Fossil resources. Main types of minerals

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 occurs in natural conditions and consisting 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 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. In the same places ( South Africa) discovered several diamond deposits.

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 full information about their characteristics:

Industrial types of deposits and minerals, their components

Fossil deposit type	Groups within it	Types of fossils
Combustible (fuel)	Solid state	Peat, coal
Combustible (fuel)	Liquid/gaseous state	Gas, oil
Metal	Ferrous metals	Manganese, chromium, titanium, iron
	Non-ferrous metals	Lead, copper, cobalt, aluminum, nickel
	Noble metals	Platinum, gold, silver
	Rare metals	Tin, tantalum, tungsten, niobium, molybdenum
	Radioactive compounds	Thorium, radium, uranium
Non-metallic	Mining raw materials	Mica, magnesite, talc, limestone, graphite, clays, sands
	Chemical raw materials	Fluorite, phosphorite, barite, mineral salts
	Construction materials	Marble, gypsum, gravel and sand, clays, facing stones, cement raw materials
	Gemstones	Precious and ornamental stones

Types of minerals considered along with reserves fresh water are the main characteristic of the wealth of the earth or a particular country. This is a typical gradation of mineral resources, with the help of which everything 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? The mineral is more often represented hard metal, rather than an unknown liquid or gas. Familiar with metal 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 coal, graphites;
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, man has understood that metal gives everyday life there are many more possibilities than not having one. 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 precious metals, which due to their chemical properties do not react with other simple and complex substances, can be found in 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 elements 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, 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

Group of non-metallic minerals/rocks	Type of rock/mineral	Characteristic
Mining raw materials	Asbestos	Fireproof rock. Used for the manufacture of fire-resistant materials, roofing, fire-resistant fabrics.
	Limestone	Sedimentary rock widely used in construction. When it is fired, quicklime is obtained.
	Mica	Rock-forming mineral. According to the chemical composition, it is divided into aluminum, magnesium-iron lithium micas. Used in modern technology.
Chemical raw materials	Potassium salts	Sedimentary rocks that contain potassium. It is used as a raw material for the chemical industry and in the production of potash fertilizers.
	Apatite	Minerals containing large amounts of phosphorus salts. Used for the manufacture of fertilizers, as well as in the production of ceramics.
	Sulfur	It occurs in the form of native sulfur ore and in compounds. It is used mainly for the production of sulfuric acid in the vulcanization of rubber.
Construction materials	Gypsum	Sulfate mineral. Applicable in various fields human activity.
Construction materials	Marble	A rock based on calcite. Used in electrical engineering, for the manufacture of plaster and mosaics, monuments.
Gemstones	Precious	They have a beautiful pattern or color, shine, and are easy to polish and cut. Used for making jewelry and other decor.
	Semi-precious
	Ornamental

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 condition and characteristics, consider indicators of their exhaustibility and renewability. 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 attitude And rational use, since most of them have an exhaustible limit, and if they are renewed, it will not be very soon.

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

What are minerals and why are they called that? Have you ever thought about it?

They are useful because people create from them, which later serve for comfort, heating and safety. Fossils - because they are extracted from the depths of the earth.

No one knows the exact time when the first mining began. However, around 2600 BC, the Egyptians went to the Sinai Peninsula to mine mica and discovered and mined the more useful mineral copper.

To develop their state, the Romans built mines from Africa to Britain. Among them was the Rio Tinto mine in Spain, where many precious metals were mined:

gold and silver,
copper and tin,
lead and iron.

In the development of trade and military affairs, the extraction of various iron and precious ores played a large role.

I hope you've heard about the gold rush in the mid-19th century. South America? In addition to gold, diamond deposits were found there.

And in childhood, I hope everyone read a fairy tale about the mistress of the copper mountain. There, master Danila wanted to make a stone flower alive. The events in the fairy tale took place in the Urals, and the minerals from which he made his flower were found in the mountains.

What are natural resources?

The list of natural resources is very rich and varied.

All these riches of our land can be classified based on their main characteristics:

Hard, such as granite, types of coal, ores different metals, salt.
Liquids, such as mineral waters, mercury, oil.
Gaseous, these include flammable and non-flammable gases.

Types of minerals will reveal their origin.

Combustible (sedimentary)
Ore (igneous)
Non-metallic (non-metallic)
Groundwater

It will be interesting for you to know that in addition to igneous rocks, there are also metamorphic rocks. I'll tell you a little about them. This very name - igneous rock - reveals to us the secret of its origin. The ordinary pumice that you have in your bathtub, as well as granite, basalts and liparites, are all of igneous origin.

What is metamorphic rock? This is even more interesting. Metamorphoses or changes in rock under the influence atmospheric pressure and environmental temperatures led to the formation of new minerals such as marble, talc, chlorite, graphite and pace.

Metallic and non-metallic natural resources

As you probably already guessed, metal ones are those that contain metal, such as iron ore, manganese ore, tin ore and others. Non-metallic are the remaining hard rocks.

To make it more clear, I will show you a map and symbols of natural resources around the world. World mineral reserves in earth's crust it is quite difficult, and sometimes impossible, to evaluate. Every year, according to scientists, approximately 120 billion tons of various fuels and raw materials are mined.

For the development of production and prosperity of any state, mineral resources play an important role. Their use is important in any sector of the economy, as a raw material or combustible material.

Did you know that in the beginning, mineral deposits were predicted by scientists based on scientific predictions and prospecting? only confirmed these predictions and discovered the exact locations of valuable raw materials, using advances in technology and instrumentation.

The development of mineral deposits has become much easier in our time, and mineral resources are becoming scarcer.

With the advent of such human achievements as electricity and the creation different types With special machines, the extraction of natural resources also accelerated. The following methods of developing mineral deposits have become widespread:

Open method - creating pits (cuts and quarries)
Closed method - used when great depth mineral deposits (mines and adits)
Well drilling
Marine method - mining below sea level.

The types of deposits depend on the types of natural resources, which can be classified into several main groups -

Metal
Non-metallic
Mineral
Flammable
Water

These names speak for themselves. All countries and states on our planet have different quantity natural resources. They are distributed unevenly throughout the huge planet.

This depends on many factors, including geographical location and geological structure land. We won’t look for rock deposits or iron ore on the plain, will we? Of course not, because their formation requires certain conditions.

What methods of mining exist today?

You know that minerals such as coal, gold and diamonds are mined in open pits. Develop a quarry using special equipment, delving deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth. The extracted rock is transported to mining enterprises, where it is further processed. This is the most effective method of extraction.

The second mining method is an underground mine shaft or adit that has access to the surface of the earth, from where the rock is removed. Such mines have both horizontal and vertical workings, where hard rocks are drilled.

Rich reserves of minerals: coal and natural gas, oil and minerals are located throughout the globe. And all this must be rationally used and extracted from the deep bowels of our earth, without harming nature and the environment.

Rational use of the natural resources of the earth in our time is simply vital, because their reserves are not limitless. Therefore, we must extract natural raw materials without loss, taking care, among other things.

Today there are more rational methods of extracting natural resources, which allow them to be extracted and processed with low costs and losses. They also allow the extraction of associated substances and raw materials, which are often contained in rock.

I hope you liked mine brief overview minerals located in the depths of our earth and you learned a lot of useful things for yourself. Write your feedback about my article in the comments. I will be interested to read them. And that's all for today. Let me say goodbye to you and see you again.

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Classification of minerals. More than 10 thousand mineral deposits have been discovered in the depths of Belarus, including about 30 types of minerals. Some of the minerals are currently being mined, some have been explored and may be developed in the future.

According to the conditions of occurrence, minerals in Belarus are divided into 2 groups: those confined to the crystalline basement and the platform cover. The first group includes predominantly igneous minerals. Among them are building stone, iron ores, non-ferrous metal ores, etc. Most of the mineral resources of Belarus are confined to the platform cover and are of sedimentary origin: oil, peat, rock and potassium salts, chalk, etc.

According to the conditions of use, minerals are divided into 4 groups: combustible, metallic, non-metallic and liquid (Fig. 23). Non-metallic (non-metallic) minerals are divided into construction materials and chemical raw materials. Many minerals (dolomite, gypsum, chalk, marl, etc.) can be used both as chemical raw materials and as building materials.

Combustible minerals play an important role in the development of countries. Oil, brown coal, oil shale and peat have been discovered in Belarus, but their reserves are small (Fig. 24). Many of them are confined to the Pripyat trough. More than 60 deposits have been identified in its eastern part oil . Some of the largest among them are Rechitskoe, Ostashkovichskoe etc. Due to the complexity tectonic structure The Pripyat trough is dominated by small deposits. Industrial mining oil exploration in the Rechitsa field began in 1965. Oil occurs at depths from 1600 to 4600 m and is confined to Devonian deposits. The greater depth of its occurrence increases the cost of its exploration and production. IN recent years About 50 oil fields are being developed and approximately 1.75 million tons of oil are produced per year.

Deposits discovered in Polesie brown coal . The largest of them are confined to Neogene deposits of the western part of the Pripyat trough. Brown coal layers lie at different depths - from 1100 m to 20 m. Coals of the Pripyat basin, located close to the surface, are of industrial importance. Explored in detail Zhitkovichskoe And Brinevskoe deposits, Lelchitskoye is promising. In the near future, open-pit mining is possible.

Confined to the Devonian and Carboniferous deposits of the Pripyat trough oil shale . The Turovskoye and Lyubanskoye deposits have been explored. Oil shale reserves are large, but they lie deep. Due to their low quality, they are considered as a reserve fuel.

Deposits peat are the most common in Belarus. Their number exceeds 9 thousand. In some cases, the thickness of peat can reach 11 m (Orekhovsky Mokh, Pukhovichi district). The deposits are confined mainly to Quaternary deposits. Now just over 100 of them are being developed and about 2-3 million tons of peat are extracted annually.

Metallic minerals. The geological structure of Belarus has determined the low distribution of metallic minerals. In the 1960s 2 deposits were discovered iron ores : Okolovskoe in Stolbtsovsky district and Novoselkovskoe in Korelichi. Iron ores are confined to the crystalline basement within the Belarusian anteclise. They lie at a depth of 140 to 360 m and contain 20-30% iron. The deposits are not being developed, but economic assessment possibilities of their use.

Manifestations associated with crystalline basement rocks colored And rare metals , discovered on the Belarusian anteclise and the Mikashevichi-Zhitkovichi ledge. Due to the low content of non-ferrous metals in the ores (less than 1-2%), they are of no industrial importance. Gold manifestations are also unpromising.

Non-metallic minerals. Currently, about 20 types of minerals have been explored, which are raw materials for the production of building materials and the chemical industry.

Reserves are of great importance for Belarus potassium salts . In terms of their reserves and production, the republic is among the top three countries in the world. Potassium salts are confined to the Devonian deposits of the Pripyat trough. They occur at depths from 350 to 4000 m. Currently, 3 deposits have been explored: Starobinskoye, Petrikovskoye and Oktyabrskoye, the first of which is being developed (Fig. 25). Potash fertilizers They are of great export importance and are exported to many countries around the world.

Deposits are confined to the Devonian deposits of the Pripyat trough rock salt . 3 deposits have been explored: Mozyrskoye, Starobinskoye And Davydovskoe. Industrial reserves of rock salt are considered virtually unlimited (more than 20 billion tons). Currently, salt production is carried out at the Mozyr deposit by underground dissolution. In the 1990s. Mining of rock salt also began at the Starobin deposit.

In the middle of the 19th century. deposits were discovered phosphorites . The largest of them are Mstislavskoye and Lobkovichskoye in the Mogilev region. Phosphorites occur in Cretaceous sediments close to the surface, but are not mined due to difficult hydrogeological conditions.

Deposits are confined to Devonian deposits in the northeast of Belarus dolomites . The largest of them, Rubovskoe, is developed in an open way. Dolomites are used for liming soils and producing building materials.

In the south of Belarus, deposits have been explored among Neogene deposits glass And molding sands . They are characterized by a high quartz content (98-100%), therefore they can be used in the glass industry. Highest value has the Leninskoye field in the Gomel region. Molding sands are mined at the Chetvernya deposit in the Zhlobin region.

It fully supplies the Belarusian Metallurgical Plant with raw materials.

Deposits have been explored within different tectonic structures of Belarus gypsum, amber, kaolin, tripoli, diamonds , but they have no industrial significance. (Find these deposits on the maps of the atlas and textbook and make oral reports about them.)

Belarus is well supplied with building materials. Deposits chalk And marl confined to the Cretaceous deposits of the Mogilev and Grodno regions. 40 deposits of raw materials have been explored, which are used for the production of lime, cement, and slate. The largest of them: Kommunarskoe(Kostyukovichi district), Kamenka(Krichevsky), Sandy Mountain (Klimovichsky), Kolyadichi(Volkovysk). Clays are found throughout the republic. About 20 deposits have been discovered in the south of Belarus refractory clays . There are significantly more deposits in the republic (more than 200) low-melting clays . Almost half of them are now being developed and provide raw materials to more than 120 brick factories. Largest deposits: Gaidukovka, Fanipolskoe(Minsk region) and Lukoml-1, Zapolye (Vitebsk region).

Confined to Quaternary deposits construction sands And sand and gravel mixture . Currently, about 350 deposits of sand and gravel have been explored. Almost half of them are developed and used for the production of building materials and road construction.

Deposits associated with crystalline basement rocks building stone . Developed in an open way Glushkovichskoe deposit within the Ukrainian shield and Mikashevichiskoe within the Mikashevichi-Zhitkovichi ledge, where granites and facing stone are mined.

Liquid minerals. These include underground fresh and mineral waters. Fresh groundwater used for drinking and industrial purposes. They must meet the conditions for the content of various chemical elements, be transparent, palatable and odorless. The quality of drinking groundwater in Belarus is one of the best in Europe. More than 250 fields have been explored with operational reserves of more than 6 million m 3 /day. Unlike other mineral resources, groundwater is renewable. Belarus is one of the countries well supplied with groundwater. They are confined to the Belarusian, Voronezh and Ukrainian hydrogeological massifs with aquifers lying at depths from 100 to 700 m.

The territory of Belarus is rich and diverse mineral waters . Currently, about 70 deposits of mineral waters of different chemical compositions are exploited. Total reserves exceed 14 thousand m 3 /day. Among them are hydrocarbonate, chloride, sulfate, sodium, and radon waters. At the base mineral springs sanatoriums have been created.

References

1. Geography 10th grade/ Tutorial for 10th grade institutions of general secondary education with Russian as the language of instruction/Authors: M. N. Brilevsky- “From the authors”, “Introduction”, § 1-32; G. S. Smolyakov- § 33-63 / Minsk "People's Asveta" 2012

Natural gas is a mixture of gases that is formed in the bowels of the earth during the decomposition of organic matter. It is a fossil fuel and is used as fuel and in the chemical industry. Sometimes natural gas is also called “blue fuel” - this is the color of the flame formed when it is burned.

Natural gas can be found in the ground in gas state in the form of separate accumulations or in the form of a gas cap of oil and gas fields. It can also be dissolved in oil or water.

Natural gas consists mainly of methane (up to 98%). In addition to it, natural gas includes other hydrocarbon compounds (ethane, propane, butane), as well as hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, helium and carbon dioxide. Natural gas itself is colorless and odorless. Since in high concentrations it is deadly to humans, substances that have a strong unpleasant odor are added to it.

Methane is widespread in space: third in abundance after hydrogen and helium. It is one of the components of planets and asteroids, but since practical application if it does not, then this part is not included in natural gas reserves. Due to the impossibility of extraction, the large amount of hydrocarbons contained in the earth's mantle is not taken into account.

Deposits of extracted natural gas are concentrated in the sedimentary shell of the earth's crust. It is believed that it is formed as a result of the decomposition of the remains of living organisms. Natural gas is formed when high temperatures and pressures than oil, therefore it usually lies deeper (from one to several kilometers from the surface of the earth). The largest reserves of natural gas are found in Russia (Urengoy field), USA, and Canada.

In the depths, gas is located in microscopic voids called pores. They are connected by microscopic channels through which gas flows from pores with high pressure to pores with lower pressure. Natural gas is extracted from the depths of the earth using wells that are located evenly throughout the field. This creates a uniform drop in reservoir pressure in the reservoir. Before using gas, impurities must be removed from it, which is done at a special gas processing plant. The gas is then sent to consumers through special pipelines.

Minerals are parts of rocks and ores that are homogeneous in their composition and structure. These are chemical compounds formed as a result of certain geological processes. There are a huge number of minerals on Earth, so they are combined into homogeneous groups according to their chemical composition and physical properties. Most minerals are in a solid state, but sometimes they are liquid (for example, mercury) and even gaseous (carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide). Some minerals are transparent, others are translucent or do not transmit light at all.

Professionals can easily distinguish minerals by their color. Thus, cinnabar is red, and malachite is bright green, and some minerals come in different colors. Minerals also differ significantly in their shape. Crystalline minerals can have the shape of a cube, prism, or polyhedron. However, the vast majority of minerals can have various indeterminate forms.

Minerals differ significantly in hardness. To assess this parameter, the Mohs scale is used. It includes ten elements, each of which corresponds to a certain level of hardness: talc -1, gypsum - 2, calcite - 3, fluorite - 4, apatite - 5, orthoclase - 6, quartz - 7, topaz - 8, corundum -9, diamond - 10. Each subsequent mineral scratches all previous ones. To determine the hardness of another mineral, it is necessary to find out which of those included in the Mohs scale it scratches, and which one scratches itself.

The properties of minerals depend on their chemical composition, crystal structure - that is, the nature of the bond tiny particles(atoms) that make up a crystal. Depending on this parameter, calcites, quartz, feldspars, mica and other minerals are distinguished.

Calcite is one of the most common minerals. It is mostly colorless or milky white in color. Sometimes calcite is found, colored in various shades of gray, yellow, red, brown and black. If this mineral is exposed to hydrochloric acid, a rapid release of carbon dioxide will occur.
Calcite is formed in sea basins, and over time turns into rock - limestone or marble.

Quartz is also one of the most common minerals. Quartz crystals can reach enormous sizes and weigh up to 40 tons. The color of quartz is milky white or gray. Transparent quartz crystals are called rock crystal, purple ones are called amethyst, and black ones are called morion. Quartz is usually part of acidic igneous rocks - granites, granite pegmatites and others.

Feldspars make up approximately 50% by weight of all silicates that make up the earth's crust. They are the main integral part most rocks, many metamorphic and some sedimentary rocks. Micas have a rather complex chemical composition and differ significantly in the set of elements, color and other properties.

Common minerals are found quite often on Earth and therefore are not particularly valuable types of minerals. They are used in various industries and agriculture: for the production of mineral fertilizers, some chemical elements and compounds, in the production of building materials and other areas.

One of the most important minerals, along with fuels, are the so-called ore minerals. Ore is a rock that is large quantities contains certain elements or their compounds (substances). The most commonly used types of ores are iron, copper and nickel.

Iron ore is an ore that contains iron in such quantities and chemical compounds that its extraction is possible and economically profitable. The most important minerals are: magnetite, magnetite, titanomagnetite, hematite and others. Iron ores vary in mineral composition, iron content, beneficial and harmful impurities, conditions of formation and industrial properties.

Iron ores are divided into rich (more than 50% iron), ordinary (50-25%) and poor (less than 25% iron). Depending on the chemical composition, they are used for smelting cast iron. natural form or after enrichment. Iron ores used to make steel must contain certain substances in the required proportions. The quality of the resulting product depends on this. Some chemical elements (besides iron) can be extracted from the ore and used for other purposes.

Deposits iron ore separated by origin. Usually there are 3 groups: magmatic, exogenous and metamorphogenic. They can be further divided into several groups. Magmatogenous are formed mainly by exposure to various compounds high temperatures. Exogenous deposits arose in river valleys during the deposition of sediments and weathering of rocks. Metamorphogenic deposits are pre-existing sedimentary deposits that have been transformed under conditions of high pressure and temperature. Largest quantity iron ore is concentrated in Russia.

The Kursk magnetic anomaly is the most powerful iron ore basin in the world. Ore deposits on its territory are estimated at 200-210 billion tons, which is about 50% of the iron ore reserves on the planet. It is located mainly in the Kursk, Belgorod and Oryol regions.

Nickel ore is an ore containing chemical element nickel in such quantities and chemical compounds that its extraction is not only possible, but also economically profitable. Typically these are deposits of sulfide (nickel content 1-2%) and silicate (nickel content 1-1.5%) ores. The most important include commonly occurring minerals: sulfides, hydrous silicates and nickel chlorites.

Copper ores are natural mineral formations in which the copper content is sufficient for economically viable extraction of this metal. Of the many known copper-containing minerals, they are used in industrial scale about 17: native copper, bornite, chalcopyrite (copper pyrite) and others. The following types of deposits are of industrial importance: copper pyrites, skarn copper-magenetite, copper-titanium magnetite and porphyry copper.

They lie among volcanic rocks of the ancient period. Numerous land and underwater volcanoes were active during this period. Volcanoes released sulfur dioxide gases and hot waters saturated with metals - iron, copper, zinc and others. Of these, ores consisting of sulfides of iron, copper and zinc, called pyrites, were deposited on the seabed and in the underlying rocks. The main mineral of pyrite ores is pyrite, or sulfur pyrite, which makes up the predominant part (50–90%) of the volume of pyrite ores.

Most of the mined nickel is used for the production of heat-resistant, structural, tool, stainless steels and alloys. A small part of nickel is spent on the production of nickel and copper-nickel rolled products, for the manufacture of wire, tapes, various equipment for industry, as well as in aviation, rocket science, in the production of equipment for nuclear power plants, and in the manufacture of radar instruments. In industry, nickel is alloyed with copper, zinc, aluminum, chromium and other metals.

Coal is the first mineral used by humans as fuel. It was only at the end of the last century that it was replaced by other energy sources, and until the 60s it remained the most used source of energy. However, even now it is actively used in the metallurgical industry in the smelting of cast iron. Coal, like other main energy sources, is something that has changed over a long period of time and under the influence of various processes organic matter.

Coal differs in the ratio of its constituent elements. This ratio also determines the main parameter of mined coal - the amount of heat released during its combustion.

Coal is a sedimentary rock formed during the decomposition of plant remains (tree ferns, horsetails and mosses, as well as the first gymnosperms). The bulk of currently mined coals were formed approximately 300-350 million years ago.

There is also brown coal. This is a younger type of coal with a lower calorific value. It is used less frequently as fuel, and the main purpose of extraction is to obtain certain chemical compounds. Anthracite, which has the highest calorific value, is a particularly high-quality type of coal. However, it also has its drawback - it does not ignite well.

For the formation of coal, it is necessary to accumulate a large amount of plant mass, without access to oxygen. Such conditions were met in ancient peat bogs. First, peat is formed, which then ends up under a layer of sediment and gradually, experiencing compression, turns into coal. The deeper the peat layers lie, the higher the quality of coal. However, this does not mean that good coal necessarily lies at a great depth: many of the layers that lay on top of it collapsed over time, and the coal layers ended up at a depth of about a kilometer.

Depending on the depth of occurrence, coal is mined by open-pit mining, removing top layer land above the layers, or mine (underground) - the construction of special underground passages (mines). Most often, high-quality coal is mined using the shaft method. Several coal deposits make up the coal basin. One of the largest such pools in the world, Kuznetsky, is located in Russia. Another large coal basin - Donbass - is located on the territory of Ukraine.

Oil is a flammable oily liquid of red-brown or black color with a specific odor. Oil is one of the most important minerals on Earth, as the most commonly used fuels are obtained from it. Typically, oil is formed together with another, no less important mineral resource - natural gas. Therefore, very often these two types of minerals are mined in the same place. Oil can lie at a depth of several tens of meters to 6 kilometers, but most often it is located at a depth of 1-3 km.

Oil consists of various hydrocarbons and compounds containing, in addition to carbon and hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen. Oil can vary significantly not only in composition, but also in color: from light brown, almost colorless, to dark brown, almost black.

The origin of this mineral has long caused much debate. Initially, scientists believed that oil was coal at an early stage in a liquid state. Later, hypotheses were put forward about the formation of oil when water penetrating deep into the earth interacts with other substances. Only in the last century did scientists determine that oil is formed as a result of a complex and lengthy process of decomposition organic matter deep underground.

Now almost all the oil produced in the world is extracted from the depths through so-called drilling wells. Previously, more primitive extraction methods were used: oil was collected from the surface of reservoirs, oil-containing rocks of sandstone or limestone were processed, and wells were built.

After extraction, oil is processed at special enterprises to obtain the necessary fuel (gasoline, diesel fuel and others). Oil is actively used not only to produce fuel, but also various elements used in the chemical industry.

Oil is a non-renewable mineral, meaning it is no longer formed. Need for large quantities fuel in the modern world, leads to huge scales of production. According to experts, oil reserves that are currently known and available for extraction should be depleted over the next 100 years. In the future, humanity will either have to look for new methods of production or obtain fuel in a different way. The largest oil reserves are concentrated in the territory Saudi Arabia, Russia and the USA, which are the leaders in world oil production.

As a child, I dreamed of becoming a geologist. I wanted to know everything about the riches of the geosphere. It seemed that it was in the depths of the earth’s crust that all the secrets of the universe were hidden. Unfortunately, this profession passed me by. But children's curiosity still simmers.

The concept of "Minerals"

PI is natural resources Lands that people extract from the depths of the earth's crust or from its surface. These include oil, sand, gas, etc.

The earth's crust is formed by rocks, which consist of minerals. Minerals are natural bodies that are made up of atoms and molecules. These include quartz, salt, diamond and others.

Classification of minerals

Igneous rocks are brought to the surface of the earth's crust along with magma. Such minerals and rocks differ in density. These include: iron, copper and other ores.

Sedimentary rocks are found on the surface of the earth. They were formed in the process of long-term accumulation of elements or as a result of the destruction of mountains. These include, for example, limestone, sandstone, crushed stone.

Organic sedimentary rocks are formed from the remains of plants and animals that accumulate over many years. These include: shell rock, oil, etc.

According to their physical condition, PIs are distinguished:

hard (gold);
liquid (mercury);
gaseous (hydrogen sulfide).

Depending on their use and composition, PIs are divided into ore and non-ore (construction and combustible).

Use of oil in everyday life

I have always been interested in what such a much-discussed fossil as oil gives us. It turns out that most household items consist of it. For example, in my apartment there is a TV, a toothbrush, a computer and a printer, plastic bags, synthetic clothes... All these items are made of plastic and contain “black gold”.

When refining oil, it is divided into many fractions. From these parts, at various stages of processing, fuel, cosmetics, plastics, etc. are obtained.

Minerals are not limitless! We must protect our planet from unwise use of natural resources!

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Since I live in a region rich coal deposits, I couldn’t help but be interested in the question of how coal was formed. The information that I found turned out to be very interesting, so I’ll tell you not only about what are minerals, but I will also describe in detail the process of coal formation.

What does the term "minerals" mean?

This term refers to things that are valuable to humans. minerals and rocks. Based on the nature of their origin, it is customary to distinguish the following types of these resources:

sedimentary- this group includes fossil fuels, for example, coal and oil;
igneous- metals represent this group;
metamorphic- for example, marble or limestone.

What is coal

Almost until the 70s of the last century, this type of fuel had the status of the most common energy carrier, however, it was later replaced by other types. Despite this, it is widely in demand, primarily in metallurgy, as the main resource for the production of cast iron. Like most other types of energy carriers, it is a modified substance of organic nature - remains of ancient plants. This process took place over millions of years through exposure various factors.

How coal was formed

Most of the extracted resource belongs to the formation 300-350 million years ago when huge masses of organic matter accumulated in conditions of complete absence of oxygen. This process can be described as follows:

was formed at the beginning peat layer usually in wetlands;
Over time, the layer increased, which means pressure increased to the bottom;
the enormous pressure pushed out oxygen, which ultimately led to the formation compressed peat- hard coal.

As a rule, the greater the depth peat layers, the higher the pressure, and therefore the more high quality coal seam. The following main types of this fossil are distinguished:

brown- for its formation, a sediment layer of up to a kilometer was required;
stone- in this case, the original substance experienced a pressure of 3 kilometers of sediment;
anthracite- pressure over 7 kilometers of sediment.

However, this does not mean that high-quality fuel lies at great depths; on the contrary, tectonic processes caused the valuable resource to rise to the surface, making it accessible to extraction.

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What do gold and coal have in common? It would seem that gold is an expensive metal from which beautiful jewelry is made. A sign of luxury and grace. And coal is a hard mineral, black and dirty. It is used as fuel. But there is one thing general concept, which combines these two objects - both of thembelong to mineral resources. Now I will explain everything in detail.

Useful Finds

What can be found in the depths of our earth? Sometimes almost on the very surface, and sometimes very deep, natural minerals and rocks are hidden from our eyes. They belong to minerals. They are widely used by people in various fields of activity. May differ in properties and conditions. There are:

gaseous(inert gases and natural combustibles);
hard(peat, salt, ores, coal);
in liquid state(mineral waters and oil).

Since ancient times, people began extract and use minerals. The first attempts to extract them began with the ancient Egyptians. Over the centuries, more and more new types of minerals have been explored, and since the 18th century, their extraction has significantly increased in pace, and new deposits have been discovered. The development of the world of modern technology contributed to this.

One of methods how minerals are mined - open, in quarries. As a result, ravines are formed. Coal is mined in the mines, the depth can reach up to 1200 m. Oil is obtained fountain and pump method.

Not all natural resources exist in unlimited quantities. There are those that are renewed, and there are those that can end in our nature at a certain moment (for example, coal, oil). Therefore it is necessary to choose correct approaches to the process of extracting natural minerals and use modern technologies in search of places of origin.

The most ancient metal

The most ancient metal considered gold. It is quite rare, which is why its price is high. The largest gold deposits are located in South Africa, the USA, also in China, Peru and Australia. Mined his methods of washing, amalgamation and cyanidation. There are large deposits of gold in Russia. The period of the “Gold Rush” is known in history. When Alaska was sold by Russia to America and large deposits of this precious metal were discovered in it.

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At one time I read the fairy tales of P. P. Bazhov. They discovered beauty for me The Ural Mountains, rich in minerals, and especially with gems. I also wanted to have my own malachite box. Later I learned about the Ural village of Murzinka - a world-famous deposit of semi-precious stones.

The term minerals

Organic and mineral formations found in the earth's crust are called minerals. Physical properties And chemical composition allow a person to use minerals for their needs, that is, to bring benefits. Mineral resources form three groups: metallic (iron, copper, tin), combustible (peat and coal, oil and gas), non-metallic (salt, clay, apatite).

Non-metallic minerals also include minerals from the gem group. These are rare and therefore very expensive stones.

The Russian land is rich in gems; in its depths there are 27 types of valuable stones. Most of the deposits are located in the Urals.

The Urals are a storehouse of minerals

- a treasure trove of minerals. And if the Periodic Table contains almost 120 elements, then 50 of them are mined in the Urals. This is where most of the useful elements so necessary for the life of our country. The most important of them are:

ore, since most of both ferrous and non-ferrous metals are mined from it. Most of all ore reserves are located in the Urals;
oil and gold also mined in the Urals. Their reserves are not so large (20% of all sources of this raw material in the country), but they have not yet been depleted. Moreover, scientists are finding new deposits of these fossils;
rhinestone. Many local businesses are busy processing it.

Precious and colored stones are a special group of rare and valuable minerals. is rightfully proud of its bright green emeralds and golden topazes, red-green alexandrites and soft lilac amethysts.

The products of local lapidary craftsmen are famous throughout the world. Yes, the village Murzinka became famous for its mines of gems: amethyst and tourmaline, beryl and blue topaz, which brought Murzinka world fame. A unique find was found here - topaz blue color, named “Victory”, weighing more than 43 kilograms! Now this unique mineral is in the State Conservation Service of Russia. And the Ural alexandrites are recognized as the best in the world! This is the rarest mineral. Therefore, its search, extraction and transportation are carried out under the strictest control. Alexandrite is famous for the fact that changes its normal green color (under artificial light) to purple-pink. And of course, business card Ural gems - malachite.

A lot of malachite was found in copper mines. There was a time when its production amounted to several thousand poods a year! A huge piece of malachite weighing 250 tons was found in 1835.

That's how they are Ural gems, who brought world glory to the Urals and Russia!

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I am from Kuzbass, and, in my opinion, this sounds proud. My region specializes in mining. All the men in my family practiced and continue to practice their booty. Until recently, I only knew about coal, because Kuzbass - the coal capital. My acquaintance with various mineral resources began a year ago, after my husband changed his job and, in addition to coal, began to mine other minerals. He brought the most beautiful specimens home, and at that moment I decided to get acquainted with the minerals in more detail.

Definition of minerals

Minerals are rocks, and also minerals, which find their application in national economy . From my own experience, I would like to note that the most beautiful of minerals are minerals.

There are types of minerals:

gas, this group includes methane, helium and gases;
liquid– mineral waters, oil;
hard, the most large group and it includes coal, salts, granite, ores, marble.

How minerals are mined

There are two methods of mining. Open and closed. Open pit mining is carried out in open pits, from where, by the way, my husband brings interesting specimens.