Ore minerals are naturally occurring minerals from which valuable metals and elements can be economically extracted. These minerals are essential for industrial processes, construction, and technology.
Key Characteristics of Ore Minerals
✅ High concentration of the desired metal.
✅ Economically viable to extract.
✅ Often found in association with non-valuable minerals called gangue minerals.
Table of Ore Minerals and Their Properties
| Sl No | Mineral Name | Composition | Hardness | Colour | Streak | Lustre | Specific Gravity | Cleavage, Fracture | Form, Distinctive Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenopyrite | FeAsS | 5.5-6 | Silver-White, Tarnishes to Pale Copper Colour. | Grey Black | Metallic | 6.2 | Poor | Massive, Granular, Crystals, When Rubbed Against Stone It Emits a garlic Odor |
| 2 | Azurite | 2CuCO₃·Cu(OH)₂ | 3.5-4 | Blue | Blue | Earthy, Vitreous | 3.77 | Not Seen | Earthy, Fibrous, Intimately Associated with Malachite |
| 3 | Barytes | BaSO₄ | 3-3.5 | White, Light Yellow | White | Vitreous | 4.3-4.6 | 3 Good | Tabular, Recognized by High Specific Gravity |
| 4 | Bauxite | Al₂O₃·nH₂O | 1-3 | White, Grey, Yellow, Red | Same Colour as Mineral | Earthy | - | - | Commonly, Pisolitic, Also Earthy and Oolitic |
| 5 | Bornite | Cu₅FeS₄ | 3 | Bronzy | Grey-Black | Metallic | 5.07 | None | Massive, Purplish Tarnish |
| 6 | Braunite | (Mn, Si)₂O₃ | 6-6.5 | Brownish-Black | Brownish-Black | Sub-Metallic | 4.8 | None | Massive |
| 7 | Chalcopyrite | CuFeS₂ | 3.5-4 | Brass To Gold Yellow | Greenish Black | Metallic | 4.2 | Uneven Fracture | Massive, Granular, Disseminated Crystals |
| 8 | Chalcocite | Cu₂S | 2.5-3 | Lead Grey to Black | Metallic | 5.5-5.8 | Conchoidal Fracture | Fine Grained Masses, May Tarnish to Green or Blue | |
| 9 | Chromite | FeCr₂O₄ | 5.5 | Black | Brown | Sub-Metallic | 4.5-4.8 | None | Granular, Found in Basic Igneous Rock |
| 10 | Cinnabar | HgS | 2-2.5 | Red | Red | Resinous | 8.1 | Perfect | Massive, Granular, Crystal |
| 11 | Galena | PbS | 2.5 | Silver-Grey | Lead Grey | Metallic | 7.6 | 3 Good At 90° | Granular Masses, Cubic Crystals |
| 12 | Graphite | C | 1-2 | Black | Shining Black | Metallic | 2.1 | Perfect Basal | Foliated Masses, Greasy Feel, Marks Paper |
| 13 | Hematite | Fe₂O₃ | 5.5-6.5 | Reddish-Brown To Black | Red-Brown | Submetallic, Metallic, Dull | 5.3 | Uneven Fracture | Granular, Reniform,Massive Or Foliated |
| 14 | Ilimenite | FeTiO₃ | 5-6 | Iron-Black | Black | Metallic To Submetallic | 4.79 | Conchoidal Fracture | Massive, Granular, Thin Plates |
| 15 | Limonite | 2Fe₂O₃·3H₂O | 5-5.5 | Yellowish- Brown, Dark Brown, Black | Yellow Brown | Dull, Silky | 3.6-4 | None | Earthy, Granular, Fibrous, Botryoidal, Alteration Product of Iron Minerals |
| 16 | Magnesite | MgCO₃ | 3.5-4.5 | White, Grey, Brown, Yellow | White | Dull | 2.8-3 | None | Massive, Granular, Occurs Along with Serpentine Masses |
| 17 | Magnetite | Fe₃O₄ | 6 | Black | Black | Metallic | 5.18 | Not Seen | Disseminated Grains, Granular, Masses, Octahedral Isometric Crystals |
| 18 | Malachite | CuCO₃·Cu(OH)₂ | 3.5-4 | Green | Green | Vitreous | 3.6-4 | - | Fibrous, Earthy |
| 19 | Marcasite | FeS₂ | 6-6.5 | Bronze-Yellow | Greenish Black | Metallic | 4.9 | Perfect Basal | Tabular, Colour Lighter Than Pyrite |
| 20 | Molybdenite | MoS₂ | 1-1.5 | Lead Grey | Lead Grey | Metallic | 4.8 | - | Scaly, Granular, Foliated, Bluish tint Distinguishes It from Graphite. |
| 21 | Monazite | (Ce, La, Y, Th)PO₄ | 5-5.5 | Yellowish-Brown | White | Resinous | 4.6-5.4 | 1 Perfect | Tiny Crystal |
| 22 | Orpiment | As₂S₃ | 1.5-2 | Lemon-Yellow | Yellow | Resinous | 3.5 | - | Foliated, Massive |
| 23 | Psilomelane | Hydrated oxide of Mn with BaO and K₂O | 5-6 | Black, Grey | Black | Submetallic | 3.7-4.7 | - | Massive, Reniform, Botryoidal |
| 24 | Pyrite | FeS₂ | 6-6.5 | Pale Brass-Yellow | Dark Green | Metallic | 5.02 | - | Granular Masses, Cubic Crystal, Massive |
| 25 | Pyrolusite | MnO₂ | 2-2.5 | Dark Grey | Black | Metallic | 4.8 | - | Massive, Reniform, Soils the Finger |
| 26 | Pyrrhotite | Fe₇S₈ | 3.5-4.5 | Bonze Colur | Dark Grey | Metallic | 4.6 | - | Massive, Granular, Softer Than Pyrite |
| 27 | Realgar | AsS | 1.5-2 | Red, Orange | Orange | Resinous | 3.56 | - | Massive, Granular |
| 28 | Siderite | FeCO₃ | 3.5-4 | Yellow, Brown, Black | White | Vitreous | 3.9 | 3 Good | Crystal, Massive, Grains |
| 29 | Sphalerite | ZnS | 3.5-4 | Yellow, Brown, Green, Red | Light Pale | Resinous To Submetallic | 3.9-4.1 | 6 Good | Crystal, Grains, Massive |
| 30 | Stibnite | Sb₂S₃ | 2 | Lead-Grey, Silver-White | Dark Grey | Metallic | 4.63 | Perfect Length | Long Crystals, Columnar, Massive. Striations Lengthwise on Crystals |