1.1. Types of Mineral Resources

On the basis of chemical and physical properties, minerals may be grouped under two main categories of metallic and non-metallic minerals.

Metallic minerals are the sources of metals. Metallic minerals can be further divided into two class- ferrous minerals (which have iron content) like iron, nickel, cobalt, tungsten, manganese etc. and non-ferrous minerals (which don’t have iron content) like copper, bauxite, silver, gold etc.

Non-metallic minerals can be divided into fuel minerals (which are organic in origin) like coal, petroleum etc. and other non-metallic minerals like limestone, graphite etc. Minerals have certain characteristics. These are unevenly distributed over space. There is inverse relationship in quality and quantity of minerals i.e. good quality minerals are less in quantity as compared to low quality minerals. All minerals are exhaustible over time and it takes long to develop geologically and they cannot be replenished immediately at the time of need.