Where is ore found?
A car, a telephone, even a refrigerator – all this equipment is made of iron, the production of which is a very complex process. The main raw materials for obtaining this valuable material are minerals, which contain particles of the necessary metal. In simple words, it is a rock containing alloys. There is a huge amount of this resource in the world, the methods of processing it and obtaining minerals from it can be very diverse, but it all starts in the mines. What mining ore is, how it is mined and processed will be discussed in this article.
Ore classification
Ore is a mineral from which various forms of metals are extracted. There are two types found in nature: black and colored. The latter, in turn, is divided into heavy and light alloys, as well as precious metals. Silver, gold, platinum – they are also mined in the form of stones, and acquire their appearance after processing at enterprises. The economic value of a resource is determined by the presence of its main constituent element. There are rich, as they are also called, fatty and poor minerals. Classification of fossil ores by metal content.
| Iron | Copper | Aluminum | Gold | ||||
| Poor | Rich | Poor | Rich | Poor | Rich | Poor | Rich |
| 26% | >50% | 0,5 – 1% | >3% | 20 – 25% | 40 – 60% | 1% | 7,7% |
The properties are also determined by the main constituent component. Some of them are magnetic, while others are completely inert.
Not many people know that the meaning of the word “ore” comes from “raũdas”, red. This is due to the color of iron oxide, which was present in large quantities in the rock.
Ferrous metal ores
Iron is one of the most common elements on earth. For production, a mineral is used that contains more than 25% of raw materials. Developing poorer breeds will not pay off, so they are not used. The most common fossils:
- Magnetic iron ore;
- Hematite;
- Ferrous quartzite.
The largest reserves are located in South Africa, India, North and South America, and Australia. World deposits, according to experts, may be about 800 billion tons, of which 200 billion tons are confirmed. Perhaps there are many more minerals hidden in the ground that people have no idea about.
Iron ore differs from each other in the way it originates. There are three types of occurrence of iron in rocks. The first is sedimentary. The divalent iron that was in the water bonded with oxygen, turning into a dense compound and settling to the bottom. Thus, iron ore was formed. It is found even in places where the seas dried up millions of years ago. Such ore contains a very high amount of the metal component, but, as a rule, its quality is quite low.
The second way of formation is magmatic. It was formed during volcanic eruptions and the eruption of magma to the surface. Iron and other metal impurities mixed with hot lava under the influence of high temperatures and pressure. But when they got outside, they froze, remaining in large blocks of stones. The metal content in such ore can range from 20 to 60%.
The third method is metamorphic. When the earth’s crust moved, some of its sections with the necessary elements fell under the overlying rocks. These areas were exposed to high pressures and temperatures. Over millions of years, these processes led to changes in the composition of the source material. During the same movement of the earth’s crust, the ore moved closer to the surface. This is how iron ore with a high content of useful components (up to 75%) was formed.
Ferrous metal ores also include rocks that contain manganese, titanium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, tungsten and other rare metals. A rich one can contain from 0,5 to 10% of the main component, because it is quite rare in nature. The main thing is that their extraction and processing is economically profitable for production.
Non-ferrous metal ores
The scientific name of the copper ore mineral is cuprite, derived from the chemical element Cu found in the rock. Despite the high prevalence of this metal in the world, its amount in minerals is not large, from 0,5%. There are six types of ores in nature:
- Pyrite;
- Stratiform;
- Copper-nickel;
- Hydrothermal;
- Carbonate;
- Skarnova.
Most often, pyrite is mined; it is a combination of copper and iron, with minor admixtures of other components. It is slightly inferior to the stratiform one, which is represented by a combination of shales and sandstones. Resources of other types are much less common. Massive copper nuggets do not exist; it is formed only in the form of mixtures. The formation of copper occurred during volcanic eruptions, which determines this feature.
There is currently controversy over the origin of aluminum. Some believe that this is the result of the decomposition of limestone and iron, others – the enormous temperatures during volcanic eruptions. There is also a sedimentary theory that it was formed due to the weathering of rocks. It is mined by quarry and mine methods. Given the softness of the rock, its extraction is very similar to cutting down coal. Most other ores are obtained in alloys with many chemical impurities. Their processing is almost no different from the processing of copper or aluminum.
In terms of prevalence, aluminum surpasses even iron. Its deposits amount to billions of tons, but the cost of production is much higher, which sets the price for this product.
Ores rich in gold
Gold ore is a chemical compound of metals from which gold can be isolated. It is similar to alloys, for example, with silver or iron. It is quite difficult to separate them from the rock; this is a physicochemical process called dissociation, when cations are deposited on the electrodes under the influence of an electric current.
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A similar process is used in the production of copper. By the way, these compounds can also be found in copper ore, so the sediment that forms during copper production also undergoes this process. Besides her, there are also nuggets in the world. These are stones in which Au content predominates.
Very often the precious metal is found in combination with tellurium. In Russia, namely in the Urals, there is such a rare alloy as maldomite (a combination with bismuth), which is also called black gold. In Mexico and Colombia you can even find rhodium ore.
The oldest gold mine in Russia is located in the Urals. Its discovery occurred back in 1742, and it significantly influenced the economic state of the state. Here they found nuggets and placers of the most valuable metal, which were also of high quality. Even now, Ural gold is very highly valued in the world.
Mining of ore minerals in Russia
The mineral potential of the Russian territory is enormous. This is due to the favorable geographical location of the country. Here you can find all possible types of relief, which means a large number of minerals. Now the Russian Federation is the largest importer of metal raw materials in the world.
| Ore | Place of Birth | Metal extraction per year |
| Iron | Olenegorskoe |
in the area of Pevek, Omsukchan (on the Kolyma Highlands)
Mining ore is very important for human existence, because without it even the transportation of electricity through wires is not possible. This mineral plays a huge role in the technical development of mankind. The metal deposits are still undeveloped and could supply the world for many years to come.
Iron ore are called natural mineral formations that contain iron in large quantities and such chemical compounds that its extraction is possible and advisable. The most important minerals are: magnetite, magnetite, titanomagnetite, hematite, hydrohematite, goethite, hydrogoethite, siderite, ferruginous chlorites. Iron ores differ in mineral composition, iron content, useful and harmful impurities, conditions of formation and industrial properties.
Iron ores are divided into rich (more than 50% iron), ordinary (50-25%) and poor (less than 25% iron). Depending on the chemical composition, they are used for smelting cast iron in its natural form or after enrichment. Iron ores used to make steel must contain certain substances in the required proportions. The quality of the resulting product depends on this. Some chemical elements (besides iron) can be extracted from the ore and used for other purposes.
Iron ore deposits are divided by origin. Usually there are 3 groups: magmatic, exogenous and metamorphogenic. They can be further divided into several groups. Magmatogenous are formed mainly when various compounds are exposed to high temperatures. Exogenous deposits arose in river valleys during the deposition of sediments and weathering of rocks. Metamorphogenic deposits are pre-existing sedimentary deposits that have been transformed under conditions of high pressure and temperature. The largest amount of iron ore is concentrated in Russia.
The largest iron ore deposits in Russia:
Bakchar iron ore deposit
This deposit is one of the largest such iron ore deposits in Russia and the world. It is located on the territory of the Tomsk region in the interfluve of the Andorma and Iksa rivers. The field was discovered by accident during oil exploration in the 1960s.
The Bakcharovskoe iron ore deposit covers an area of 16 thousand km2. Iron ore formations are located at a depth of 190 to 220 meters. The ores contain up to 57% iron, as well as admixtures of other chemical elements (phosphorus, vanadium, palladium, gold and platinum). The iron content in enriched ore reaches 95-97%. Iron ore reserves in this territory are estimated at 28,7 billion tons.
Currently, new technologies for field development are being introduced. It is planned to extract ore not by quarrying, but by borehole hydraulic mining.
Abagaskoe iron ore deposit
The Abagaskoye iron ore deposit is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, 186 km west of the city of Abakan on the territory of the Minusinsk Basin and Kuznetsk Alatau. The deposit was discovered back in 1933, but its development began only 50 years later. The ores here are mainly magnetite, high-alumina, and magnesium.
The main ore mineral here is magnetite, and the minor ones are musketovite, hematite, and pyrite.
The Abagas iron ore deposit is divided into two zones: Southern (length over 2600 m) and Northern (2300 m). Balance reserves of iron ore amount to over 73 million tons. Development is carried out in an open way. Total average annual production of 4,4 million tons of ore with an iron content of 28,4%.
Abakan iron ore deposit
The Abakan iron ore deposit is located in Khakassia, near the city of Abaza. It is located in the northeastern spurs of the Western Sayan. Opened in 1856, it was originally called “Abakan Grace”. After the discovery, the development of ores was carried out periodically. From 1947 to 1959, enterprises for the extraction and enrichment of ores were built. From 1957 to 1962, the deposit was developed by open pit mining and then underground (400 m deep mine).
Abakanskoye is a magnetite ore deposit. It contains: magnetite, actinolite, chlorite, calcite, andesite and cobalt-bearing pyrite.
Explored reserves of ore with an average iron content of 41,7 – 43,4% with an admixture of zinc and sulfur amount to 140 million tons. Average annual production is 2,4 million tons. The industrial product contains about 47,5% iron. The centers of production and processing are the cities of Abaza, Abakan, Novokuznetsk.
Kursk magnetic anomaly
The Kursk magnetic anomaly is the most powerful iron ore basin in the world. Ore deposits on its territory are estimated at 200-210 billion tons, which is about 50% of the iron ore reserves on the planet. It is located mainly in the Kursk, Belgorod and Oryol regions.
Currently, the boundaries of the Kursk magnetic anomaly cover an area of over 160 thousand km2, covering the territories of nine regions of the Center and South of the country. The promising reserves of rich iron ores in the unique basin amount to many billions of tons, and ferruginous quartzites are practically inexhaustible.
The magnetic anomaly in this area was discovered back in the 1931th century, but scientists started talking about its possible cause – magnetic ore deposits – only in the last century. Rich ores were discovered in 120. The area is about 2 thousand km25. Ores: magnetite quartzites, high-grade iron ores in the weathering crust of ferruginous quartzites. Reserves of ferruginous quartzites are over 32 billion tons with an iron content of 37-30% and over 52 billion tons of rich ores (66-XNUMX% iron). Deposits are developed by both open-pit and underground methods.
The Kursk magnetic anomaly includes the Prioskol iron ore deposit and the Chernyanskoe iron ore deposit.
