Definition of Minerals
Before we venture into discussing various types of Minerals, it is imperative to understand what exactly Minerals are. We mine a lot of materials from the Earth's Crust. For example, Metal Ores, Coal, Oil, Sand, etc. For the purpose of definition, Minerals are specifically defined as naturally occurring Inorganic Substances which are found in solid-state. Minerals have a well-defined chemical structure, formula and crystal structures. Different Minerals vary in their physical properties such as color, density, crystal structure, hardness etc. Some Minerals may be found in large abundance as compared to others. For example, silica can be considered as the most abundant mineral on Earth’s crust. The abundance can also vary from location to location.
Types of Minerals
Broadly, Minerals can be classified as Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals.
Metallic Minerals: As the name suggests, Metallic Minerals are those which are formed by various metals by reacting with other elements. These Minerals also show physical properties similar to metals, such as luster. Depending on the chemical composition, Metallic Minerals can be oxides, sulfides, carbonates, halides etc. But some of the Metallic Minerals are also found in their pure forms, such as Gold. Iron is one of the most commonly used metals on Earth, hence a sub-classification of Metallic Minerals can also be in the form of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Minerals. Ferrous Minerals contain Iron while Non –Ferrous Minerals do not contain Iron.
All of the Metallic ores such as Magnetite, Pyrite, Bauxite, Hematite etc. can be called Metallic Minerals.
Non-Metallic Minerals: These Minerals do not contain any metals, so they generally have Non-Metallic physical properties. Though we cannot extract metals from these Minerals, Non-Metallic Minerals are still of immense use to humankind. Silica is one of the most abundant Non-Metallic Minerals and is used for construction activities. Coal is used to produce heat which is in turn used to produce electrical power in thermal power plants. Diamond is a rare mineral that is used as a gemstone in jewelry.
The above-discussed classification of Minerals is at a broad level. You can also dig deeper within each classification for further details, but that is out of the purview of this topic.
Examples of Minerals and their Uses
Here is a list of Minerals that are immensely used to improve our day-to-day lives.
Hematite: It is a Metallic Mineral and an Iron Oxide. It’s formula is Fe2O3. It is used to extract iron and is one of the many Iron Ores. Other Iron ores are Magnetite, Limonite, and Siderite.
Gold: Gold is also a Metallic Mineral that is generally found in its elemental form (i.e. not in a compound) or as an Alloy with Mercury or Silver. Gold has been used for centuries as jewelry and as a store of value or currency.
Coal: Coal is a black hard substance that is mostly Carbon. It is one of the most commonly used fossil fuels. It was earlier used to run steam engines but is now mostly used to produce electricity in thermal power stations. It is also used as a domestic fuel, albeit at a low scale.
Diamond: Diamond is another form of Carbon that is one of the hardest substances found in nature. Some diamonds are very lustrous and are used as ornaments. Other diamonds, which do not find any use in jewelry, are used as cutters in industries.
Difference Between Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals
Energy Minerals are studied under the category of fossil fuels. They are quite visibly different from Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals. But generally, students get confused between Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals so for your clear understanding we are providing here key differences between Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals
So, this was brief on Minerals, their types, and their uses. If you want to understand more and also learn other topics, you can log on to the Vedantu website or also download the Vedantu learning app.
FAQs on Types of Minerals
1. What are some uses of Metals?
A Mineral is a naturally occurring, chemical compound that has a definite chemical arrangement. They are solid and inorganic compounds that have an ordered internal structure. They are used for various purposes and are very useful in day-to-day life. Some of their uses are-
Uses of Minerals in the body- A lot of Minerals are present in the body which are useful for vital functions. For Example- Calcium in the human body provides structure and stability to bones, etc
Uses of Metallic Minerals- Many Metallic Minerals are used to make things for day-to-do life. For Example- Copper is utilized in electrical tools as it is a very good conductor of electricity, etc
Economic uses of Minerals- The abundance of some Minerals makes them economically viable for their use in many industries. FOr Example- Fiberglass and Cleaning Agents are created of borax, etc
2. What do you mean by Conservation of Minerals?
The consumption of non-renewable Minerals by humans is very large and they seem to get exhausted in a few years. The complete volume of consumable Mineral resources is only one percent of all the Minerals existing in the planet's crust. Some methods to conserve Minerals on Earth are-
Recycling of Minerals wherever possible
Usage of Minerals, in a planned and sustainable fashion.
Usage of alternative renewable sources of energy.
Research and Development in technology that has the potential to use the low-grade ores without loss.
3. What are some non-conventional sources of Energy?
Non-Conventional sources of energy are referred to as renewable energy origins like solar, wind, biomass, and energy from scrap material. Some of the Non-Conventional sources of energy are-
Solar Energy-Solar energy is the renewable form of energy that is produced by the Sun’s light and photovoltaic technology that converts sunlight into electricity. It is the radiation from the Sun, driving chemical reactions and generating electricity.
Wind Power- Wind Energy is the type of renewable energy which uses the wind to generate electricity with the help of wind turbines.
Nuclear or Atomic Energy- Nuclear Energy is produced by modifying the configuration of atoms. Uranium and Thorium are some of the elements used for developing nuclear power.
Biogas- Biogas is an energy-rich gas yielded by anaerobic decay of thermochemical transformation of biomass. It is a type of biofuel that is naturally created from the decay of organic waste. It also enhances the quality of manure.
Tidal Energy- Tidal energy is the renewable source of energy in the state of hydropower that transforms the energy obtained from tides into other forms of power like electricity, etc.
Geo-Thermal Energy- Geo-Thermal Energy is the renewable source of energy that produces heat and electricity, by utilizing the heat from the interior of the Earth.
4. What are the chemical properties of metals?
The Chemical properties of metals are-
Reaction with acids- When metals react with acids, hydrogen gas is produced. For example, when zinc reacts with hydrochloric acid it produces zinc chloride and hydrogen gas.
Reaction with bases- When metals react with bases, metal salts and hydrogen are created. But not all metals react with bases. For Example- Zinc reacts with concentrated sodium hydroxide, giving sodium zincate and hydrogen gas.
Reaction with water- When metals react with water, a lot of heat is produced. Only very reactive metals react with water. For example-Sodium reacts with water and oxygen and gives an enormous amount of heat in the process. That's why sodium is stored in kerosene so that it does not come in touch with moisture or oxygen.
Reaction with oxygen- When metal is burned in the presence of oxygen, Metal oxides are created. These metal oxides are always basic. For example- The burning of magnesium strips in the presence of oxygen forms magnesium oxide and when magnesium oxide dissolves in the water, it becomes magnesium hydroxide.
5. What are the physical properties of metal?
The physical properties of metals are-
Ductility- The ability of the metals to be stretched into a wire is called ductility. This ability qualifies metals to be turned into wires which also makes them a lot more useful. This capability coupled with its durability has many applications as cable wires and for welding objectives.
Good Conductors- Metals are very good conductors of electricity and heat. This helps them in assisting the cooking silverware and irons, as they are good conductors of heat. They also help to complete a circuit as good conductors of electricity.
Malleability- The property of metals that allows them to be made into flat sheets is called Malleability. Aluminum sheets are used in building Aircraft due to their lightweight and strength. Different metals sheets are used in motorcar industries, for making cooking utensils, etc.
Luster- Most of the metals have a shiny appearance which is also called luster. Some metals can also be polished with other metals to give a shiny appearance.
Sonorous- Metals are sonorous as they produce a ringing sound when banged with some object.