1. (ampofo16693@alumni.itc.nl)
ENV 233: INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT MINERALS RESOURCES
Steve Ampofo
Department of Earth & Environmental Science
Faculty of Applied Sciences
Navrongo Campus

2. MINERALS RESOURCES
Mineral resources have the following characteristics;
Abiotic
Non-renewable
Finite
Mostly obtained from the earth’s crust
Categorised into metallic and non-metallic minerals

3. MINERALS RESOURCES METALLIC RESOURCES
Metallic minerals are mined for their metallic elements
The most used and important metals are iron, copper, lead, aluminum, Zinc, gold and silver.
Metal ore are naturally occurring material from which mineral(s) are obtained and it occurs in various rock types and environments.

4. MINERALS RESOURCES METALLIC RESOURCES
Metallic mineral deposits are mostly associated with igneous processes and are therefore associated with plate boundaries.
Factors that determine whether an ore can be mined economically are;
The cost of extracting the metal
The prevailing market price
Distance from the source to the market.

5. MINERALS RESOURCES Iron: METALLIC RESOURCES
It is the most important metal of modern civilisation.
About 95% of all metals used in the world are iron.
The chief ores of iron are hematite and magnetite

6. MINERALS RESOURCES Iron: Copper: METALLIC RESOURCES
Iron is frequently alloyed (combined) with other metals to attain toughness, hardness, durability and resistance and resistance to corrosion.
Copper:
Approximately 70% of all copper produced is used in the electrical industry

7. MINERALS RESOURCES Aluminum: METALLIC RESOURCES
It is also a widely used metal used in the manufacture of beverage cans, aircraft structures, engine blocks in automobiles, etc.
The chief ore of alumina is bauxite, which is obtained through open-pit mining.
Alumina has a sedimentary origin and is the end-product of intense chemical weathering.

8. MINERALS RESOURCES Lead: METALLIC RESOURCES
It is primarily used in the manufacture of batteries.
Lead is of hydrothermal origin commonly associated with copper and zinc deposits.
Lead is obtained from both underground and open pit mining.

9. MINERALS RESOURCES METALLIC RESOURCES Zinc: Silver:
It is principally used for galvanisation and the manufacture of brass and other alloys.
Zinc is found in association with lead and most lead mines also extract zinc.
Silver:
Silver is used in coins, jewelry, tableware, etc
Silver is often obtained as a byproduct of lead and copper mining.

10. MINERALS RESOURCES GOLD: METALLIC RESOURCES
Gold belongs to the precious mineral group
It is used primarily for coins, jewelry, dentistry and as reserves in most central banks.
It is found in its native state, uncombined with other elements in the form of nuggets and grains.

11. NON-METALLIC RESOURCES
MINERALS RESOURCES
NON-METALLIC RESOURCES
Non-metallic resources are generally not called ores but are classified as industrial rocks and minerals.
Examples of such include;
Stone used for building
Road aggregates
Clay used for ceramics and pottery
Fertilisers (Phosphates, Nitrates ,Potassium,etc)
Soils
LimestoneRock salt

12. NON-METALLIC RESOURCES
MINERALS RESOURCES
NON-METALLIC RESOURCES
That occur naturally and must undergo little preparation before they are used (eg. Sand and gravels for construction).
Others such as limestone must undergo some processing into cement before they are used.

13. MINERALS RESOURCES