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Asked by: Baha Unamuno
business and finance metals industryWhat is the difference between ore minerals and industrial minerals?
Industrial minerals are generally defined as minerals that are not sources of metals, fuel, or gemstones. While industrial minerals are defined as non-metallic, there are a few that have metallurgical properties, such as bauxite, which is the primary source of aluminum ore and is also used to make cement and abrasives.
Regarding this, what is the difference between a mineral and an ore?
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.
Keeping this in view, why all ores are minerals?
The elements or compounds of the metals which occur in nature in the earth's crust are called minerals whereas ore is a mineral from which the metal is profitably extracted. For example, aluminium exists in two mineral forms that is clay and bauxite. So all ores are minerals but all minerals need not be ores.
Minerals can be found throughout the world in the earth's crust but usually in such small amounts that they not worth extracting. Only with the help of certain geological processes are minerals concentrated into economically viable deposits. Mineral deposits can only be extracted where they are found.