![]() This mine has produced about 10 million carats of rough diamond since it began operations in 2003. The photo in Figure 9.2 shows the Diavik Diamond Mine in remote Canada. We mine diamond and other potential gem minerals for jewelry and also for use in industry. 9.2 The Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories, Canada We also quarry large quantities of limestone (to make cement) and building stone, and energy companies produce large amounts of coal, oil, gas, uranium and other energy resources. We mine industrial minerals such as halite, gypsum, clays, calcite, asbestos, micas, and zeolites to make salt, plaster, ceramics, construction materials, electronic components, chemical filters, and many other things. We mine some ores because they contain elements that have the metallic properties of conductivity, strength, or shiny appearance. Other elements and minerals that exist only in small amounts and have uneven distributions, are equally vital. Fewer than a dozen minerals and eight or nine elements dominate the crust – we use most of them in our daily lives. The most important kinds of ore deposits are magmatic, hydrothermal, and sedimentary.ĩ.1 Mineral Commodities 9.1.1 Mineral ResourcesĮarth gives us many mineralogical resources, also called mineral commodities.Ore deposits are highly variable in nature and origin.Most metallic ore minerals are native elements, sulfides, sulfosalts, oxides, or hydroxides.The best metal ore minerals are those that contain large amounts of metals of value.The best ore deposits are those containing large amounts of ore minerals.Some ores are valued for their mineral properties, some for the elements they contain, and others because they contain valuable gems.9.1 Golden pyrite with silvery hematite from Elba Island, Italy.
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