The physical properties of ores are very important for mining and processing. These properties include hardness, strength, jointing, porosity, specific weight, and melting temperature, as well as magnetic, electromagnetic, conducting, radioactive, and sorptive properties and solubility.
What is the advantage of studying physical properties and optical properties of ore minerals?
The physical properties of ore minerals observed in polished sections are of great assistance in mineral identification, and hence their study is routine in ore microscopy.
Why do we need to study ore microscope?
Ore microscopy is consistently used to assess such matters as the sequence of ore-mineral precipitation, incidence of periods of ore deformation, degree of oxidation, relative temperatures of ore formation, and shape and size analysis of constituent minerals.
What is the ore of a mineral?
Ore is a deposit in Earth’s crust of one or more valuable minerals. The most valuable ore deposits contain metals crucial to industry and trade, like copper, gold, and iron. Copper ore is mined for a variety of industrial uses.
What are optical properties of ore mineral?
The optical properties of ore minerals determinable under the microscope fall under two categories: 1. Properties observed in plane polarized light (without analyzer). These include color, reflectivity, bireflectance (= absorption, pleochroism or reflection pleochroism).
What are the properties minerals?
Most minerals can be characterized and classified by their unique physical properties: hardness, luster, color, streak, specific gravity, cleavage, fracture, and tenacity.
What is mineral optical properties?
Optical mineralogy is the study of minerals and rocks by measuring their optical properties. Optical mineralogy is used to identify the mineralogical composition of geological materials in order to help reveal their origin and evolution. Some of the properties and techniques used include: Refractive index.
Why it is important to study physical properties of minerals?
The chemical formula and crystal lattice of a mineral can only be determined in a laboratory, but by examining a mineral and determining several of its physical properties, you can identify the mineral. Some characteristics, such as a mineral’s hardness, are more useful for mineral identification.
Why do rock forming minerals need an optical property?
The optical properties of material define how it interacts with light. Optical mineralogy is used to identify the mineralogical composition of geological materials in order to help reveal their origin and evolution. Therefore, rock-forming minerals need optical property and mineral strength.
What are ores?
Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit. Minerals of interest are generally oxides, sulfides, silicates, or native metals such as copper or gold.
What is the difference between ore and mineral?
Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a crystalline structure and a definite range of chemical formula. Ores are concentrations of minerals in rock that are high enough to be economically extracted for use. You need minerals to make rocks, but you don’t need rocks to make minerals.
What are ore minerals and its metals?
An ore is a natural occurrence of rock or sediment which contains enough minerals with economically important elements, typically metals, that can be extracted from the deposit economically. To remove the elements of interest from the waste material and the ore crystals, the ores must be extracted.
What are the optical properties of ore minerals?
The optical properties of ore minerals determinable under the microscope fall under two categories: Properties observed in plane polarized light (without analyzer): These include color, reflectivity, bireflectance (= absorption, pleochroism or reflection pleochroism).
What are the physical characteristics of minerals?
OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS 12/15/2009 Physical Characteristics of Minerals I.MEGASCOPIC PROPERTIES 1.The physical characteristics of minerals include traits which are used to identify and describe mineral species. These traits include color, streak, luster, density, hardness, cleavage, fracture, tenacity, and crystal habit.
What is an ore microscope used for?
THE ORE MICROSCOPE. The basic instrument for petrographic examination of� �ore� minerals or �opaque� minerals is the ore microscope, which is similar to a conventional petrographic microscope in the system of lenses, polarizer, analyzer and various diaphragms.� An ore microscope however, differs from a petrographic one in
What are the types of metallic ore minerals?
Most metallic ore minerals are native elements, sulfides, sulfosalts, oxides, or hydroxides. Ore deposits are highly variable in nature and origin. The most important kinds of ore deposits are magmatic, hydrothermal, or sedimentary. 9.1 Mineral Commodities
