Transcript MINING IN SOUTH AFRICA

LITHOSPHERE
South Africa is
rich in minerals

 Precious as well as base metals are mined in SA.
 Precious metals: metals with a high monetary value;
relatively rare e.g. gold, silver and platinum.
 Base metals: not as expensive or rare e.g. copper,
lead, iron, zinc and tin.
 Non-metals e.g. coal and asbestos are also mined.
Mining in SA
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https://www.youtube.c
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Why does SA have so many different
types of minerals in abundance?
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 Scientists think that the Late Bombardment took
place about 3 900 millions of years ago. Many huge
bodies (meteorites etc.) hit the earth.
 Meteorites contain metals such as gold and
platinum, and therefore increased the amounts of
these metals on earth.
 Diamonds were formed under great pressure during
the formation of the continents.
Mineral ores

 Minerals are mined as
ore, rock containing
enough of a certain
mineral to make it
commercially valuable.
Iron ore
Gold – reef gold
Copper ore
Mining methods

 Some mines are open
mines e.g. some coal
mines in SA. The Big
Hole at Kimberley was
an open pit diamond
mine.
 https://www.youtube.
com/watch?feature=pl
ayer_detailpage&v=gzt
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Open copper mine at Palaborwa
Kimberley

 The history of mining
in South Africa is
closely bound to the
diamond mines at
Kimberley.
 Did you know that
Kimberley was the first
town in SA to have
electric street lamps?
Underground mining

 If the mineral is buried
deep underground,
then miners have to go
underground.
 https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=BkjrbCi7Sc&feature=playe
r_detailpage
Iron ore and
mining for iron
 Sishen is one of our
 Iron ore is blasted from
open mine and
 then brought to surface
by huge trucks.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=xAa979cdiT0&feature=player_d
etailpage
biggest iron ore
mines. Crushed ore
is taken by train to
Saldanha to be
exported and then
turned to steel.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6BI
yQJZdTg&feature=player_detailpage
Extracting iron from
iron ore
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Diamonds are forever!
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Diamond mining
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Diamonds are pure carbon with a
crystal structure.
Diamonds are found in rock known as
Kimberlite pipes.
Diamonds can have colours, due to
other elements found inside.
Diamonds are also made artificially to
be used in industrial processes.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?feat
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