Strategic Importance of Metallic Mineral Resources

Mineral Resources

Due to their importance, mineral resources have been widely exploited throughout history. Some, such as copper and tin (used in making bronze), held great strategic value, enabling the rise of empires. Spain has a highly evolved mining tradition. However, the impact caused by different mining techniques has sometimes resulted in large areas becoming wastelands.

Metallic Ore Resources

Metallic mineral resources are essential for the obtaining of metals and energy. Current industry depends on approximately 88 different minerals used solely for this purpose. These minerals are primarily extracted from the continental crust because of the difficulty in exploiting those found in the oceanic crust. Elements are concentrated in a deposit, which contains a high proportion of a metal (the ore). A reservoir of ore is called a mine.

Key Metallic Minerals:

• Aluminum: The most abundant metal on Earth; it is light and resists corrosion. It is extracted from bauxite.
• Iron: The second most abundant; very important in industry for making steel. It is extracted from magnetite, limonite, and pyrite.
• Manganese: Used in the production of steel and paint. It is extracted from pyrolusite.
• Chromium: Used in the production of stainless steel and to make refractory bricks. It is extracted from chromite.
• Titanium: A heavy metal resistant to corrosion. It is used to manufacture paint and osseous prostheses. It is extracted from ilmenite.
• Copper: One of the most used metals since antiquity to manufacture bronze and brass. It conducts electricity and is ductile. Ores are often presented together in open-pit mines (e.g., cuprite, azurite).
• Lead: A flexible metal that bends easily, so it is used to make pipes. It is drawn from gallery mines.
• Zinc: Used to manufacture brass and as an outer layer added to iron or steel to prevent corrosion. It is extracted from blende.
• Tin: Used to manufacture aircraft fuselages and for soldering. It is drawn from cassiterite.
• Silver: Used in the photography industry, to make coins, jewelry, and silver plating. It is extracted from native deposits.
• Gold: Resists corrosion and is indestructible. Gold is extracted from native deposits.
• Mercury: A heavy, liquid metal used to make thermometers. It is extracted from cinnabar.
• Uranium: A mineral used in nuclear power generation for electricity.