Industry:Industry:Minerals can be found in a lot of Minerals can be found in a lot of the products we use in every day the products we use in every day life:life:

• VehiclesVehicles (metals)(metals)• GlassGlass (quartz and feldspar)(quartz and feldspar)• ElectronicsElectronics (silicon and metals)(silicon and metals)

Arts:Arts:Minerals are valued for their Minerals are valued for their beauty:beauty:

• JewelryJewelry (gemstones and (gemstones and metals)metals)

• PaintPaint (pigment)(pigment)

Minerals form through a natural Minerals form through a natural process where atoms of process where atoms of elements join together and elements join together and crystals form.crystals form.

1.1. Evaporating waterEvaporating water - when the - when the water evaporates, the atoms water evaporates, the atoms that make up the substances that make up the substances that were dissolved in the water that were dissolved in the water join to form crystalsjoin to form crystals

2.2. Hot water coolsHot water cools – the hot water – the hot water dissolves minerals as it moved dissolves minerals as it moved through Earth’s crust. When that through Earth’s crust. When that water cools, the minerals separate water cools, the minerals separate and crystallize again.and crystallize again.

3.3. Molten rock coolsMolten rock cools – Magma and lava – Magma and lava describe hot rock that contains many describe hot rock that contains many atoms similar to those found in atoms similar to those found in minerals. These atoms join together minerals. These atoms join together when the hot rock cools to form when the hot rock cools to form mineral crystalsmineral crystals

4.4.Heat and pressureHeat and pressure – the bonds – the bonds between atoms break and form in between atoms break and form in new ways to create different new ways to create different minerals.minerals.

5.5.Organisms create mineralsOrganisms create minerals – sea – sea creatures can create calcite and creatures can create calcite and carbonate to form their shells. carbonate to form their shells. Humans produce apatite which is a Humans produce apatite which is a main mineral in bones and teeth. main mineral in bones and teeth.

• Minerals have to be taken out of Minerals have to be taken out of the ground before they can be the ground before they can be usedused– Some are close to the surface Some are close to the surface – Some are very deepSome are very deep

• Most minerals are found in rocksMost minerals are found in rocks– Rocks that contain enough mineral Rocks that contain enough mineral

to make any $$$ are called to make any $$$ are called oresoresCopper oreCopper ore

Used to dig up minerals that are close to the Used to dig up minerals that are close to the surface.surface.

• PanningPanning - because gold and minerals like it are - because gold and minerals like it are dense it doesn’t get swept away by water currents. dense it doesn’t get swept away by water currents.

• Strip miningStrip mining - the land is stripped of all the surface - the land is stripped of all the surface life (plants, soil, other rocks) and then dig out the life (plants, soil, other rocks) and then dig out the ore.ore.

• Open-pit miningOpen-pit mining - miners clear off top layer and - miners clear off top layer and then use explosives to blast the layer of rock. As then use explosives to blast the layer of rock. As they create a bigger pit, they create roads for the they create a bigger pit, they create roads for the trucks to carry the ore to the surface. trucks to carry the ore to the surface.

Used for ores far Used for ores far below the surface below the surface of the Earth. of the Earth.

• Miners drill down Miners drill down or into a mountain or into a mountain and create a level and create a level passage way.passage way.

• From that main From that main passage, they can passage, they can drill or blast to get drill or blast to get at the ore.at the ore.