Question

Justify the statement :

All the ores are minerals but all the minerals are not ores.

Answer 1

It is so because metals cannot be extracted from minerals in a convenient way. E.g.:- Aluminum metal is found in both minerals: clay and bauxite. Aluminum metal is extracted only from bauxite in a convenient way. So, bauxite is an ore of aluminum. On the other hand, it is not extracted from clay so clay remains only as mineral not ore of aluminum.

Answer 2

Yes, I agree with the statement. 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. But aluminium is mainly extracted from bauxite which contains 70% aluminium oxide.

So Bauxite is a ore of aluminium whereas clay is not ore.

So all ores are minerals but all minerals need not be ores