Ores and Minerals

Ores – naturally occurring materials

that can be profitably mined.
- can be mineral or rock, metallic or
non-metallic, depending on the
economic requirement
 Deposit – considered a potential ore
body if it’s localized abundant is
greater than its average abundance on
Earth’s crust
A rock or mineral is considered an ore
based on:
1. Overall chemical composition
2. Percentage of extractable resource
with respect to its total volume
3. Market value of the resource
 Profitability –determines and ore’s
value
- Cost of extraction depends on the
location of the deposit,
concentration, depth from the
surface, technologies to be used
 Not a good ore
- Too expensive to mine
- Too far to transport to a market
- Additional cost outweigh the
potential profit to be made
Ore bodies are unevenly distributed
throughout the Earth’s crust
Locating Ores

1. Hydrothermal fluid circulation

2. Metamorphic processes
3. Magmatic processes
4. Kimberlite magma
5. Chemical sedimentary process
6. Action of ocean waves and currents
7. Chemical weathering
Mining Ores

Mining – refers to a set of processes

through which useful resources are
withdrawn from a stock of any non-
renewable resource
Steps done during mining

1. Prospecting or exploration
2. Drilling
3. Modelling
4. Identifying and assessing the potential impacts
5. Designing and constructing the mine
6. Ore Extraction
7. Milling
8. Mine site decommissioning
Three possible extraction methods

1. Sand and gravel extraction

2. Extraction from buried ore bodies
3. Ore processing
Local ore minerals and their uses:

The Philippines - the 5 most mineralized

th

country
- 3rd in gold reserves
- 4th in copper reserves
- 5th in nickel
Local ore minerals and their uses:

The Philippines – around 9 million

hectares of the country’s total land area
contains important metallic mineral
deposits (gold, copper, iron, chromite, nickel,
cobalt, and platinum)
Local ore minerals and their uses:

The Philippines – around 5 million

hectares of the country’s total land area
contains potential sites for nonmetallic
reserves (sand and gravel, limestone, marble, clay,
and other quarry materials)
Local ore minerals and their uses:

The Philippines – around 5 million

hectares of the country’s total land area
contains potential sites for nonmetallic
reserves
Local ore minerals and their uses:

The most prolific copper and gold producers in the

Philippines are found in Baguio and Mankayan
districts of Benguet Province. Surigao-Davao
districts contribute to gold production.

Major nickel producers of nickel are Palawan and

Surigao
Philippine
Mineral
Reserve
Natural resources management

Environment friendly alternatives

1. Recycling and resisting the urge to require new
commodities
2. Conservation, protection, rehabilitation of
ecosystem
3. Natural resource management