Minerals and Ores

Minerals are natural elements or compounds occur in earth's crust whereas over are those, which are extracted from minerals without economic loss.

A mineral is known as the ore of a metal if the metal can be produced from it profitably. There can be many minerals of a metal but the ones which undergo purification are known as ores.

Minerals are natural elements or compounds occurs in earth's crust where as ores are those, which are extracted from minerals without economic loss.

Haematite is $Fe _2O _3$, magnetite is $Fe _3O _4$ and Magnesite is $MgCO _3$.
$\therefore$ Magnesite is not ore of iron.

All minerals doesn't have objectionable impurities. All minerals are not ores. All ores are minerals. All minerals are not used to extract metals. Only ores are used to extract metals.

$\displaystyle Calamine$ $\displaystyle ZnCO _3$ is the mineral of zinc.
Hence, option (D) is correct answer.
 
$\displaystyle Magnetite$ $\displaystyle Fe _3O _4$ is iron mineral.

$\displaystyle Malachite $ $\displaystyle Cu _2CO _3(OH) _2$ is mineral of copper.

$\displaystyle Bauxite$ $\displaystyle Al _2O _3 \cdot 2H _2O$ is ore of aluminum.

Deep Sea mining is relatively unconventional method of extracting Rare Earth Elements (REE). It is an effective way to obtain a large amounts of rare earth metals. Minerals mined are- $Ag,Au,Cu,Mn,Co$ and $Zn$, etc.

Solution:- (D) Bauxite

Cuprite is an oxide mineral composed of copper(II) oxide ($Cu _2O$), and is a minor ore of copper. It can yield small gemstones.

Mexico has historically been the world's leading producer of silver, with a long history of mining dating back to the colonial era.

• Asbestos is a mineral that is found in natural settings such as caves and outdoor deposits.
  
• Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals, 
  
• Amosite and crocidolite are considered the most hazardous asbestos fiber types; 
  
• All types of asbestos fibers are known to cause serious health hazards in humans.
  

The Bhilai Steel Plant was established in Russian collaboration in Durg district of Chattisgarh in 1959. The iron ore comes from Dalli- Rajhara mine, Coal comes from Kobra and Kargali Coal field.

• Metal extraction from ores occurs in many different ways involving physical, chemical and electrical means. 
  
• Even ores of the same metal sometimes require different methods of separation depending on the concentration of the metal and its chemical composition within the ore.
  
• Ores are naturally occurring sources of metal. 

Smelting is nothing but extraction of aluminium from its ore. Aluminium smelting plant’s location depends on availability of raw material and good supply of electricity.