Ore 22595 214696954 2008-05-24T21:10:59Z VoABot II 1879647 BOT - Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/70.239.3.79|70.239.3.79]] {[[User:VoABot_II/Help#Revert_reasons|possible vandalism]]} ([[User:VoABot_II/Mistakes|mistake?]]) to last version by "Wingedsubmariner". {{otheruses}} [[Image:Banded iron formation.png|thumb|[[Iron]] ore ([[Banded iron formation]])]] [[Image:ManganeseOreUSGOV.jpg|thumb|[[Manganese]] ore]] [[Image:LeadOreUSGOV.jpg|thumb|[[Lead]] ore]] [[Image:GoldOreUSGOV.jpg|thumb|[[Gold]] ore]] [[Image:2005metal_import.PNG|thumb|right|Ore and [[metal]] imports in 2005]] An '''ore''' is a volume of [[Rock (geology)|rock]] containing components or [[minerals]] in a mode of occurrence that renders it valuable for mining. An ore must contain materials that are * valuable * in concentrations that can be profitably [[Mining|mined]], transported, milled, and processed. * able to be extracted from waste rock by [[mineral processing]] techniques. Ore deposits are mineral deposits defined as being economically recoverable. Mineral deposits may include those bodies of mineralisation which are uneconomic resources, of too low a grade or tonnage or ''technically impossible'' for extraction of the contained metal. Rare samples of ore in the form of exceptionally beautiful [[crystal]]s, exotic layering (when sectioned or polished) or metallic presentations such as large nuggets or crystalline formations of metals such as [[gold]] or [[copper]] may command a value far beyond their value as mere ore or raw metal for subsequent reduction to utilitarian purposes. Ore is thus an economic entity, not a physical entity. Fluctuations in [[commodity]] prices will determine what rock is considered valuable and hence ''ore'', and what rock is not valuable and is considered ''waste''. Similarly, the costs of extraction may fluctuate, for example with fuel costs, rendering mining unprofitable and turning ore into waste. The ''grade'' or contained ''concentration'' of an ore mineral, or metal, as well as its form of occurrence, will directly affect the costs associated with mining the ore. The cost of extraction must thus be weighted against the contained metal value of the rock and a 'cut-off grade' used to define what is ore and what is waste. Ore minerals are generally [[oxide]]s, [[Sulfide mineral|sulfide]]s, [[silicate minerals|silicates]], or "native" metals (such as [[native copper]]) that are not commonly concentrated in the Earth's [[crust (geology)|crust]] or "noble" metals (not usually forming compounds) such as [[gold]]. The ores must be processed to extract the metals of interest from the waste rock and from the ore minerals. Ore bodies are formed by a variety of [[Geology|geological]] processes. The process of ore formation is called [[ore genesis]]. ==Ore deposits== {{main|Mineral resource classification}} An ore deposit is an accumulation of ore. This is distinct from a mineral resource as defined by the mineral resource classification criteria. An ore deposit is one occurrence of the particular ore type. Most ore deposits are named according to either their location (for example the Witswatersrand, South Africa), or after a discoverer (eg; the [[kambalda type komatiitic nickel ore deposits|kambalda]] nickel shoots are named after drillers), or after some whimsy, an historical figure, a prominent person, something from mythology (phoenix, kraken, etc) or the code name of the resource company which found it (eg; MKD-5 is the in-house name for the Mount Keith nickel mine). ===Classification of ore deposits=== {{main|Ore genesis}} Ore deposits are classified according to various criteria developed via the study of economic geology, or [[ore genesis]]. The classifications below are typical ====Hydrothermal epigenetic deposits==== * ''Mesothermal'' [[lode]] gold deposits, typified by the [[Golden Mile (Kalgoorlie)|Golden Mile]], [[Kalgoorlie]] * [[Archaean]] [[conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]] hosted gold-uranium deposits, typified by [[Elliot Lake]], [[Canada]] and [[Witwatersrand]], [[South Africa]] * ''Carlin'' type gold deposits, including; ** Dolomite-hosted [[jasperoid]] replacement subtype * ''Epithermal'' [[stockwork]] vein deposits ====Granite related hydrothermal==== * IOCG or iron-oxide copper-gold, typified by the supergiant [[Olympic Dam]] Cu-Au-U deposit * [[Porphyry copper]] +/- gold +/- molybdenum +/- silver deposits * Intrusive-related copper-gold +/- (tin-tungsten), typified by the [[Tombstone, Arizona]] deposits * Hydromagmatic [[magnetite]] iron ore deposits and skarns * [[Skarn]] ore deposits of copper, lead, zinc, tungsten, etcetera ====Nickel-cobalt-platinum deposits==== * Magmatic nickel-copper-iron-PGE deposits including ** [[cumulate rocks|Cumulate]] [[vanadium|vanadiferous]] or platinum-bearing [[magnetite]] or [[chromite]] ** Cumulate hard-rock titanium ([[ilmenite]]) deposits ** [[Kambalda type komatiitic nickel ore deposits|Komatiite hosted Ni-Cu-PGE deposits]] ** Subvolcanic feeder subtype, typified by [[Norilsk|Noril'sk-Talnakh]] and the Thompson Belt, [[Canada]] ** Intrusive-related Ni-Cu-PGE, typified by [[Voisey's Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador|Voisey's Bay]], Canada and [[Jinchuan]], China * [[Lateritic nickel ore deposits]], examples include Goro and Acoje, ([[Philippines]]) and Ravensthorpe, [[Western Australia]]. ====Volcanic-related deposits==== * [[Volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposit|Volcanic hosted massive sulfide]] (VHMS) Cu-Pb-Zn including; ** Examples include Teutonic Bore and Golden Grove, Western Australia *** [[Besshi copper mine|Besshi]] type *** Kuroko type ====Metamorphically reworked deposits==== * Podiform serpentinite-hosted paramagmatic [[iron oxide]]-[[chromite]] deposits, typified by [[Savage River, Tasmania]] iron ore, Coobina chromite deposit * [[Broken Hill Ore Deposit|Broken Hill Type]] Pb-Zn-Ag, considered to be a class of reworked SEDEX deposits ====[[Carbonatite]] - alkaline igneous related==== * Phosphorus-[[tantalite]]-[[vermiculite]] ([[Phalaborwa]] [[South Africa]]) * [[Rare earth elements]] - [[Mount Weld]], [[Australia]] and Bayan Obo, [[Mongolia]] * [[Diatreme]] hosted diamond in [[kimberlite]], [[lamproite]] or [[lamprophyre]] ====Sedimentary deposits==== * [[Banded iron formation]] [[iron ore]] deposits, including ** [[Channel-iron deposits]] or [[pisolite]] type iron ore * [[Heavy mineral sands ore deposits]] and other [[sand dune]] hosted deposits * [[Alluvial]] gold, diamond, tin, platinum or [[black sand]] deposits * Alluvial oxide zinc deposit type: sole example [[Skorpion Zinc]] ====Sedimentary hydrothermal deposits==== * [[Sedimentary exhalative deposits|SEDEX]] ** [[Lead]]-[[zinc]]-[[silver]], typified by [[Red Dog]], [[MacArthur River]], [[Mt Isa]], etc ** Stratiform arkose-hosted and shale-hosted copper, typified by the Zambian copperbelt. ** Stratiform [[tungsten]], typified by the [[Erzgebirge]] deposits, [[Czechoslovakia]] ** Exhalative spilite-[[chert]] hosted gold deposits * [[Carbonate hosted lead zinc ore deposits|Mississippi valley type (MVT) zinc-lead deposits]] * [[Hematite]] [[iron ore]] deposits of altered [[banded iron formation]] ====Astrobleme-related ores==== ** [[Sudbury Basin]] nickel and copper, Ontario, Canada ==Extraction== {{main|mining}} The basic extraction of ore deposits follows the steps below; # [[Prospecting]] or [[Mineral exploration|Exploration]] to find and then define the extent and value of [[ore]] where it is located ("ore body") # Conduct [[mineral resource classification|resource estimation]] to mathematically estimate the size and grade of the deposit # Conduct a pre-feasibility study to determine the theoretical economics of the ore deposit. This identifies, early on, whether further investment in estimation and engineering studies is warranted and identifies key risks and areas for further work. # Conduct a [[feasibility study]] to evaluate the financial viability, technical and financial risks and robustness of the project and make a decision as whether to develop or walk away from a proposed mine project. This includes mine planning to evaluate the economically recoverable portion of the deposit, the [[metallurgy]] and ore recoverability, marketability and payability of the ore concentrates, engineering, milling and infrastructure costs, finance and equity requirements and a cradle to grave analysis of the possible mine, from the initial excavation all the way through to reclamation. # Development to create access to an ore body and building of mine plant and equipment # The operation of the mine in an active sense # [[Land rehabilitation|Reclamation]] to make land where a mine had been suitable for future use ==Trade== Ores (metals) are traded internationally and comprise a sizeable portion of international trade in raw materials both in value and volume. This is because the worldwide distribution of ores is unequal and dislocated from locations of peak demand and from smelting infrastructure. Most base metals (copper, lead, zinc, nickel) are traded internationally on the [[London Metal Exchange]], with smaller stockpiles and metals exchanges monitored by the COMEX and NYMEX exchanges in the United States and the Shanghai Futures Exchange in China. Iron ore is traded between customer and producer, though various benchmark prices are set yearly between the major mining conglomerates and the major consumers, and this sets the stage for smaller participants. Other, lesser, commodities do not have international clearing houses and benchmark prices, with most prices negotiated between suppliers and customers one-on-one. This generally makes determining the price of ores of this nature opaque and difficult. Such metals include [[lithium]], [[niobium]]-[[tantalum]], [[bismuth]], [[antimony]] and [[rare earths]]. Most of these commodities are also dominated by one or two major suppliers with >60% of the world's reserves. The London Metal Exchange aims to add uranium to its list of metals on warrant. The [[World Bank]] reports that China was the top importer of ores and metals in 2005 followed by the USA and Japan. As compared with 2005-20067 at the end of 2007 - beginning of the year 2008 the Iron ore prices on FOB/CIF terms increased considerably, at least at 50-55%. The prices were increased after CVRD, which is the world's biggest iron ore producer, has agreed to increase its contract prices, continuing its previleged position on this market.{{Fact|date = April 2008}} Price FOB Brazil reached 141-144 U$D/MT CIF Europe came up to 185-188 U$D/MT.{{Fact|date = April 2008}} ==Important ore minerals== <div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> *[[Argentite]]: Ag<sub>2</sub>S for production of [[silver]] *[[Barite]]: BaSO<small><sub>4</sub></small> *[[Bauxite]] Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> for production of [[aluminium]] *[[Beryl]]: Be<sub>3</sub>Al<sub>2</sub>(SiO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>6</sub> *[[Bornite]]: Cu<small><sub>5</sub></small>FeS<small><sub>4</sub></small> *[[Cassiterite]]: SnO<small><sub>2</sub></small> *[[Chalcocite]]: Cu<small><sub>2</sub></small>S for production of [[copper]] *[[Chalcopyrite]]: CuFeS<small><sub>2</sub></small> *[[Chromite]]: (Fe, Mg)Cr<small><sub>2</sub></small>O<small><sub>4</sub></small> for production of [[chromium]] *[[Cinnabar]]: HgS for production of [[mercury (element)|mercury]] *[[Cobaltite]]: (Co, Fe)AsS *[[Columbite]]-[[Tantalite]] or [[Coltan]]: (Fe, Mn)(Nb, Ta)<small><sub>2</sub></small>O<small><sub>6</sub></small> *[[Galena]]: PbS *[[Gold]]: Au, typically associated with [[quartz]] or as [[placer mining|placer]] deposits *[[Hematite]]: Fe<small><sub>2</sub></small>O<small><sub>3</sub></small> *[[Ilmenite]]: FeTiO<small><sub>3</sub></small> *[[Magnetite]]: Fe<small><sub>3</sub></small>O<small><sub>4</sub></small> *[[Molybdenite]]: MoS<small><sub>2</sub></small> *[[Pentlandite]]:(Fe, Ni)<small><sub>9</sub></small>S<small><sub>8</sub></small> *[[Pyrolusite]]:MnO<small><sub>2</sub></small> *[[Scheelite]]: CaWO<small><sub>4</sub></small> *[[Sphalerite]]: ZnS *[[Uraninite]] (pitchblende): UO<small><sub>2</sub></small> for production of metallic [[uranium]] *[[Wolframite]]: (Fe, Mn)WO<small><sub>4</sub></small> </div> ==See also== {{Commons|Ore}} * [[Mineral resource classification]] * [[Economic geology]] * [[Ore genesis]] [[Category:Economic geology]] [[bg:Руда]] [[cs:Ruda (geologie)]] [[da:Malm]] [[de:Erze]] [[et:Maak]] [[es:Mena (minería)]] [[eo:Erco]] [[fr:Minerai]] [[is:Málmgrýti]] [[it:Minerale]] [[he:מחצב]] [[lv:Rūda]] [[lt:Rūda]] [[nl:Erts (mineraal)]] [[ja:鉱石]] [[no:Malm (geologi)]] [[nn:Malm]] [[ug:رۇدا]] [[pl:Ruda]] [[pt:Minério]] [[ru:Руда]] [[simple:Ore]] [[sk:Ruda]] [[sl:Ruda]] [[fi:Malmi]] [[sv:Malm]] [[uk:Руда (копалини)]] [[yi:מחצב]]