Mineral Process Chemistry
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3 Prospecting for minerals: study guide
Chapter 3 An overview of the mineral industry
This chapter dismisses the vast subject of mineral exploration in a few short paragraphs and quickly gets to the topics of evaluation and processing. This is where the relevance of chemistry is most evident.
Section 3.1 Exploration
This deals very briefly with what is a massive study in itself, but is not much concerned with the processing of minerals. Although announced at the outset of the section, geobotanical search gets no further mention. You should aim to know the differences between the other three types of search.
Section 3.2 Evaluation
This contains the main part of the chapter. It is not enough to find a desired mineral. It is necessary to find out about its quality and quantity. This process is called evaluation. Evaluation has three aims, clearly set out at the top of the right hand column of page 16. You should know these three aims and be able to explain what is meant by grade and contained value. You should realise that the contained value is variable because market price does not remain constant.
This is the point at which to tackle the two evaluation exercises on pages 19 and 20. This Study Guide does not give the answers to the questions – these answers are either obvious when you have carried out the exercises or are in the text somewhere. Do not neglect these exercises; when you have done them you will have a much clearer understanding of evaluation.
Section 3.3 Mining and processing
This section needs careful study. You need to sort out in your mind the factors which have to be considered in deciding whether to mine an orebody by means of open-pit mines or by deep mining. There is no bullet point list here, but you could devise one for yourself.
Section 3.4 Processing
This introduces the topic of processing methods. These methods are followed up in the experiments in Chapter 4. In fact, this section is a sort of lead-in to Chapter 4.
Section 3.5 Marketing
Finally, you should understand something of the impact of economics on the mineral industry. The cautionary tale of Hemerdon makes interesting reading!
This website has a detailed account of ore evaluation. Ore evaluation Later chapters in the same work can be accessed by substituting e.g. ore2 for ore1 in the address.
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updated: 01 March 2006
