Industrial minerals occur naturally and have economic value. Basically, any mineral that has no metal, precious stone, or any kind of energy mineral is an industrial mineral. There are many types of industrial minerals, therefore, each is defined by its physical properties. Even though metals are not major components of industrial materials, there are those which contain magnesium oxide which is used in clinker as an insulator. Another example is bauxite which produces aluminum ores. Cement and other abrasives are also generated from this mineral.
Industrial materials form a crucial aspect of our daily lives. Our lives would be practically impossible to live in without industrial minerals. But in as much as they are crucial to our existence, a lot of people have no idea what they are.
Majority of the industrial minerals have more than one use, even multiple uses. Such minerals fetch a really high price in the market. For instance, the source of ceramics, glass, and other abrasives is only one; silica sand. Click on this site for more information: benchmarkminerals.com.
There are industrial materials that are used directly in their natural state, but others have to undergo processing so that they can be viable. The uses of industrial minerals are endless. But the main area where they are widely used is in the construction industry.
Examples of industrial minerals include talc, limestone, potash, sand, kaolin, gravel, cement, gypsum, bentonite, pumice, clay, diatomite, silica, crushed stone, barite, etc. Some of the processed industrial minerals make things like paint, paper, detergents, ceramics, electronics, plastics, medical devices, and so much more.
The demand for industrial minerals varies from time to time. Their market fluctuates constantly which makes it difficult for minerals to hold a constant price for too long. This, in turn, affects the minerals' mining. For instance, bauxite cannot be mined when its demand is low whereas the demand for silica is on the ceiling. The more the mineral is in demand, the more it is mined.
The mining of these industrial minerals is not that complex. This is because they are not borrowed deep underneath. So surface mining will do the trick. The best thing about this method is that it is cheaper than underground mining.
Industrial mineral mining is done by experts. Even when a new site is discovered, it cannot be disturbed until the need arises. This is because constructing a new site and mobilizing equipment and manpower is much more costly as compared to the minerals at the site. Thus, existing sites are used until they are exhausted. But all this is done under the supervision of geologists and environmental experts. Keeping the environment clean and safe is mandatory.
Discover more about industrial minerals here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral.
