Definition of minerals. Minerals: time of their formation

Since we already have general idea about how the earth’s crust and hydrosphere were formed, then the following natural question would be: how did the formation of minerals occur over time? This is not only interesting, but also

Information is important for us, because without the study, extraction and use of minerals, humanity cannot yet exist. The age of minerals in some cases is decisive for their prediction and search. We must know when and where they were formed, and where to look for them.

It should immediately be clarified that the concept of minerals is very broad, the idea of ​​them has changed over time. This doctrine is of interest not only for geology, which considers it one of the main directions of its activity, but also for geography and other sciences that deal with the territorial distribution of minerals, mining conditions and their rational use. Minerals are usually divided into three main groups: ore, non-metallic and combustible. Let's try to consider the features of the development over time of only minerals.

A typical example of ore minerals is iron ore, which man began to develop almost from the beginning of his development. They differ in composition, educational conditions and age. The formation of such ores occurred already in ancient history earth's crust. We talked about their enormous accumulation in the Precambrian, about 2.3 billion years ago. They are known in the Krivoy Rog basin, within the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (KMA), on the Baltic and Canadian shields. Such accumulations are associated with rocks called ferruginous quartzites or jaspilites. It is assumed that they were formed in peculiar water basins of Early Proterozoic age, possibly due to the cosmic supply of the corresponding substance (iron meteorites).

Another group iron ores formed under the influence of granites colliding with carbonate rocks. As a result of thermal effects and the introduction of certain components of their accumulation on the edge of igneous rocks and carbonates, peculiar zones are formed, with which deposits of iron, copper, and polymetals are most often associated. Such ore formation actively occurred in the late Paleozoic, during the Hercynian orogeny (325-250 million years ago). In particular, significant accumulations of such ores are known within the Urals, Altai, Central Europe, Kazakhstan, and other regions.

After all, the existence of iron ore basins occurred in the very recent past. In particular, the Neogene iron ore formation of the Azov-Black Sea province is known within Ukraine. It includes ore-bearing areas of the Kerch Peninsula, Pri-Sivash, Kherson and others. Iron ores formed here are of sedimentary chemogenic origin and accumulated in large lagoons. It is assumed that this occurred due to the activity of peculiar bacteria. In the deposits of the Kerch Peninsula, the iron content in the ore reaches 37-40%, and the thickness of the ore layers is 10-12 m. The process took place about 3.5 million years ago, as evidenced by the variety of processes of iron ore accumulation.

The process of coal accumulation, the formation of coal-bearing deposits over time, is very interesting and indicative. It is characterized not only by the uneven accumulation of coal, but also by a clearly defined territorial movement of coal-bearing basins into different intervals geological history. It should be noted that this process began only from the Middle Paleozoic. There are practically no more ancient coal-bearing deposits, since in ancient time intervals the plant world did not yet exist on the earth's surface on a significant scale. Middle Paleozoic coal forms minor accumulations in different regions of Europe: the Urals, Caspian region, Western Donbass, Voronezh Upland, etc. Let me remind you once again that the Middle Paleozoic (time interval - 400-325 million years ago) was characterized by the fact that at that time the continents North America and Laurasia, and on the site of the former Iapetus Ocean, numerous wide lagoons were formed, in which plant organic matter began to accumulate. By the way, it was then that marine organisms began to emerge on the earth’s surface on a significant scale.

At times, the most active coal accumulation was the late Paleozoic (325-250 million years ago). More than half of all known coal reserves accumulated during this historical interval. Late-Paleozoic coal-bearing deposits form two clearly demarcated belts. During the Middle Carboniferous, coal accumulation occurred in the territories Central Kazakhstan(Karaganda basin), Donbass, in swimming pools Western Europe, southern England, in the Appalachians of North America. The structural plan of the Middle Permian coal-bearing belt of Eurasia differs sharply from the more ancient Carboniferous belt. It forms a transcontinental belt of coal basins, stretching from Pechora and Taimyr through the Tunguska and other basins of the Siberian Platform, as well as Kuzbass and stretches to the northeast of Hindustan. It is interesting that the territorial combination of these two belts has not been recorded.

Mesozoic and Cenozoic coal accumulation is characterized by a sharp decrease in its scale. It is associated mainly with the Asian part of the mainland. It, like the previous stages, is characterized by the uneven development of this process over time, the alternation of eras of extinction or activation of coal accumulation, as well as the spasmodic movement of coal-bearing basins of different ages. Of the large basins of this time, only the South Yakut and Vilyuisky can be named. Of course, these are small and scattered coal-bearing depressions. In addition, the most active early-Paleozoic coal accumulation coincides in time with the Hercynian orogeny. This time interval was characterized by the most dramatic differentiation of reliefs and created favorable conditions for intensive coal accumulation.

Groundwater should be classified as minerals. We are accustomed to their almost ubiquitous distribution, we believe that this is a mineral that is being formed before our eyes, its reserves can be continuously restored and we are not in danger of a shortage. This is evidenced by the conditions of accumulation of groundwater and the upper aquifer. At the same time, many experts are already predicting that in the coming decades it may become one of the most important and sought-after minerals. Therefore, it makes sense to clarify how its accumulation occurs over time.

Along with groundwater that is formed today, there are also more ancient varieties, which are called sedimentation or sedimentogenic. These are the waters of ancient marine basins, which were preserved in accumulated sediments, and then, through the process of further transformation, diagenesis, compaction and movement, ended up in the rocks containing them. They can be partially used. More common are the waters of artesian basins, located at considerable depth and usually under high pressure. An example of one of these largest structures in our country can be the Dnieper-Donets artesian basin. its upper aquifers contain fresh water and are actively used.

Such waters contain useful components that make them more attractive than groundwater. They are not contaminated yet. Studying movement speed groundwater and the size of the artesian basins allows experts to claim that they were formed about 15 thousand years ago - during the era of the last cooling. Together, excessively active selection of such waters will not compensate for their receipts and theoretically renewable mineral resources will not have time to satisfy our demand. This phenomenon should definitely be taken into account by our ecologists.

We are accustomed to the fact that almost all minerals, except groundwater, cannot be classified as renewable and require careful use. Could there be ore minerals that are being formed in fairly large volumes now? The most interesting thing is that there are such things! We are talking about iron ore and manganese nodules that form on the bottom of the World Ocean. They began to be studied relatively recently, but they immediately attracted the interest of specialists. At a depth of more than 4 km, such accumulations form an almost continuous layer. These nodules contain up to 36% manganese, as well as iron, Cu-Prum, Nickel, Cobalt, Titanium, molybdenum and other elements (more than twenty). In the USA, Japan, and Germany, technical methods for their extraction have already been developed. The main problem with their use is only economic indicators such a process, as well as the environmental consequences of such developments. And since we are talking about the rate of formation of minerals, it should be noted that the rate of modern growth of such formations on the ocean floor may well satisfy the urgent needs of humanity.

As an example, we examined the features of the formation over time of only a few minerals and showed only individual patterns of the spatio-temporal development of this process. There are many such examples. This is the subject of study of a number of sciences and doctrines, among which we can name metallogeny (the science of the birth of metals), minerageny, the study of combustible minerals, etc. It is very difficult to establish the patterns of formation of oil and gas accumulations that are continuously moving, resulting in some kind of depths organic matter, and deep inflow of hydrocarbons. And, of course, they demonstrate the diversity of the history of the development of the earth’s crust.

The most big country occupies one of the leading places in the world in terms of mineral reserves.

This can be most clearly represented in numbers. More than 200 thousand deposits have now been discovered in Russia, and the total value of all minerals is about 30 trillion. dollars.

Here is Russia's share in world reserves individual species fossils:

• Oil— 12%
• Natural gas — 32%
• Coal— 30 %
• Potassium salts — 31%
• Cobalt— 21%
• Iron— 25%
• Nickel— 15%.

Features of the relief of Russia

Russia occupies the largest territory in the world, and therefore has a varied and complex terrain. Among the features of the relief are:

1. The predominance of plains in the European part of the country and central regions.

2. The mountains are located mainly in the south, east and northeast (not counting the Ural range, which crosses Russia from north to south).

3. The relief has a general slope to the north, so most rivers flow into the waters of the Arctic seas.

These character traits relief influence the distribution of mineral deposits. Rocks are mined in the Caucasus and Eastern Siberia, peat in forests, bauxite and iron ores in the plains.

Types of minerals

Minerals are minerals and rocks that are used by humans. There are several classifications of minerals, but most often they are divided by type of use.

Flammable

• Coal- sedimentary rock, occurs in layers. The most important type of fuel, used in metallurgy. The most important reserves in Russia are the Kuzbass, Pechora, and Tunguska deposits.
• Peat formed in swamps from rotting plant remains. Contains up to 60% carbon. It is used as cheap fuel, for fertilizers and for the extraction of acetic acid.
• Oil- black oily liquid that burns well. It lies between sedimentary rocks at different depths. It is the most important fossil fuel. In the Russian Federation, the largest deposits are the West Siberian basin, basins North Caucasus and Volga region.
• Natural gas- Forms in rock voids. Sometimes its accumulations can amount to millions of cubic meters. This is the cheapest and most convenient fuel.
• Oil shale- sedimentary rocks, which are a mixture of siliceous clay and the remains of organic substances. When shale is distilled, a resin is obtained that is similar in composition and properties to oil.

Ore

• Rocks(marble, mica, asphalt, tuff, potassium salt, phosphorites). They have different origins and are used in almost all industrial sectors.

Thus, tuffs and marble are used in construction, micas - in the electrical and radio industries, asbestos - for thermal insulation and fireproofing, asphalt - for road surfaces.

• Metal ores(iron, copper, nickel, non-ferrous metals) are rock accumulations containing metals. For example, aluminum is mined from bauxite, nepheline and alunite, iron is mined from iron ore, brown, red and magnetic iron ore.
• Non-metallic ores(sand, asbestos).

Nonmetallic

• Gems- natural stones of organic or mineral origin. Used in jewelry, medicine, and the chemical industry.
• Sand, gravel, clay, chalk, salt- hard rocks used in almost all areas of industry.

Resources and deposits

About 30 types of fossils are represented on the territory of Russia. Here is a description of the main deposits and reserves of just some of them.

Oil and gas

Oil is produced mainly in the eastern and northern parts countries, as well as on the shelf seas of the Arctic and Far East. Currently, 2,152 oil fields are being actively developed. Up to 600 million tons are mined annually, and projected reserves are estimated at 50 billion tons.

Russia ranks first in the world in terms of natural gas reserves. About 650 billion cubic meters of gas are produced annually. More than 10 deposits have been explored, which are called unique, since the predicted reserves in them exceed the 1 trillion mark. cubic meters

Coal

Russia ranks third in the world in coal production. Only proven reserves will last the country for 400 years. Coal basins are concentrated mainly in the east of the country - behind Ural mountains. The largest deposits are the Tunguska (more than 2200 billion tons) and Lena basins (1647 billion tons).

Oil shale

The main deposits are concentrated in the European part of the country. The largest is the Baltic shale basin.

Peat

The main peat reserves are located in the Asian part of Russia. In total, more than 46 thousand deposits have been explored. The largest is Vasyuganskoye, where 15% of peat reserves in the Russian Federation are mined.

Iron ores

Russia ranks first in the world in terms of iron ore deposits. The largest deposits are concentrated in the European part (Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, Baltic Shield on the Kola Peninsula, KMA Basin).

Manganese

In the Russian Federation, manganese is mined mainly of the carbonate type. To date, 14 deposits have been explored in the Urals, Siberia and Far East. The total amount of reserves is about 150 million tons. The largest deposits are Yurkinskoye, Berezovskoye, Polunochnoye.

Aluminum

Russia has sufficient reserves of bauxite and nepheline in the Urals and Western Siberia. But the problem is that the ores are of low quality, and aluminum mining seems expensive. The most promising in this regard are the bauxite reserves of the North Ural region.

Non-ferrous metals

In terms of reserves of non-ferrous metal ores, Russia ranks 1st in the world, and the total value of explored reserves is more than 1.8 trillion. dollars. The richest ore deposits were found in Eastern Siberia and Taimyr. For example, Russia’s share in global diamond production is 25%. More is mined only in South Africa.

Non-metallic building materials

Experts note the main problems that prevent Russia from fully exploiting the potential in the field of mineral reserves - these are insufficient funding for geological surveys, problems with taxation, a lack of manufacturing enterprises and the inability to provide a sufficient sales market.

One of the most valuable sources of energy for world industry at present are solids. Humanity is unlikely to be able to do without them. Among other things, the brilliant Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev said: “You can drown with banknotes.” The scientist implied that these resources would be more useful to use for the synthesis of substances required by humans.

Modern science constantly confirms his correctness. Oddly enough, we owe much of the wealth that lies deep underground to ancient flora. It was the ancient ferns and trees that formed many useful resources over time. By the way, what minerals were formed from ancient plants? Well, let's find out!

General characteristics of fuel types

All of these fuels contain huge amounts of carbon. They were all formed from plant remains, which were exposed to high pressure and high temperature for millions of years. Some ancient plant fuels are well over 650 million years old. Approximately 80% of these fossils were formed during the Tertiary period. It is to these times that we owe the fact that mineral resources still provide us with everything we need.

The main feature of their formation should be considered the fact that in those days there was still little oxygen on the planet, which now very quickly oxidizes organic matter, but there was a lot of carbon and compounds based on it. Sedimentary rocks quickly preserved huge masses of substances in the thickness of the earth.

To help you better understand this issue, we have prepared a table. Minerals are far from randomly located in the bowels of the earth.

However, among some scientists there is a popular theory of the abiogenic origin of many fossil fuels, which explains their occurrence by a combination of various factors that led to the appearance of complex carbon compounds from simple inorganic substances.

This point of view also has its right to life, but most scientists are still confident that the overwhelming number of deposits have a biological origin. Well, what minerals were formed from ancient plants? We will talk about this now.

Importance for industry and people

As we have already said, many of these substances are a real treasure trove for the modern chemical industry. The same coal contains many compounds that otherwise can only be obtained through complex and expensive synthesis. For example, humic acids, which are not found very often in nature and are quite difficult to synthesize artificially, are obtained in large quantities from cheap and abundant brown coal.

In principle, economic geography will tell you about all this. Minerals play a vital role in the formation of a normal production economy of any country.

It should be remembered that the full use of many resources of plant origin is possible only if a person knows well the nuances of their formation. First, we will look at the coals that we have already mentioned more than once, since the process of their formation is very interesting. Coals, like other basic minerals of plant origin, were formed by various plants in the process of their death.

Characteristics of the formation of humus coals

A long time ago, when giant dinosaurs still roamed the Earth, beautiful lush forests grew over vast areas. The conditions were ideal for their growth and development: the soil contains a lot of organic matter, and carbon dioxide predominates in the atmosphere. However, these same conditions contributed to the fact that the plants died off very rapidly. Their parts fell to the ground, where they quickly decomposed, since they were not protected in any way from the oxidizing action of the air.

The combination of all these factors led to very rapid decomposition of cellulose. Giant masses of vegetation turned into a real “cocktail” of humic substances, diluted with small amounts of impurities of resins, waxes and paraffins. However, all this mass was decomposed quite quickly by microorganisms, and therefore a particularly rapid accumulation of organic matter did not occur at that time. The main mineral reserves appeared somewhat later.

So how was coal formed directly?

Using the method described above, dry peat was formed, which is still abundant on the surface of our planet today. As a rule, no further metamorphoses occurred to it, since most often it was covered with a layer of sand and earth, reliably preserving organic matter from the effects of oxygen and microorganisms. Such a mass was extremely plastic, and therefore no further separation or mixing occurred.

Since there was very little undecomposed organic matter in the peat layer, there were no further processes of decay. Thus, the temperature in the thickness of the layers always remained at the same level.

Pressure and time...

However, over time, the layers gradually became denser due to caking. Gradually, humic acids turned into humites, resins underwent a decarboxylation process, and only waxes remained unchanged for thousands of years. This is how brown humus coals were formed. There are especially many of them in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. These are the region's most abundant mineral resources (and an important source of income, of course).

Under the influence of a whole range of environmental factors, their gradual metamorphosis occurred, as a result of which humus coals were obtained. The main role in this process belongs to high pressure and no less high temperature. Under these conditions, humic acids began to rapidly decompose, and resins and waxes underwent natural polymerization.

All this led to the synthesis of infusible, completely insoluble compounds. It is thanks to them that this type of coal has survived to this day. It lies at relatively shallow depths, and therefore, given slightly different physical and chemical properties, it would inevitably be washed out. And what minerals were formed from ancient plants, in addition to the humus coal described above?

About the process of formation of mixed type coals

It should be noted that in nature the process of formation of pure humus compounds was extremely rare. Much more often a mixed process occurred. Scientists suggest that he walked in several directions at once. As a rule, all this happened at the bottom of ancient reservoirs, on the site of which mineral deposits are now located.

Humic substances were gradually brought there with rainwater and slowly, over the course of centuries, settled to the bottom. Plankton, which actively developed with such an abundance of organic matter, gradually mixed with all this mass. But everything could have been completely different.

After powerful hurricanes and heavy rains hit the land, a huge amount of humic substances and various mineral compounds found their way into water bodies. At first, it was the heavy minerals that settled at the bottom, and humic acids acted on them as powerful oxidizing agents. Gradually, this entire mass underwent polymerization. Since there was very little oxygen at the bottom of the reservoirs, the substances eventually became subject to the process of dehydration. This is how coal of mixed composition was formed.

These minerals of Russia are extremely common in the Eastern part of our country.

About the chemical composition of coals

In general, their composition is not particularly diverse: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. The only difference is mass fraction all these substances, since it is by their percentage that one can confidently determine not only the type of fossil vegetable fuel, but even the region of its origin and production. So that you have at least an approximate idea of ​​this issue, let’s look at the composition of the average brown humus coal.

Classification of substances that make up coals

The most typical substances that are part of any of its varieties are called carbon formers. Here is their complete list:

• Oddly enough, squirrels. When hydrolyzing coal, scientists noticed that the resulting mixture contained a certain amount of amino acids. The presence of these substances in the thickness of fossil fuel layers is explained quite simply: these are protozoa preserved in ancient times, as well as the remains of more highly developed organisms. In any case, many mineral deposits often boast a collection worthy of a paleontological museum.
• Of course, cellulose. This complex carbohydrate, which is the main building material of any plant life form, makes up a considerable part by weight of both coal and oil shale (we will talk about them below).
• Waxes, which we have mentioned several times. They are esters of some carboxylic acids and aliphatic alcohols.
• Resins. This is a very complex mixture of the same carboxylic acids, as well as saponifying and non-saponifiable substances. Under some specific conditions, they are easily decarboxylated and rapidly polymerized. They are a kind of “link” for coal, as they hold its components together during the process of primary compression.

It is the almost identical composition of all fossil fuels that indicates their plant and partly animal origin. Proponents of the abiotic appearance of the same oil cannot find sufficiently convincing arguments with which to refute these factual data. In any case, any map of minerals (organic) will show that their deposits are mainly located in ancient seas rich in organic matter.

Coal Mining Basics

The characteristics and methods of this process fully depend on the depth of the formations. If it does not exceed one hundred meters, then an open pit mining method is possible. It often happens that as the cutting depth increases, the shaft method becomes more economically feasible.

On the territory of our country, the level of the deepest mine is approximately 1200 meters. Any map of Russian mineral resources will show that most of them are in Siberia. This region is deservedly considered a real storehouse, a granary of nature.

Other important substances

It should be noted that in coal seams there are often accumulations of substances of enormous industrial value. These include some valuable geological rocks (marble, for example), huge amounts of methane, as well as rare, scattered chemical elements. For example, some types of brown coal contain a lot of germanium, without which the modern radio-electronic industry is unthinkable, since many types of semiconductors are created on its basis.

in modern industry

Long gone are the days when this type of mineral was used exclusively as fuel. As we have already noted, some rare chemical elements are extracted from it, and coal serves as a raw material for the production of many types of plastics. It has been known since World War II that synthetic gasoline can be made from it.

It was these mineral resources of Russia that largely ensured the intensive growth of industry after the revolution. They also help maintain the economy at a consistently high level.

Oil shale

This is a solid plant origin from the group of solid caustobiolites. The main feature of slates, which ensured them such high popularity in last years, is the resin included in their composition. It is obtained by distillation. Its value lies in the fact that in its own way physical and chemical properties it is very close to oil, but at the same time the cost of its production is much lower than the oil industry.

Differential composition

The main difference between oil shale and coal is that it contains more minerals. Its organic part is kerogen. Only in the highest quality shale does its share reach 70%, while in all other cases the organic content does not exceed 30%. Kerogen is the fossil remains of ancient single-celled algae.

That part of them that has not lost traces over the centuries cellular structure, is thallomoalginitis. Accordingly, completely degraded ones are called colloalginite. In addition, in shales one can often find even parts of higher plants that were on our planet in time immemorial.

These are the minerals that were formed from ancient plants. We hope that from this article you received all the information you were interested in.

Question 1. What does the earth's crust consist of?

It consists of several layers. The top is a layer of sedimentary rocks. The thickness of this layer is up to 10-15 km. Beneath it lies a granite layer. The rocks that make it up are similar in their physical properties to granite. The thickness of this layer is from 5 to 15 km. Below the granite layer is a basalt layer consisting of basalt and rocks, physical properties which resemble basalt. The thickness of this layer is from 10 to 35 km.

Question 2: What are rocks and minerals?

Rocks are bodies consisting of several minerals. By origin, igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are distinguished. Minerals are bodies that have a homogeneous composition.

Question 3. What types of rocks and minerals are there?

Based on their origin, rocks are divided into three groups: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic.

Question 4. Does the quantity and diversity of minerals change during development? human society?

Yes, the quantity and variety of minerals changes during the development of human society. This is due to the fact that people extract minerals and there are fewer and fewer of them.

Question 5. What rocks are called minerals?

Breeds that people use in Everyday life And economic activity called minerals.

Question 6. What groups are minerals divided into?

Depending on the nature of use, fuel, ore and non-metallic minerals are distinguished.

Question 7. What is geological exploration?

When searching for minerals, knowledge of the relief features and the geological history of the territory gives grounds for assumptions about whether useful substances can be found in this place or not. This process is called geological exploration.

Question 8. Which metals are called ferrous, which are called non-ferrous, and which are called precious?

Ferrous metals - iron and its alloys (steels, ferroalloys, cast irons). Based on physical properties and purpose, non-ferrous metals are conventionally divided into heavy (copper, lead, zinc, tin, nickel) and light (aluminum, titanium). Precious metals - gold, silver, platinum and platinum group metals.

Question 9. What are the main patterns of mineral distribution?

Minerals of sedimentary origin are most often mined on the plains, while minerals of igneous and metamorphic origin are most often mined in low mountains.

Question 10. Give examples of the use of minerals in everyday life and in human economic activity.

Smelting of various products, smelting of various ores, making various jewelry, producing gasoline, using natural gas for domestic needs, using coal as fuel for boiler houses, etc.

Minerals are formations of the earth's crust, consisting of minerals, the chemical and physical properties of which allow them to be used in the industrial and domestic sphere. Without the variety of substances that the Earth is rich in, our world would not be so diverse and developed. Technological progress would be unattainable and prohibitively difficult. Let's consider the concept, types of minerals and their characteristics.

Concepts and terms related to the topic

Before examining the types of minerals, it is necessary to know the specific definitions related to this topic. This will make it easier and easier to figure everything out. So, minerals are mineral raw materials or formations of the earth’s crust, which can be of organic or inorganic origin and used in the production of material objects.

A mineral deposit is the accumulation of a certain amount of mineral matter on the surface or in the interior of the Earth, which is divided into categories depending on the field of application in industry.

Ore is a mineral formation that has arisen in natural conditions and consists of such components and in such a ratio that its use is possible and advisable for the industrial and technical sphere.

When did mining start?

It is not known for certain when exactly the first mining took place. According to historians, the ancient Egyptians opened the veil. The expedition was sent to the Sinai Peninsula in 2600 BC. It was assumed that they would mine mica. However, there was a breakthrough in the knowledge of the ancient inhabitants about raw materials: copper was found. The mining and processing of silver is known from the history of Greece. The Romans learned about metals such as zinc, iron, tin and lead. Having established mines from Africa to Britain, the Roman Empire mined them and then used them to make tools.

In the 18th century, after the Industrial Revolution, minerals became urgently needed. In connection with this, their production developed at a rapid pace. Modern technologies based on the discoveries of that period. In the 19th century, the famous “gold rush” occurred, during which a huge amount of the precious metal – gold – was mined. Several diamond deposits were discovered in the same places (South Africa).

Characteristics of minerals by physical state

From physics lessons we know that substances can be in one of four states of aggregation: liquid, solid, gaseous and plasmatic. IN ordinary life everyone can easily observe the first three. Minerals, like any other chemical compounds, can be found on the surface of the Earth or in its interior in one of three states. Thus, the types of minerals are primarily divided into:

• liquid (mineral waters, oil);
• solid (metals, coals, ores);
• gaseous (natural gas, inert gas).

Each of the groups is important and an integral part of industrial life. The diversity of resources allows countries to develop in the technical and economic spheres. The number of mineral deposits is an indicator of the wealth and well-being of a country.

Industrial types, classification of minerals

After the discovery of the first mineral rocks, man began to think seriously about the benefits they could bring to his life. With the emergence and development of industry, a classification of mineral deposits was formed based on their use in the technical field. Let's look at these types of minerals. The table contains full information about their characteristics:

Types of minerals considered along with reserves fresh water are main characteristic riches of the earth or individual country. This is a typical gradation of mineral resources, with the help of which all natural substances used in the industrial and domestic sphere are grouped depending on their physical and chemical properties. Let's get acquainted with each category separately.

Fossil fuels

What type of mineral is oil? What about gas? A mineral often appears to be a solid metal rather than an obscure liquid or gas. Familiar with metal early childhood, while understanding what oil or even household gas is comes a little later. So, what type, according to the classifications already studied, should oil and gas be classified as? Oil - to the group liquid substances, gas – to gaseous. Based on their application, clearly, to combustible or, in other words, fuel minerals. After all, oil and gas are used primarily as a source of energy and heat: they power car engines, heat living quarters, and cook food with their help. The energy itself is released by burning the fuel. And if you look even deeper, this is facilitated by carbon, which is included in all fossil fuels. We figured out what type of mineral resource oil is.

What other substances are included here? These are solid fuel compounds formed in nature: hard and brown coal, peat, anthracite, oil shale. Let's look at their brief characteristics. Types of minerals (combustible):

• Coal is the first fuel that man began to use. The main source of energy used on a large scale in production, it was thanks to this fossil that the industrial revolution took place. It is formed by plant residues without air access. Depending on the specific gravity of carbon in coal, its varieties are distinguished: anthracite, brown and hard coal, graphite;
• Oil shale was formed on the seabed about 450 million years ago from the remains of vegetation and animals. Consists of mineral and organic parts. When dry distilled, it forms a resin that is close to petroleum;
• peat is an accumulation of incompletely decomposed plant remains in swamp conditions, more than half of its composition is carbon. Used as fuel, fertilizer, thermal insulation.

Flammable natural substances are the most important species mineral. Thanks to them, humanity learned to produce and use energy, and also created many industries. Currently, the need for fossil fuels is very acute for most countries. This is a large segment of the world economy, on which the well-being of countries around the world depends.

Metal minerals: types, characteristics

We know the types of minerals: fuel, ore, non-metallic. The first group has been successfully studied. Let's move on - ore, or metal, minerals - that's what industry was born and developed for. Since ancient times, man has understood that metal gives much more in everyday life. more possibilities than its absence. IN modern world It is no longer possible to imagine life without any metal. IN household appliances and electronics, in homes, in the bathroom, even in a small light bulb - it is everywhere.

How do they get it? Only noble metals, which due to their chemical properties do not react with other simple and complex substances, can be found in pure form. The rest actively interact with each other, turning into ore. The mixture of metals is separated if necessary or left unchanged. Alloys formed by nature have “taken root” due to their mixed properties. Iron, for example, can be made harder by adding carbon to the metal to create steel, a strong compound that can withstand heavy loads.

Depending on individual characteristics, as well as the area of ​​application, ore minerals are divided into groups: ferrous, non-ferrous, noble, rare and radioactive metals.

Black metals

Ferrous metals are iron and its various alloys: steel, cast iron and other ferroalloys. It is used in a variety of industries: military, shipbuilding, aircraft, mechanical engineering.

Many iron products are used in everyday life: kitchen utensils are made from steel, and many plumbing items are covered with it.

Non-ferrous metals

The group of non-ferrous metals includes a large number of mineral. The name of the group comes from the fact that many metals have a specific color. For example, copper is red, aluminum is silver. The remaining 3 types of minerals (noble, rare, radioactive) are essentially a subtype of non-ferrous metals. Many of them are mixed into alloys, because in this form they have better properties.

Non-ferrous metals are classified into:

• heavy – highly toxic with high atomic weight: lead, tin, copper, zinc;
• light, having low density and weight: magnesium, titanium, aluminum, calcium, lithium, sodium, rubidium, strontium, cesium, beryllium, barium, potassium;
• noble ones, due to their high resistance, practically do not enter into chemical reactions, are beautiful to look at: platinum, silver, gold, rhodium, palladium, ruthenium, osmium;
• small (rare) – antimony, mercury, cobalt, cadmium, arsenic, bismuth;
• refractory have a high melting point and resistance to wear: molybdenum, tantalum, vanadium, tungsten, manganese, chromium, zirconium, niobium;
• rare earth - the group consists of 17 elements: samarium, neodymium, lanthanum, cerium, europium, terbium, gadolinium, dysprosium, erbium, holmium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium, thulium, promethium, terbium;
• scattered ones are found in nature only in the form of impurities: tellurium, thallium, indium, germanium, rhenium, hafnium, selenium;
• radioactive ones independently emit a stream of radioactive particles: radium, plutonium, uranium, protactinium, californium, fermium, americium and others.

Aluminum, nickel and copper are of particular importance to humanity. Developed countries are striving to increase their production, since the amount of these non-ferrous metals directly affects technical progress in aircraft construction, astronautics, atomic and microscopic devices, and electrical engineering.

Non-metallic natural elements

Let's summarize. The main categories from the table “Types of minerals” (fuel, ore, non-metallic) have been studied. What elements are classified as non-metallic, i.e. non-metallic? It is a group of hard or soft minerals occurring as individual minerals or rocks. Modern science More than a hundred such chemical compounds are known, which are nothing more than a product of natural processes.

In terms of the scale of their extraction and use, non-metallic minerals are ahead only of fuel types of minerals. The table below contains the main rocks and minerals that make up the non-metallic group of natural resources, and their brief characteristics.

Non-metallic minerals are very important for various industries, construction, and are also necessary in everyday life.

Classification of resources by exhaustibility

In addition to the gradation of minerals according to their physical state and characteristics, indicators of their exhaustibility and renewability are considered. The main types of minerals are divided into:

• exhaustible, which are in certain moment may run out and will be unavailable for production;
• inexhaustible – relatively inexhaustible sources natural resources, for example, solar and wind energy, oceans, seas;
• renewable - fossils that, at a certain level of depletion, can be partially or completely restored, for example, forests, soil, water;
• non-renewable - if resources have been completely exhausted, it is usually not possible to renew them;
• replaceable – fossils that can be replaced if necessary, for example, fuel types.
• irreplaceable – those without which life would be impossible (air).

Natural resources require careful treatment and rational use, since most of them have an exhaustible limit, and if they are renewable, it will not be very soon.

Minerals play an important role in human life. Without them, there would be no technical and scientific discoveries, or even normal life in general. The results of their extraction and processing surround us everywhere: buildings, transport, household goods, medicines.