Definition of mineral resources – What is, Meaning and Concept

The resources They are goods or raw Materials that have a certain utility in relation to a goal. In this way, a resource makes it possible to satisfy particular needs or to survive. A mineralOn the other hand, it is an inorganic material found in the earth’s crust.

The mineral resourcesIn short, they are made up of those minerals that are exploited for some purpose. The industry dedicated to the extraction and processing of mineral resources is called mining.

Mining has existed since Prehistory since the man discovered very early the importance of the minerals for the accomplishment of diverse activities. The relevance of mineral resources in our evolution lies in the fact that they enable the satisfaction of a large number of needs and generate, in turn, valuable economic resources.

Regarding its classification, it is carried out taking into account its economic value and its geological certainty. Broadly speaking, it is possible to distinguish between the following groups:

* mineral occurrences: they do not always result from interest at an economic level, although they can be at a geological level;

* mining resources: they have a certain potential with respect to their economic value, for which they are usually extracted;

* mineral reserves: also known as ore reserves (It is a mineral that can be extracted from a chemical element, usually a metal) and its extraction is beneficial, as well as legal and technically feasible.

Within the group of mining resources, in turn, it is possible to distinguish between the resources:

* proven: are those mineral occurrences that have an economic importance and from which they have been obtained samples in trenches, wells, outcrops or boreholes, for example, to a point where it is possible to make a fairly reliable estimate of their grade, metal content, tonnage, shape, as well as their physical characteristics and densities;

* measured: These are proven resources that have been sampled to be declared a acceptable estimate. In other words, a competent person, a concept that in this context and according to mining regulations usually refers to a professional in the mining industry. geology, performs a second sample to verify the properties discussed above.

Since classifying mineral resources is an economic function, it is not possible to carry it out without the relevant control through rules, regulations and statutes.

The exploitation of mineral resources, however, can lead to Negative effects. When mining is not controlled efficiently, it is an activity capable of generating great damage to the planet, polluting it.

This leads to the fact that, even though mining is the main source of wealth for many cities and countries, there are groups that oppose this activity because of its risks. The extraction of mineral resources can pollute the water, destroy mountain ranges or lead to the disappearance of a forest, for example.

Those who work in the mines to extract mineral resources, on the other hand, tend to work in unsanitary conditions and are forced to face dangerous situations on a daily basis by working, many times, under the land.

Broadly speaking, the following types of risks: physical, which include traumatic injuries, deafness, skin cancer and the consequences of high barometric pressure, humidity and heat, typical of this work; chemicalsgiven exposure to coal dust, asbestos, crystalline silica, diesel particulates, and gases such as carbon dioxide and methane; biological, with infectious agents such as the tubercle bacillus and legionella; ergonomic, given that even today many of the tasks are manual and repetitive, which can overload the muscles; psychosocial, since the terrible working conditions lead to different mental disorders.