining impurities mix with limestone to form slag.
 * The leftover metal is used as alloys for other metals.
 * An alloy is a solid mixture of two or more metals.
 * Take steel as an example.
 * It is an alloy of iron.
 * To make strong steel you add the metals manganese and a very little amount of carbon.
 * To make stainless steel you add the metals chromium and nickel.