Mineral Resources: Use and Exploitation Environmental Effects of Extracting and Using

Mineral Resources: Use and Exploitation – Environmental effects of Extracting and Using Mineral Resources – Case study

Producer – Chandan Gupta

Objectives :By the end of the session, students will be able to :

Know about the minerals as an important gift of nature,
Learn about the mineral status of India and uses of minerals,
Appreciate the harmful effects due to over exploitation of these natural resources,
Learn about classification of minerals,
Know about mining activities, their disadvantages and control measures,
Learn about the location of mines of some important minerals.
Learn about precious and semi precious stones.

Introduction :

A Mineral is a naturally occurring substance having definite chemical composition, fixed internal atomic structural arrangement and formed by inorganic processes of nature. Both metallic and non-metallic minerals occur in nature. The natural assemblage of metallic minerals which can be exploited and extracted profitablyand serve as the commercial source of one or more metal values,are called Ores.All the minerals are non-renewable natural resources – it means that they are not replenishable. Once they are exhausted completely, they can not get back. These mineral resources are associated with rocks of the earth crust and obtained by surface and underground mining operations. As far as metals are concerned, they are extracted from their ores. Primary deposits of precious metals such as Platinum, Gold, Silver etc. are limited. At present India is largest consumer of Gold in the world. Silver will be finished by 2020. That is why the precious metals are becoming costly day-by-day. Minerals and metals play important role in the progress, development and prosperity of man and country aswell.

From the primitive to the most sophisticated modern man, in all stages of human advancement, man had to look to minerals for his sustenance, decoration, festivities and even for his funeral rites.

The primitive man in his efforts to hunt for food as well as for self protection started using hard rocks and minerals which he found so abundantly all around him. Hard rocks like quartzite and hard minerals like quartz, jasper, flint, chert etc. had been commonly used by him, either in their natural shapes or after crudely chipping them to some pointed shapes. The first metals the man used would be relatively soft hence metal like copper, tin, zincetc. were first utilized by him. These ages are known as the Copper Age and Bronze Age. Following the Bronze Age, the early man had learnt the use of Iron in its many forms, known as the Iron Age. The art and science of manufacture of Iron and Steel articles have developed in this country from pre-Vedic times and much faster thanthe other parts of the world. By the 3rd or 4th century A.D. during the period of Chandragupta II, India had been able to manufacture that marvel of rust-less iron piller which can be seen near Qutab Minar in Delhi even today.

India is self-sufficient in about 35 minerals and mineral substances which are used as basic raw materials in various industries. We have enough deposits of Iron, Copper, Alumina, Coal, Limestone etc. in Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala in our country.

Our onshore [Ankleshwar, Krishna-Godavary Basin, Assam, Jaisalmer] and offshore [Bombay High] regions are rich in petroleum and natural gas resources. Heavier minerals like Ilmenite, Monazite, Uraninite, Zircon, Rutile etc. are concentrated in the form of thick Placers in beach zones. These placers are extended towards sea. Such placers on beaches and estuaries are mined for metals like titanium, gold, platinum, thorium, zirconium and even for diamonds. The well-known beach placers of Kerala coast are of economic importance and contain rich concentration of Monazite [primary source for metal Thorium] along with ilmenite and rutile.Ex-president of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam suggested the use of Thorium in place of Uranium. Accordingly, by making some changes in nuclear power plants thorium should be used to generate electricity because, thorium is available in plenty in India whereas for uranium we are dependent on other countries.

Special mention is necessary about the possibility of metal accumulation on the sea beds. Continental shelf and adjoining areas of Indian Ocean are the favorable sites for this natural resource..

Metallic and non-metallic mineral resources are to be extracted by surface mining as well as underground [both shallow and great depths] mining activities from earth’s crust. Before mining any deposit, differentactivities are to be undertaken which complete in different steps. They are :

Searching Stage:Search of presence of minerals on the basis of various field and laboratory clues and guides etc.
Exploration Stage : It means all phases of investigation carried out for a near realistic delineation of the three dimensional configuration of the mineral/ore body and assessing its economic potential, both in terms of grade and reserve [i.e. quality and quantity]
Exploitation Stage:The bunch of operations commencing with the initial box-cut removal of the values to dispatching the produce from the pit to the utilization spot, comes under the purview of exploitation or mining stage.
Extraction Stage:After mining, the ore minerals are in association with unwanted minerals. The techniques of liberation of wanted particles [the values] from the unwanted particles, reduction of mineral assemblage to an appropriate size, effective concentration of valuable part and rejection of gangue portion etc. for any smelting operation, come under this stage.

In India mineral search is done by Geologists, Geophysists, Geochemists etc. of various organizations of Government of India, Government of India Undertakings, Geology and Mining departments of State Governments, Corporations, Private sector companies etc. Some of the leading Geology and Mining organizations of India are:

Geological Survey of India [GSI], Kolkata
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation [ONGC], Dehradun
National Mineral Development Corporation [NMDC], Hyderabad
Coal India Limited [CIL], Kolkata
Gas Authority of India Limited [GAIL], New Delhi
Hindustan Zinc Limited [HZL], Udaipur
Hindustan Copper Limited [HCL], Kolkata
Gemological Institute of India [GII], Mumbai
Cement Corporation of India [CCI], New Delhi

More than 2100 mineral species have been discovered in nature. Every mineral has its own diagnostic properties on the basis of which it can be identified and distinguished from the others. Certain minerals have only one element in their composition such as Diamond and Graphite [only Carbon] whereas others have two [Quartz: SiO2; Fluorite: CaF2] or more elements [Orthoclase: KAlSi3O8; Apatite: Ca5[PO4]3F].

Uses of Mineral Resources :

Metallic [Ore] Minerals:

Bauxite [Al2O3.2H2O]:The principal use is for the manufacture of metallic aluminium [Al].This light metal has a high degree of strength and it can alloy easily with a number of other metals. Duralim, which is much favored is used in the manufacture of railway coaches, goods wagons etc. It is also used in the production of abrasives, refractories, chemicals etc. It is a metal which combines lightness with strength and is highly resistant to corrosion. It is conductor of electricity hence it is being used in electric wires, cables etc. Its domestic use is for making utensils, thin foils etc. Lower grade of bauxite is used in cement industry. Aluminium sulphate or Alum is very much used in the paper industry and in water purification.

Chalcopyrite [CuFeS2]:It is the most important ore mineral of metal Copper [Cu] which is a sulphide of copper and iron, also known as Copper Pyrites. The uses of copper are many. Because of its high electrical conductivity, its greatest utilization is in the electrical industry. Copper also forms a number of useful alloys – with Tin, it forms Bronze, with Zinc, it forms Brass, with Aluminium, it forms Duralumin etc.

Hematite [Fe2O3] and Magnetite [Fe3O4] :These are the two important natural iron oxides, serve as iron ores. After proper beneficiation, these iron ores, mainly hematite is used in iron [Fe] and steel making, as a heavy medium in coal-washeries etc. We utilize only small percentage of our iron ore production in our country. About 60 percent of our production of iron ore lumps are exported in the raw and unprocessed form to Japan andother countries. These countries prefer only our high grade ores. This trend may prove a serious drain in our reserves of high grade iron ores in the long run. Though we possess vast reserves of high grade iron ores, now it is necessary to conserve these reserves of high grade iron ores.

Galena [PbS] and Sphalerite [ZnS] :In nature, the galena and sphalerite occur together.

The chief ore mineral of lead [Pb] is Galena – lead sulphide, PbS. It is also known as Lead Glance and Blue Lead. Silver sulphide is always present and therefore it is one of the most important sources of silver. When sufficient silver is present, the ore is called argentiferous galena. The metal lead is being smelted from galena. The major uses of lead are in the manufacture of storage batteries, cable sheathing, lead pigments etc.

The chief ore mineral of zinc is Sphalerite – zinc sulphide, ZnS. It is also known as Zinc Blende and Black Jack.The metal zinc [Zn] is being recovered from sphalerite. Zinc is used for alloying, for galvanizing iron and steel, in the manufacture of white pigments, dry batteries, electrodes etc. After the recovery of lead and zinc metals, silver and cadmium are also recovered as by-product.

Manganese Minerals :The chief sources of metal manganese [Mn] are the oxide minerals namely Pyrolusite [MnO2], Psilomelane [Hydrated oxide of Manganese], Braunite [Mn2O3] etc. In the manufacture of steel, manganese plays an important role. It is used as deoxidizer and desulphuriser during the manufacture of steel. It is also used in making dry batteries, chemicals, in glass industry [for decolourising], in paints and varnishes [as a drier] etc.

Chromite [FeCr2O4]:The only source of metal chromium [Cr] is chromite, also known as Chrome Iron Ore. Chromite, an oxide of iron and chromium, is used as metallurgical, refractory and chemical purposes. Chromite forms useful alloys with iron, nickel or cobalt. With iron, it forms well known alloy Ferrochrome, which is used in making stainless steel. As a refractory material, it is used for making Chrome bricks, Chrome cement etc. for furnace linings [of copper and nickel smelting furnaces].

Non-metallic Minerals:

Asbestos : Mineralogically, asbestos includes the fibrous forms of minerals of Amphibole Group. The fibers are generally long, fine, flexible and easily separated by fingers. The colour varies from white to greenish and brownish. The commercial value of the mineral depends on its property of being spun in to yarn, heat resistance etc. Larger fibers are used for fire-proof fabrics, brake-linings whereas shorter fibers are utilized in the manufacture of asbestos sheets, boards, roofing tiles, fire-proof paints, insulating cement etc.

Feldspar [KAlSi3O8,]:The feldspars are aluminous silicates of potassium or sodium or calcium. The feldspars are the most important group of the rock-forming minerals. Feldspars are used in the manufacture of glass, electrical porcelain insulators, for glazing pottery and ceramic wares, for making enamels etc.

Fluorite [CaF2] :It is a fluoride of calcium also known as Fluor Spar. It used as a flux in making steel, in the manufacture of glasses, for the production of hydrofluoric acid and its compounds, for the construction of lenses etc.

Graphite [C] :Like diamond it also has the composition of Carbon. It is also known as Plumbago or Black Lead. It is used in foundries and in the making of graphite crucibles. Because of very low hardness, it is used in the manufacture of writing pencils, lubricants, paints and pigments.

Gypsum [CaSO4.2H2O] :Gypsum is a hydrated sulphate of calcium. It is utilized chiefly as a retarder in the manufacture of cement, in the manufacture of Fertilizer – ammonium sulphate, in the manufacture of Sulphuric acid, Plaster of Paris, sheets, boards etc. It is used extensively in the making of moulds in the ceramic industries.

Mica Minerals :Because of excellent insulating properties and high heat-resistance, mica minerals are indispensable in the electrical industry. In nature, several varieties of mica occur such as Muscovite [potash mica], Biotite [iron-manganese mica], Phlogopite [manganese mica], Lepidolite [lithium mica] etc. Muscovite mica is mostly used for electrical insulation, thermal insulation etc.

Phosphorite [P2O5] :Phosphorite is of commercial importance in the manufacture of fertilizers, elemental phosphorus and phosphoric acid.

Talc [Mg3Si4O10(OH)2]:Pure talc is a hydrous metasilicate of magnesium and it is the most familiar mineral to mankind. It is served as a base in cosmetics [talcum and face powders] and toilet preparations.

Barite [BaSO4]:It is sulphate of barium and chief source for metal barium. On account of its high specific gravity [4.5], it is also known as Heavy Spar. The pure, white variety is much favored in the manufacture of white paint, in the production of wall papers, in textile and leather industries.

Calcite [CaCO3]:This mineral, carbonate of calcium, is one of the widely distributed minerals in nature and also known as Calc Spar. There are many varieties of this mineral of which pure, colourless, transparent variety known as Iceland Spar, is important in the optical instruments. Calcite finds an increasing use in the textile, paper and rubber industries.

Preciousand Semi-precious Stones :

When the minerals sparklingly occur in nature, mainly in difficult terrains, deep jungles with rarity, they are treated as Precious stones. They are properly cut, polished and used in jewelry as Gemstones.

Precious stones are predominantly single crystals or grains, their varied colours brilliance and transparency, made them attractive for ornamental purposes. They have certain specific qualities which make them precious and valuable. The important precious minerals are :

Diamond [C] :Diamond is a pure form of carbon and the hardest mineral known. If colourless, transparent and flawless, it is the most precious among the gem stones. The opaque diamonds which are not well crystallized, are used extensively as abrasives and cutting purposes in gem-cutting, diamond drilling tools, for dressing emery wheels etc.

Corundum[Al2O3] :It is aluminium oxide and it is harder next to diamond. It is used as an abrasive, as a refractory material. Its coloured varieties are used as gemstones. Red coloured variety is known as Ruby whereas blue coloured, Sapphire.

Beryl [Be3Al2Si6O18]:It is silicate of beryllium and aluminium and only important source of metal beryllium. It forms useful alloys with copper, nickel and very much used in aerospace industry and as moderator in atomic reactors. Emerald and aquamarine are its gem varieties.

Relatively abundant in nature, occurring in large sizes, flawless and good coloured varieties are grouped under the category ofSemi-precious stones. Apatite, Amethyst, Quartz and its varieties, Tourmaline, Spinel, Garnets etc. are classified in this category.

Apatite :Amethyst :

Quartz :Tourmaline :

Spinel :Garnets :

Formation of Minerals :

Minerals are natural products in solid state and commonly formed by cooling, crystallization and solidification of hot, molten materials within the earth, called magma. When it erupts on the surface through volcanoes, weak planes etc., it is called lava. Solidification of hot gases near active volcanoes is rather a rare process of mineral formation. Metamorphism is another process inside the earth in which temperature-pressure play dominant role in recrystallization. Precipitation and Evaporation of mineral-forming solutions are also important process of mineralization in nature. These natural processes takes millions of years for mineral formation and we exploit these natural resources within few years. If this is the way of exploitation, some of the mineral deposits will exhaust very soon and will be in endangered category.

Therefore, we must exploit and use these non-renewable resources judiciously in present industrial era. Very limited reserves of energy resources, precious metals and precious minerals are left for future.

It is estimated that between 1750 to 1900, the population of the world became double while the exploitation activities have increased 13 times. It is also noted that developed countries like Japan, America, Italy, France, Germany etc., are using mineral resources of developing countries like India [by importing] for their progress and development and securing their own resources for future purposes.

The key to industrial progress of any nation is development of mineral resources, which play vital role in the economy of the country. Unfortunately, it is also observed that the countries which are rich in mineral resources, are poor in technology while those rich in technical knowhow, are poor in mineral wealth. Some Arabian countries are rich in petroleum reserves, but they do not have technology for their exploration, exploitation, refinement etc. hence other countries are doing these jobs.

India is one amongst the few countries in the world endowed with the rich mineral resources, which offer a tremendous scope for setting up various mineral based industries in the country. In India and world, there are large number of basic industrial products which require minerals as basic raw materials at primary or other stages.

With the establishment of many mineral based industries in the post-independent era, the demand for various mineral raw materials has increased several times and it has led to the intensive search for the mineral deposits in the known as well as virgin areas of the country. Low grade deposits which were earlier not useful, our country is now able to utilize these.

Environmental effect of extraction and using mineral resources:-

Minerals are obtained by the process known as mining. Mines are of two types: