1. The Formation, Mining, and Use of Minerals
Chapter 2 Section 3
Pages
Vocabulary:
1. ore
2. reclamation

2. Where Do Minerals Form? P. 12 -13
Minerals form in a variety of environments in the Earth’s
crust. The environment in which a mineral forms determines
the mineral’s properties.
Minerals can form in:
1. evaporating salt water: when a body of salt water dries up, minerals
such as gypsum and halite are left behind.
2. metamorphic rocks: when changes in pressure, temperature, or
chemical makeup change a rock, metamorphism
takes place. Examples include garnet and hemitite.
3. limestones: surface water and ground water carry dissolved materials
into lakes and seas, where they crystallize on the bottom.
Examples include calcite and dolomite.
4. hot-water solutions: groundwater works its way downward and is heated
by magma. It reacts with hot water minerals to form
a hot liquid solution. Minerals crystallize out of this.
Examples include gold, copper and pyrite.

3. 5. pegmatites: as magma moves upward, it can form teardrop-shaped
bodies. These become really large and can form minerals
that qualify as gemstones such as topaz and tourmaline.
6. plutons: as magma rises upward through the crust, it sometimes stops
moving before it reaches the surface and cools slowly. Mica,
feldspar, magnetite, and quartz are examples of minerals
formed in this environment.

4. Mining p
1. ore – a natural material whose concentration of economically
valuable minerals is high enough for the material to be
mined profitably.
Ore, a mineral deposit large enough and pure enough to be
mined for a profit, can be taken from the Earth in two ways;
surface mining and subsurface mining.
Surface Mining
Subsurface Minng

5. Surface Mining
When mineral deposits are located at or near the surface of
the Earth, surface mining methods are used to remove the
minerals. Surface mines can include open pits, surface coal
mines and quarries.
Open Pits: Explosives are used as ore is mined downward, layer by layer to break up the ore. Ore, such a gold or copper,
is then loaded onto to truck and hauled from the mine for
processing.
Surface Coal Mines: These are often called strip mines because the coal is removed in strips that may be a wide as 50 meters and as long as 1 kilometer.
Quarries: Quarries are open pits that are used to mind building stone, crushed rock, sand, and gravel.

6. In open pit mines, the ore is mined downward in layers.
The stair-step excavation of the walls keeps the sides of
the mine from collapsing. Giant haul trucks are used to
transport ore from the mine.
Haul Truck

7. Subsurface Mining
Subsurface mining methods are used when mineral deposits are located
too deep with in the Earth to be surfaced mined. Subsurface mining often
requires that passageways be dug into the Earth to reach the ore. These
passageways may be dug horizontally or, if the minerals are deep within
the Earth, vertically.
Subsurface mining is the removal of minerals of other materials from deep
within the Earth. Passageways must be dug underground to reach the ore.
Machines such as continuous mining machines are used to mine ore in
subsurface mines.

8. 2. reclamation – the process of returning land to its original
condition after mining is completed.
Responsible Mining p. 15
This area in Colorado has
gone through the process
of reclamation, restoring
what was once an open-pit
mine to this area.
Mining can destroy or disturb the habitats of plants and animals.
Waste products from mining may also get into water sources.
The process by which land used for mining is returned to its
original state or better is called reclamation. Reclamation of
mined public and private land has been required by law since
the mid 1970’s.

9. The Use of Minerals p
Some minerals are of major economic importance.
Metallic minerals have shiny surfaces, do not let
light pass through them, and are good conductors
of heat and electricity. They can be strong and do
not rust. Examples include gold, silver and copper.
Nonmetallic minerals have shiny or dull surfaces,
may let light pass through them, and are good
insulators of electricity. Examples include gypsum
and quartz.
Gemstones are also nonmetallic. They are valued
for their beauty and rarity rather than usefulness.
Color is the most important characteristic of a
gemstone. They must also be durable.
Diamond
Jewelry, cutting
Tools, drill bits
Gold
Jewelry, computers
Halite
Nutrition, highway de-icer
Quartz
Glass, computer chips
Silver
Photography, jewelry
Gypsum
Wallboard, cement
Galena
Batteries, ammunition
Mineral
Uses
Copper
electrical wire

10. Quiz Time! 1. How can mining cause water pollution?
The waste products from a mine can put pollution into rivers,
lakes, and groundwater.
2. _______ is the process of returning land to its original
condition after mining is completed.
reclamation
3. ______ is the term used to describe a mineral deposit that is
large enough and pure enough to be mined for profit.
ore

11. 4. Which of the following conditions is NOT important in the
formation of minerals?
A. presence of groundwater
B. evaporation
C. volcanic activity
D. wind D
5. What are the two main types of mining and how are they
different.
Surface mining – used when mineral deposits are located
at or near the surface of the Earth.
Subsurface mining – used when mineral deposits are
located too deep within the Earth to be surfaced mined.