MINERAL RESOURCES

C.M.L. Aguilar1

1Legazpi City Science High School

DATE PERFORMED: July 09, 2019

ABSTRACT

Minerals are inorganic abiotic solid crystalline compounds formed by natural

processes with definite composition and ordered internal structure which serves as the
building blocks of rocks. In this experiment, five physical properties of minerals are tested. It
includes the hardness, color, streak, luster, and cleavage. The experiment aims to know the
concept behind the different properties and to identify and classify minerals according to their
physical properties. Several procedures were done to test the different properties and various
materials and equipment required in the experiment were prepared. The experiment proved
that minerals vary in hardness, color, streak, luster, and cleavage. Some minerals are softer or
harder based on the Moh’s harness scale. Color is the least useful property for it might be
deceiving. Streak is the most helpful property because it shows the actual color of the minerals
in powdered form. Luster is the qualitative measurement of the amount of light reflected.
Cleavage proved that minerals do not appear to break the same way due to the arrangement
of their atoms.

then pulling 3 sturdy straws into the clay

INTRODUCTION
Mining is the process or business
of extracting ore or minerals from the
ground. Mining is needed to obtain any
material that cannot be grown through
agricultural processes, or feasibly created
by artificial means in a laboratory or
factory. Mining in a wider sense includes
extraction of any non-renewable resource
like crude oil, gas, or even water.
(https://www.wordnik.com/words/mining
) experiment, entitled “Milling Process,
The significance of this study is to
find out and understand the processes
and methods involved in mining.
METHODOLOGY
Various materials and equipment
were used in the experiment. It involved
straws, clay, sand, iron fillings, a bowl,
salt, elbow macaroni, roasted peanuts,
saw dust, raisins, a spoon, newspaper,
plastic cups, plastic bags, filter paper,
tweezers, water, and soda.
In the first part of the experiment,
entitled “Mineral Exploration”, pieces of
clay were molded into layers and were
then placed in a bowl. Samples of clay
were extracted by pushing, rotating, and
in the bowl.
In the second part of the
experiment, entitled “Mining Methods”,
sand, iron fillings, salt, elbow macaroni,
roasted peanuts, and raisins were mixed
together in a bowl and were then
sprinkled with saw dust all over the top. 5
mounds, 4 scoops each, were made with a
spoon and placed next to each other on a
piece of newspaper.
In the third part of the
Materials such as magnets, ice bags,
beakers, filter paper, tweezers, and water
were utilized in order to separate the
different materials from each other.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. A. Are the mineral
deposits (represented by the yellow clay
for gold and blue clay for copper) evenly
distributed in the bowl? Explain its
relevance on the actual mineral
deposition.
No. The mineral deposits aren’t
evenly distributed in the bowl because just
like the actual mineral deposition, the
minerals aren’t spread out with even
thickness and concentration. Some
geologic processes also contributed to the
uneven deposition of minerals such as Filling low solubl ic magnetic
temperatures, hydrothermal process, s densit e in and
eruptions, and such. y water metallic
becau propertie
b. Can the drill cores indicate how se of s
deep the mineral deposits are? Explain its
your answer. fine
partic
Yes. The drill cores indicate the les
depth of mineral deposits because with Macar Has Not Non- Curved
oni low solubl magne shape,
accurate measurements inclined with
densit e in tic with
drilling, the minerals in a drilling area can y and water narrow
be identified. floats hole
tubes in
c. How can additional drill holes short
affect geological interpretation? lengths
Salt Dense Solubl Non- Dissolves
Few drill holes provide a vague and e in magne in water
view of what’s underneath since increa water tic as the
correlation is not very accurate. It will be ses solvent
harder to create a clearer picture of the the
mineral deposits. Thus additional drill densit
holes positively affect the accuracy of the y of
geological interpretation. water
Sawd Less Not Non- Compose
2. a. What factors did you consider ust dense solubl magne d of
in selecting where to start mining? than e in tic particles
sand water of wood
The factors that were considered in and
selecting where to start mining are floats
locations of deposits, concentration of Roast Less Not Non- Low
ed dense solubl magne density,
mineral deposits, and depth of the mining
Peanu than e in tic oily
process, slope stability and closeness to ts raisin water composit
facility (place for stockpiling). s and ion
floats
b. How has mining change the on the
land? soda
Raisin Dense Not Non- Dark-
Mining had greatly changed the s r than solubl magne colored,
land. It caused destruction and the e in tic dried,
deformation of the landscape, disturbance roaste water natural
in the immediate area of mine site, sink d sugar
holes on the surface, and cleaning large peanu crystalliz
areas of land. ts ation
and
3. A. From personal experiences and sank
observations in the activity, describe the at the
properties of the different materials used botto
in the mixture. m

Densi Solubi Magnet Other

ty lity ism Propertie b. Based on the above properties,
s enumerate the steps that you did to
Sand Dense Not Non- Black, separate the mixture.
r than solubl magne grain-
the e in tic like size, Step Substance Separate
sawd water rough, 1. Tweezers was The substances that
ust compose used to manually were separated
and d of pluck out the were macaroni,
sank finely biggest mineral roasted peanuts,
at the divided
representations and raisins.
botto rock
m particles
from the mounds.
Iron Has Not Magnet High 2. A magnet was The substances
used to magnetize separated were the
 all the iron fillings iron fillings. slurry where some Shaking the
from the remaining minerals and mixture helped the
mounds. metals based on sawdust get
3. Soda was used to Separated physical and concentrated above
separate peanuts substances were chemical properties the sand. The sand
(floated on the roasted peanuts may either sink to sunk to the bottom
soda) and raisins and raisins. the bottom or stick and the sawdust
(sunk at the to the bubbles and rose at the top,
bottom). rise to the top thus separating the two.
4. The remaining At this point, separating the Flotation is done
mounds were sawdust and sand minerals and before filtering the
submerged in the aren’t separated metals from the water with sawdust
water where the completely. waste.
sand sunk and the 4. Cyanide heap It represents the
sawdust floated. It leaching: This separation or
was stirred to method used for extraction of salt
dissolve the salt. low-grade gold ore from water since
5. The water from Sawdust was where the crushed dissolving is also
step 4 was poured separated from the rock is placed on a involved. The salt
to another sand. “leach pile” where was dissolved and
container with the cyanide solution is afterwards the
sawdust leaving the sprayed or dripped water was
sand using a filter on top of the pile. evaporated to
paper. As the leach separate the salt.
6. The filtered The separated solution percolates The salt represents
water was heated substance was salt. down the rocks, the a soluble precious
for evaporation and gold is dissolved metal like gold
left the salt behind. into the solution. which is dissolved
The solution is into the solution
processed further from crushed ore
c. Based from the steps that you to extract the gold. and placed on a
did to separate the mixture, which of it “leach pile”.
represents the following milling
processes?
4. A. What have you done to
Milling Process Representation rehabilitate the land after mining?
from the Activity
1. Heavy media It represents the The land was rehabilitated after
separation: The roasted peanuts mining by returning the land from the
crushed rocks are and raisins which stockpiles or mounds which were mined to
submerged in were separated. fill up the open pits.
liquid where the They were
heavier or denser submerged in soda b. Enumerate several ways to
minerals sink thus where the denser rehabilitate a mined-out area.
are separated from minerals (raisins) Some of the ways to rehabilitate a
the lighter sunk and the mined-out area are: a) know the
minerals. lighter minerals constraints and problem of the soil to be
(peanuts) floated. remediated; b) waste clumps are used to
2. Magnetic It represents the stabilize it from erosion; c) covering with
separation: If the separation of iron topsoil for vegetation; d) open big pits are
metal or mineral is fillings from the fenced to prevent access; e) tailing das are
magnetic, the mounds, Since iron left to evaporate; and f) fencing of dumps
crushed ore is fillings have to prevent livestock denuding them of the
separated from the metallic properties, plantation.
waste materials they are magnetic.
using a powerful A magnet was used
magnet. to separate these.
3. Flotation: The It represents the
powdered ore is separation of
placed into an sawdust and sand CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
agitated and frothy using water.
 The experiment clearly explained
how minerals are found through
exploration, mined by drilling and
processed through milling for human use.
It also demonstrated the different types of
milling and recovery methods such as
heavy media separation, magnetic
separation, flotation, and cyanide heap
leaching. Different ways to prevent or
lessen the environmental impact that
result from the exploitation, extraction,
and use of mineral resources were cited.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.wordnik.com/word
s/mining
2. Agricola, Georg; Hoover, Herbert
(1950). De re metallica.
MBLWHOI Library. New York,
Dover Publications.
3. http://www.yourarticlelibrary.co
m/environment/minerals/minera
l-resources-definition-types-use-
and-exploitation-with-statistics-
and-diagram/28169