Ore

Categories: Economic geology | Geology stubs

For other uses, see Ore (disambiguation).

An ore is a mineral deposit containing a metal or other valuable resource in economically viable concentrations. Usually, it is used in the context of a mineral deposit from which it is economical to extract its metallic component. Ores are mined.

Ore minerals are generally oxides, sulfides, silicates, or native metals that are not commonly concentrated in the Earth's crust. The ores must be processed to extract the metals of interest from the waste rock and from the ore minerals.

Ore bodies are formed by a variety of geological processes. The abundance of an ore will directly affect the costs associated with mining the ore and the subsequent cost of the metal extracted.

Important ore minerals

• Argentite: Ag₂S
• Barite: BaSO₄
• Beryl: Be₃Al₂(SiO₃)₆
• Bornite: Cu₅FeS₄
• Cassiterite: SnO₂
• Chalcocite: Cu₂S
• Chalcopyrite: CuFeS₂
• Chromite: (Fe,Mg)Cr₂O₄
• Cinnabar: HgS
• Cobaltite: (Co,Fe)AsS
• Columbite-Tantalite or Coltan: (Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)₂O₆
• Galena: PbS
• Gold: Au
• Hematite: Fe₂O₃
• Ilmenite: FeTiO₃
• Magnetite: Fe₃O₄
• Molybdenite: MoS₂
• Pentlandite:(Fe,Ni)₉S₈
• Scheelite: CaWO₄
• Sphalerite: ZnS
• Uraninite: UO₂
• Wolframite: (Fe,Mn)WO₄

eo:Erco fr:Minerai nl:Erts pl:Ruda pt:Minério ru:Руда sl:Ruda fi:Malmi sv:Malm