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Sphalerite is an important ore of zinc; around 95% of all primary zinc is extracted from sphalerite ore. [42] However, due to its variable trace element content, sphalerite is also an important source of several other metals such as cadmium, [ 43 ] gallium, [ 44 ] germanium, [ 45 ] and indium [ 46 ] which replace zinc.
Iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) deposits are considered to be metasomatic expressions of large crustal-scale alteration events driven by intrusive activity. The deposit type was first recognised by discovery and study of the supergiant Olympic Dam copper-gold-uranium deposit (Olympic Dam mine), and South American examples.
Gold mining produces more waste than mining of other minerals, because it can be mined at a lower grade. Tailings can contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. These toxins can pose health risks for local communities. [86] Arsenic is typically found in gold-containing ores, and gold processing may contaminate groundwater or the
The main ores of commercial interest are polymetallic nodules, which are found at depths of 4–6 km (2.5–3.7 mi) primarily on the abyssal plain. The Clarion–Clipperton zone (CCZ) alone contains over 21 billion metric tons of these nodules, with minerals such as copper , nickel , and cobalt making up 2.5% of their weight.
The plant would refine ore — lanthanides concentrate from the Mount Weld mine in Australia. The ore would be trucked to Fremantle and transported by container ship to Kuantan. Within two years, Lynas was said to expect the refinery to be able to meet nearly a third of the world's demand for rare-earth materials, not counting China. [107]
[110] [111] One reason for this is that most lithium classification schemes are developed for solid ore deposits, whereas brine is a fluid that is problematic to treat with the same classification scheme due to varying concentrations and pumping effects. [112]
These processes were applied to high grade uranium ores but may not have worked well with low grade ores. [69] Small amounts of radium were still extracted from uranium ore by this method of mixed precipitation and ion exchange as late as the 1990s, [ 29 ] but as of 2011, it is extracted only from spent nuclear fuel. [ 70 ]
Mohs hardness kit, containing one specimen of each mineral on the ten-point hardness scale. The Mohs scale (/ m oʊ z / MOHZ) of mineral hardness is a qualitative ordinal scale, from 1 to 10, characterizing scratch resistance of minerals through the ability of harder material to scratch softer material.