2: MINERALOGY OF ECONOMIC DEPOSITS 25

TABLE 2.2 List of common gangue minerals.

Name Composition Primary Supergene

Quartz SiO2 X
Chert SiO2 X
Limonite Fe2O3.nH2O X
Calcite CaCO3 X X
Dolomite CaMg(CO3)2 X X
Ankerite Ca(Mg,Fe)(CO3)2 X X
Baryte BaSO4 X
Gypsum CaSO4.2H2O X X
Feldspar All types X
Fluorite CaF2 X
Garnet Andradite most common X
Chlorite Several varieties X
Clay minerals Various X X
Pyrite FeS2 X
Marcasite FeS2 X
Pyrrhotite Fe1xS X
Arsenopyrite FeAsS X

minerals from descending solutions. When Aluminum is of course abundant in many

secondary mineralisation is superposed on
primary mineralisation the grade increases
and this is termed supergene enrichment.
2.2 MINERALOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
Before looking at some of the many methods
that may be used, the economic importance of
these investigations will be emphasized by dis-
cussing briey the importance of mineralogical
form and undesirable constituents.
Mineralogical form
The properties of a mineral govern the ease
with which existing technology can extract
and rene certain metals and this may affect
the cut-off grade (see section 10.4.2). Thus
nickel is far more readily recovered from
sulde than from silicate minerals and sulde
minerals can be extracted down to about 0.5%,
whereas silicate minerals must assay about
1.5% to be economic.
Tin may occur in a variety of silicate minerals
such as stanniferous andradite (Ca3Fe2Si3O12)
and axinite ((Ca,Fe,Mn)Al2BSi4O15OH), from
which it is not recoverable, as well as in its
main ore mineral form, cassiterite (SnO2).
silicate rocks, but it must be usually in the form
of hydrated aluminum oxides, the rock called
bauxite, for economic recovery. The mineral-
ogy of the ore mineral will also place limits on
the maximum possible grade of the concen-
trate. For example, in a mineral deposit con-
taining native copper it is theoretically possible
to produce a concentrate containing 100% Cu
but, if the ore mineral chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) is
the principal source of copper, then the best
concentrate would only contain 34.5% Cu.
Undesirable substances
Deleterious elements may be associated with
both ore and gangue minerals. For example,
tennantite (Cu12As4S13) in copper ores can
introduce unwanted arsenic and sometimes
mercury into copper concentrates. These, like
phosphorus in iron concentrates and arsenic
in nickel concentrates, will lead to custom
smelters imposing nancial penalties or refus-
ing the shipment. The ways in which gangue
minerals may lower the value of an ore are
very varied. For example, an acid leach is
normally employed to extract uranium from
the crushed ore, but if the carbonate, calcite
(CaCO3), is present, there will be excessive acid
consumption and the less effective alkali leach