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Distribution of Elements on Earth

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*only 8 elements account for over 99% of those
present on the crust
*only 3 important metals are above 2%
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Sources of Metals
1. Minerals
primary source of metals
a naturally occurring inorganic substance of
definite composition and crystal structure
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Classification of Minerals:
a. Ore
a mixture of minerals, one or more of which
can be economically exploited to become a
source or supply of a particular metal
b. Gangue Mineral (gangue)
minerals of no economic value
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Precious Metal Principal Sources
Iron Hematite (Fe
2
O
3
)
Magnetite (Fe
3
O
4
)
Limonite (Fe
2
O
3
H
2
O)
Copper Chalcopyrite (CuFeS
2
)
Bornite (FeS2Cu
2
SCuS)
Aluminum
Bauxite (Al
2
O
3
xH
2
O)
Nickel Pentlandite (Ni,Fe)
9
S
8
Titanium Rutile (TiO
2
)
Ilmenite (FeTiO
3
)
Chromium Chromite (FeCr
2
O
4
)
Lead Galena (PbS)
Silver Copper, lead and zinc ores
Gold Elemental
Copper and nickel ores
Mineral Sources for Some of the Common Industrial Metals
Fe
2
O
3
Fe
3
O
4
CuFeS
2
Common Gangue Minerals
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Class Name and Composition
Oxides Quartz (SiO
2
) , Bauxite (Al
2
O
3
xH
2
O),
Limonite (Fe
2
O
3
H
2
O)
Carbonates Calcite (CaCO
3
), Dolomite ((Ca,Mg)CO
3
),
Siderite (FeCO
3
),
Sulfates Barite (BaSO
4
), Gypsum (CaSO
4
2H
2
O)
Silicates Feldspar, Garnet, Rhodonite, Chlorite, clay
minerals
Miscellaneous Rock matter, Fluorite (CaF
2
), Pyrite (FeS
2
),
Pyrrhotite (F
7
S
8
)
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Classification of Mineral Deposits
1. Ore Body/Deposit
an aggregation (of minerals) that can be
economically processed
2. Mineral Deposit
an aggregation (of minerals) that cannot be
economically processed
Mining sites of metals
in the Philippines
http://www.mgb.gov.ph/default.aspx
Metallic Mineral
Deposits in the
Philippines
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Sources of Metals
2. Recycled materials
secondary source of metals
recovered from scrap and are more
concentrated and purer than primary raw
materials
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Forms of scrap metal
1. Home Scraps
scrap generated during the production of
metals
ex: a defective casting
2. Prompt Industrial Scraps
generated during the manufacturing of metal
articles
ex: machining of parts
3. Obsolete Scraps
obtained from manufactured products which
are no longer useful
ex. old cars
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Advantages:
involves fewer and simpler processing
operations
requires less total energy
produces less pollution
Major Disadvantage:
collection and sorting of the scrap
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