What are major types of power resources
Answers
Answer:
Minerals are naturally occurring substances. They have a definite chemical composition. Minerals are formed in different types of geological environments, under varying conditions. You can identify and classify minerals on the basis of their physical properties such as colour, density, hardness. You can also identify them on the basis of their chemical properties like solubility. Now, we look at the various types of minerals.
Types of Minerals
On the basis of composition, we can classify minerals metallic and non-metallic types. This is because the minerals may or may not contain iron.
Metallic minerals
They contain metals in raw form. Metals are hard substances and are good conductors of heat and electricity. Therefore, they conduct heat and electricity and have lustre or shine. For example, iron ore and bauxite. Metallic minerals are of two types:
Ferrous minerals contain iron ore, manganese, and chromites.
Non-ferrous minerals do not contain iron. However, they could contain some other metals like gold, silver, copper or lead. Because they do not contain iron, they are non-ferrous.
Non-metallic minerals
They do not contain metals. Therefore, they are not good conductors of electricity and heat. For example, limestone, mica, gypsum, coal, and petroleum. So, how do we extract minerals from their ores? There are some processes that are used to extract minerals.
Extraction Of Minerals
Without proper extraction, minerals are of no use. Therefore, we must concentrate on proper methods for their extraction. The three extraction methods of minerals are mining, drilling, and quarrying.
Mining: It is the process of taking out minerals from rocks buried under the earth’s surface. The process of mining includes two methods: (a)Open cast mining, (b)Shaft mining
Drilling: Deep wells are bored to take minerals out. This process is called drilling.
Quarrying: In the process of quarrying, you simply dig out the minerals that lie near the surface. Therefore, you need to be careful while digging them as you could destroy their essential parts.
Distribution of Minerals
Minerals are found in igneous rock, metamorphic rocks, and sedimentary rocks.
Iron ore, nickel, copper minerals are found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Limestone is found in sedimentary rocks.
Hence, we see that minerals are distributed in various forms.
Mineral resources
Uses of Minerals
Some hard minerals are used as gems for making jewellery.
We use copper in almost everything from coins to pipes.
We use silicon in almost everything from coins to pipes.
Silicon is used in the computer industry which is obtained from quartz.
Aluminium is used in automobile, aeroplanes, bottling industry, building and in kitchen cookware.
Hence, we see that minerals are widely used in almost all sectors of the economy.
Power Resources
We need power resources for industry, agriculture, transport, communication, and defence. Therefore, we must understand the importance of these resources and conserve them. Power resources are of two types:
Conventional Resources: are those that have been in common use for a long time. Firewood and fossil fuels are two main conventional energy sources.
Non-conventional Resources: of energy are renewable. Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, etc. are non-conventional sources of energy.
Question For You
Q. Define conventional resources of energy.
Ans: Conventional resources are those that have been in common use for a long time.Firewood and fossil fuels are two main conventional energy sources.