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Introduction
Minerals are solid inorganic compounds with a specific crystalline structure and well-defined chemical composition. Minerals are either made of a single element or multiple compounds, classified further into metallic and non-metallic minerals. Minerals are used in our day-to-day life and for various industrial purposes. Earth’s crust is made from different minerals, with silicate minerals being the most common. The minerals vary in their density, colour, hardness, crystal structure, lustre, specific gravity, and other physical and chemical factors.
Metallic Minerals with Examples
- Metallic minerals are used for the production of metals. They are present in high concentration on the Earth’s crust, with the majority of them being held by igneous and metamorphic rocks
- Most of the metallic minerals originate from the centre of the Earth and cool down to form a mineral deposit on the surface of the Earth
- Nearly 75% of the metallic minerals are ferrous, like irons, manganese etc., with high magnetic properties and are easily oxidised. These metals are extensively used in various industries
- Some of the metallic minerals are from rare Earth metals, which means they are scarce, and their extraction requires high end and expensive mining operations
- Some of the common examples for the minerals include halides, carbonates, sulphide, oxides, and metallic ores such as magnetite, bauxite, haematite, etc. Gold and haematite are two important examples
Non-Metallic Minerals Examples
- The non-metallic minerals do not contain any metals, and hence no metal can be extracted from them. One of the most abundant minerals is silica which is found in the crust of the Earth
- These minerals originate from the sedimentary rocks formed by subsequent cementation of material on the surface of Earth
- These minerals do not get oxidised quickly and are non-reactive to the magnetic field
- Coal is an essential example. It serves as a fossil fuel used to run steam engines, thermal power stations, and electricity
- Diamond is another example and is one of the hardest substances
Difference between Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals
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Metallic Minerals |
Non-metallic Minerals |
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These minerals consist of metal elements and form metals when melted. |
These minerals do not contain metal elements, and do not produce new products on melting. |
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They are formed from metamorphic and igneous rocks. |
They are formed from sedimentary rocks and young fold mountains. |
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These minerals are highly malleable and ductile. |
These minerals are not malleable or ductile and hence break easily. |
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These minerals are good conductors of heat and electricity. |
These minerals are good insulators of electricity and heat. |
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These minerals have a lustrous and shiny appearance naturally. |
These minerals do not have a shiny appearance naturally. |
Use of Metallic Minerals and Non-metallic Minerals
Both the minerals are used across various industries and purposes and are crucial in their utility. As metallic minerals are good conductors of heat and electricity, they are used for various industrial applications:
- Aluminium is abundantly present in Earth’s crust and is extracted from bauxite ore. It is used across automobile, building or construction, electrical etc. industries
- Copper, for example, is used for making parts of the machine, electronic components, electrical wires, coins, jewellery etc
- Gold is an expensive and lustrous metal used in making jewellery and across the electronic industry
Non-metallic minerals lack metal content and are highly used in the fossil fuel industry. They are one of the most important minerals used in the energy industry. Here are some of the applications:
- The minerals are majorly used in manufacturing building materials like brick, stone, glass etc. and hence used extensively in the construction industry
- They are used in agriculture, chemical, and energy production and across industries producing petroleum, coal, natural gas etc
- Diamond is an example that is majorly used in designing expensive jewellery sets
Rare Earth Metals and their Application
These are a set of 17 nearly indistinguishable lustrous silvery-white soft heavy metals which belong to the lanthanides group. They are present in the Earth’s crust but have low mineable concentrations. The rare earth metals are used in applications like electronics, renewable technologies, batteries, steel alloys, catalysts, magnets, etc. They are used majorly in low-carbon technologies.
Conclusion
The topic covers the comprehensive difference between metallic and non-metallic types of minerals and their utility. Metallic minerals have metal components and hence are used for the production of metals. The non-metallic ones are those which do not have metal components. Due to the different properties of both types of minerals, their use and applications vary across various industries. Minerals of both types are abundantly present in the Earth’s crust, but each of the minerals is extracted from different types of rocks.
