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Definition
Mining is the practice of extracting minerals from the earth. Minerals are elements or compounds that occur naturally in the earth"s crust. They are major driving forces in human history from the Roman exploration of Britain for tin to the lure of gold in Amazonian and Indonesian rain forests. Minerals are metallic (metals such as iron, aluminum, copper), or nonmetallic (minerals such as sand, silicon, stone, salt, and phosphates). Minerals are a nonrenewable resource. Each mineral has an estimated mineral reserve and a "life index" after which there will be no more economically available sources. For instance, copper reserves may be depleted by 2050. Sustainable mineral practices-keeping minerals available for future generations-are a major challenge. The future may see minerals extraction from the ocean floor (manganese modules) and by concentrating sea water.
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Tags/Keywords
Minerals, mineral reserves, metals, nonmetals, rocks, ores, aluminum, borax, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, gravel, gypsum, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, phosphate, platinum, potassium, salt, sand, silicon, silver, sulfur, tin, titanium, tungsten, zinc, deep-sea mining, seabed mining, mountaintop removal
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