Science8 Mineral Resources: Home

Australia produces 19 useful minerals in significant amounts, from over 350 operating mines. From these minerals, useful materials such as metals can be extracted. Australia is one of the world's leading producers of gold, lead, bauxite (aluminium ore), iron ore, lithium, diamond, rare earth elements, uranium and zinc. Australia also has large mineral sand deposits of ilmenite, zircon and rutile. In addition, Australia produces large quantities of black coal, manganese, antimony, nickel, silver, cobalt, copper and tin.

Mining occurs in all states of Australia, the Northern Territory and Christmas Island. There is no mining in the Australian Capital Territory apart from quarries used for construction materials. Australia's Identified Mineral Resources, has up-to-date information on mineral resources in Australia including resource estimates, production and export figures.

Major mining and mineral deposits in Australia, 2016.

SOURCE: Geoscience Australia.

Your task is to choose a mineral that interests you, carry out research and write a report (approx. 3 pages).

Assignment Documents:

Cleavage: The property of a mineral breaking along its crystallographic planes.

Colour: One of the most important properties used in determining minerals.

Dense: a. Compact, fine-grained, lacking pore space. b. Rock or mineral with a high specific gravity.

Dull: Those minerals in which there is a total absence of luster, as chalk or kaolin.

Fracture: a. The way in which a mineral breaks, other than its cleavage. b. A crack, joint, or break in rocks.

Hardness: Hardness is the resistance of a mineral to abrasion or scratching.

Lustre: The way a mineral reflects light or shines. It is one of the means for distinguishing minerals.

Metallic: Minerals having the luster of a metal, for example gold and copper.

Specific gravity: The ratio of a specimen's weight compared with the weight of an equal volume of water. 

Streak: A mineral's powder color.

Find more . . .