Earth Science

Quarter 1 – Module 6:
Ore Minerals: How they are
Found, Mined, and
Processed for Human Use
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Earth Science
Quarter 1 – WEEK 4 Module 6:
Ore Minerals: How they are
Found, Mined, and Processed for
Human Use
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 What I Need to Know

Most Essential Learning Competency:

Describe how ore minerals are found, mined, and processed for human use

This module was designed and written based on the prescribed learning competency.
The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations.
The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The activities
included in this module will assist you to achieve the set learning standard.

The module is composed of lesson on how ore minerals are found, mined, and
processed for human use.

After completing this module, you are expected to:

1. describe how ore minerals are found;
2. identify the different mining method; and
3. explain the different steps in mineral processing.

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 What I Know

Directions: Read and analyze the following questions/statements. Choose and

write the letter that best describe the following statements.
1. Which of the following is not a mineral ore?
a. a rock with fossilized insect c. a sediment that has gold traces
b. a rock combined with copper d. a rock that contains valuable mineral
2. How do modern miners determine the prospective mineral ore body?
I. using geophysical techniques
II. determining the elevation of the area
III. measuring the magnetic reading of the area
IV. determining the sonic responses of the location
a. I, II and III b. I, II and IV c. II, III and IV d. III, IV and I
3. Nickel is an important ingredient in the production of stainless steel. In the
Philippines, CARAGA region has the most numbered nickel mining site where
miners remove a thin parallel strip of soil to extract the ore deposits. Which mining
method did the miners use?
a. Dredging c. Strip mining
b. Open-pit mining d. Underground mining
4. Which of the following mining methods are used in mining gravel?
a. Dredging c. Strip mining
b. Open-pit mining d. Underground mining
5. Sand is composed of mineral grains that are widely used as a construction material.
Which of the following method is the most applicable way to mine sand?
1. Open-pit mining 2. Strip Mining 3. Dredging
a. 1 and 2 b. 1 and 3 c. 2 and 3 d. 1, 2 and 3
6. Which of the following is the correct step by step process in mineral processing?
a. comminution, dewatering, crushing, grinding, and analysis
b. sampling, analysis, comminution, filtration, and dewatering
c. sampling analysis, comminution, concentration, and dewatering
d. dewatering, comminution, analysis, sampling, and surface mining
7. Which of the following is not included in the group?
a. Dredging c. Strip mining
b. Open-pit mining d. Underground mining
8. What method of mining involves digging of tunnels to extract the ore deposits?

a. deep mining c. underground mining b. pit mining d. surface

mining
9. Which mineral mining process involves filtration and sedimentation of the
mining water and drying of the solid minerals harvested from the suspension?
a. comminution b. concentration c. dewatering d. sampling
10. Randie examined the ore sample from the undeveloped mining site in Batangas.
He tested the chemical, mineral and particle size of the mineral sample from a
site. What mineral processing did he perform?
a. analysis b. comminution c. dewatering d. sampling

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 11. Which of the following statement/s is/are correct?
1. Surface and underground mining use explosives.
2. Underground mining is cheaper than surface mining
3. Open pit mining is the most common type of surface mining
a. 1 only b. 2 only c. 1 and 2 d. 1 and 3
12. Which of the following is the final step in mineral processing?
a. Analysis b. Comminution c. Dewatering d. Sampling
13. Which is not true about surface mining?
a. It is the most dangerous method of mining.
b. It is used to extract ore minerals near the surface of the earth. c.
Surface mining can be done through open pit, dredging and strip
mining.
d. In surface mining, the soil and rock that covered the ores are
removed through blasting.
14. Engr. Atienza took a sample of mineral from the prospective mineral deposit.
What mineral processing did he do?
a. analysis b. sampling c. comminution d. dewatering 15. Which of the
following processes involved crushing and grinding of mineral ore?
a. analysis b. sampling c. comminution d. dewatering

Lesson Ore Minerals: How They

6 Are Found, Mined, and
Processed for Human Use

What’s In

Directions: Look at the illustration below. List down at least 5

importance of minerals shown in the illustration. Write your answer on
the space provided below.

1. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

3._________________________________

4._________________________________

5._________________________________

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 What’s New

Directions: Read the situation below and answer the guide

questions.
Minerals have been extracted from the earth since prehistoric times and the
history of civilization and industrial advancement has been linked with man’s ability to
harness and use the minerals available. Once a mineral deposit has been found it has
to be extracted from the ground to access the valuable minerals it contains. Use the
idea of this bowl as layers of rocks. In these layers of rocks are mineral deposits.

Guide questions:
1. Since we cannot see what underlies beneath, what can you suggest on how
minerals can be found?
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. What do you think are the mineral deposit present in these layers of rocks?
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. How will you separate each mineral component?
__________________________________________________________________________________

What is It

Mining is the process of mineral extraction from a rock seam or ore –a

natural rock or sediment containing one or more valuable mineral. The
minerals can range from precious metals and iron to gemstones and quartz.
Modern mining technology uses geophysical techniques that involve
measuring the magnetic, gravity and sonic responses of rocks above and
around a prospective mineral ore body.

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 There are two methods of mining:
a. Surface Mining – is used to extract ore minerals near the surface
of the earth. The soil and rocks that covered the ores are removed through
blasting. Blasting is a controlled use of explosives and gas exposure to break
rocks. Some examples of surface mining are:

1. Open-pit mining - This is the most common type of surface

mining. Open pit means a big hole (or pit) in the ground. The pit in mine is
created by blasting with explosives and drilling. It is used to mine gravel and
sand and even rock.

Open-pit Mining

2. Strip mining – This mining type involves the removal of a thin strip
of overburden (earth or soil) above a desired deposit, dumping the removed
overburden behind the deposit, extracting the desired deposit, creating a
second, parallel strip in the same manner, and depositing the waste
materials from that second (new) strip onto the first strip. This mining
method is used for coal, phosphates, clays, and tar mining.

Strip Mining

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 3. Dredging – This is the process of mining materials from the bottom
of a body of water, including rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Dredging
b. Underground mining – is used to extract the rocks, minerals and
other precious stories that can be found beneath the earth’s surface. In
underground mining, miners need to create a tunnel so they can reach the
ore minerals. This kind of mining is more expensive and dangerous as
compared to surface mining because miners need to use explosive devices to
remove the minerals from the rocks that cover them.

Underground Mining
Mineral processing is the process of extracting minerals from the ore,
refining them, and preparing these minerals for use. The primary steps
involved in processing minerals include:

1. Sampling – is the removal of a portion which represents a whole needed

for the analysis of this material.
2. Analysis – is important to evaluate the valuable component in an ore.
This includes chemical, mineral and particle size analysis.
3. Comminution – is the process where the valuable components of the ore
are separated through crushing and grinding. This process begins by
crushing the ores to a particular size and finishes it by grinding the ores
into a powder form.

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4. Concentration – involves the separation of the valuable minerals from
the raw materials
5. Dewatering – uses the concentration to convert it to usable minerals.
This involve filtration and sedimentation of the suspension and drying of
the solid materials harvested from this suspension.

What’s More

A. Directions: Write T if the statement is true or F if the statement is

false.
__________1. Underground mining is more expensive and dangerous than surface
mining.
__________2. Dredging is an example of underground mining.
__________3. In surface mining, miners need to create a tunnel so they can reach
the ore minerals.
__________4. Modern mining technology uses geophysical techniques to locate
prospective mineral ore deposit.
__________5. Both surface and underground mining uses explosives.

B. Directions: Match each statement in Column A with the correct

mining process in Column B. In Column C, arrange column B in
chronological order using numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Column A Column B Column C
______6. It involves the separation of the
valuable minerals from the raw A. dewatering 11. ________
materials
______7. This is the removal of a portion
which represents a whole needed B. sampling 12. ________
for the analysis of this material.
______8. This process begins by crushing the
ores to a particular size and
C. comminution 13. ________
finishes it by grinding the ores
into a powder form.
______9. It uses the concentration to convert
D. analysis 14. ________
it to usable minerals.

______10. It is important to evaluate the

E. concentration 15. ________
valuable component in an ore.

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 What I Have Learned

Direction: Using the concept learned, make a mind map starting from the
word inside the circle below.

Mining

What I Can Do

Directions: Answer the question below.

What is your idea about sustainable mining? Can you list down your idea on
how mining can be sustainable in the Philippines?
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

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 Assessment

Directions: Read and analyze the following questions. Write the

letter that best answers each question.

1. Which of the following is a mineral ore?

1. a rock with fossilized insect 3. a sediment that has gold traces
2. a rock combined with copper 4. a rock that contains valuable mineral

a. 1, 2 and 3 b.1, 3 and 4 c. 2, 3 and 4 d.4, 2 and 1

2. Which of the following mining methods is applicable in mining gravel?

a. Dredging c. Strip mining
b. Open-pit mining d. Underground mining

3. Chromite miners in the Philippines use drill or explosive to bore hole in the ground
to extract the mineral deposits. Which mining method did the miners use?
a. Dredging c. Strip mining
b. Open-pit mining d. Underground mining

4. The following are the processes done by modern miners to determine

the prospective mineral ore body except
a. using geophysical techniques
b. determining the elevation of the area
c. measuring the magnetic reading of the area
d. determining the sonic responses of the location

5. Black sand is mined at sea and coastline in some areas in the Philippines. Which
method is applicable to mine black sand?
a. Dredging c. Strip Mining
b. Open-pit mining d. Underground mining

6. Which of the following is not included in the group?

a. Dredging c. Strip mining
b. Open-pit mining d. Underground mining

7. A geologist examined the ore sample from unidentified mining site. He tested the
chemical, mineral and particle size of the mineral sample. What mineral
processing did he perform?
a. Analysis c. Dewatering
b. Comminution d. Sampling

8. What method of mining involves digging of tunnels to extract the ore deposits?
a. Deep mining c. Surface mining
b. Open - pit mining d. Underground mining

9. Which mineral process involves filtration and sedimentation of the mining water
and drying of the solid minerals harvested from this suspension?

a. Comminution c. Dewatering b. Concentration

d. Sampling
10. Which of the arrangement of mineral processing is correct?
a. comminution, dewatering, crushing, grinding, and analysis
b. sampling, analysis, comminution, filtration, and dewatering
c. sampling analysis, comminution, concentration, and dewatering
d. dewatering, comminution, analysis, sampling, and surface mining

11. Which is true about surface mining?

a. It is the most dangerous method of mining.
b. Surface mining is expensive type of mining.
c. Surface mining can be done through creating a tunnel.
d. It is used to extract ore minerals near the surface of the earth.
12. Which of the following is the first step in mineral processing?

a. Analysis c. Dewatering b. Comminution d.

Sampling

13. Which of the following processes involved crushing and grinding of mineral ore?
a. Analysis c. Dewatering b. Comminution d.
Sampling

14. What mineral processing did a geologist performed if he took a sample of

mineral from the prospective mineral deposit?

a. Analysis c. Dewatering b. Comminution d.

Sampling

15. Which of the following statement/s is/are incorrect?

1. Surface and underground mining use explosives.
2. Underground mining is cheaper than surface mining
3. Open pit mining is the most common type of surface mining
a. 1 only b. 2 only c. 1 and 2 d. 1 and 3

Additional Activities

Explain the quotation given by Gina Lopez on the proposal to lift and review
the open-pit mining ban in the Philippines.
“Mining is not a right. It’s a privilege. It’s a privilege granted on certain
conditions. But the Filipino right to our water, our air, our river, our streams is not
only constitutional, it’s God-given. And it’s the duty of government to protect the
rights of the Filipino”.
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