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The resources of the geosphere and human beings.- (Properties of minerals,…
The resources of the geosphere and human beings.-
Uses of rocks
Rocks are very important natural resources. They are raw materials used in several things, for example, in construction.
Industrial and ornamental rocks are used to obtain construction materials
Examples
Clay is udes to made ceramic objects, bricks and tiles, and to make cement by mixing it with limestone
Sandstone and quartzite are used to manufacture glass
Concrete is made from gravel and sand
Marble, granite and slate are used for decoration and in construction
Properties of minerals
The mineral we extract an element from is called ore
The gangue is the left-over rock with no value
They are not renewable
Example of Gangue
The gangue of galena is galena without lead
Example of ore
Galena is an ore of lead
Clasification of minerals
Energy minerals
These are used to extract fuels for nuclear power plants, such as uraninite form which uranium is extracted.
Gems or precious stones
These are the crystals in some minerals which are used in jewellery because of their properties (hardness and trasparency) and their beauty. For example, rubies and diamonds
Metallic minerals
These contains metals which are used in industry and for manufacturing ornamental objects, although metals are found in a pure state, such as gold, but its more common to find them with other elements
Minerals used in construction and industry
For example, quartz, which is used to make computers and watches, halite or rock salt, which is usedas a condiment and a food preservative, or graphite which is used to makes the leads in pencils, etc.
Uses of fossil fuels
Other resources from the geosphere are fossil fuels, which mainly are oil and coal, the main characteristics of fossil fuels are:
They come from the remains of living things which were deposited at the bottom of lakes or in seabeds and surronded by many layers of sediments. Under these conditions the remains transformed over million of years, eventually taking on the appearance of oil or coal
Oil
Oil is the world´s primary source of energy. Dozens of products are madefrom it in the chemical industry, such as fuels, plastics, lubricants, fertilisers and tar
Coal
Coal is burned in power stations in order to produce electricity, and in the metal industry to melt metals
They can burn and produce heat, and as a result are used as a source of energy.
Extraction of resources
Wells
Wells are shafts drilled into the groundthat are used to extract oil, gas or water
Quarries
Quarries are areas on the Earth´s surface from which rocks are extracted
Desposists
Deposists are areas in the Earth´s crust from which it is profitable to extract resources
Mines
Mines are excavations used to acess deposits. MInes can be either open pit or underground