TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

USEFUL MINERAL [1 record]

Record 1 2006-11-02

English

Subject field(s)
  • Metals Mining
  • Mineralogy
  • Economic Geology
DEF

A mineral from which a useful metal may be extracted, which may serve as a source of this metal if it can be profitably worked.

CONT

A mineral utilized as a source of a particular metal or chemical substance is often referred to as an ore mineral. Profitability is an important factor and some authorities restrict the definition of an ore mineral to those minerals from which a metal can profitably be extracted.

CONT

... there are geologists who divide minerals of economic importance into two main groups: the ore minerals from which a metal (or metals) is extracted, and the industrial minerals in which the mineral itself is used for ... industrial purposes. ... Mines commonly possess mineral dressing plants in which the raw ore is milled before the separation of the ore minerals from the gangue minerals.

CONT

The main ore minerals are pyrrhotite, pentlandite, violarite, chalcopyrite, and cubanite.

OBS

As opposed to "gangue mineral."

OBS

The term "metallic mineral" should be used for a mineral with a metallic luster rather than for a mineral from which a useful metal may be extracted.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Mines métalliques
  • Minéralogie
  • Géologie économique
DEF

Minéral qui peut être mis en valeur.

CONT

Les principaux minéraux métallifères sont la pyrrhotite, la pentlandite, la violarite, la chalcopyrite et la cubanite.

CONT

Souvent considérée comme minéral de «gangue», [la barytine] constitue en elle-même un véritable minerai de baryum pour l'industrie chimique.

CONT

[...] dans la plupart des cas, le métallogéniste insère tel ou tel minerai [...] dans le cadre d'une classification sans avoir fait appel à des méthodes qui auraient pu le renseigner sur les conditions physiques de genèse [...]. Or ces méthodes sont nombreuses [...] Plus encore qu'aux minéraux des minerais proprement dits, elles s'appliquent aux minéraux des gangues [...]

OBS

Minéraux métallifères. Ces minéraux sont parfois appelés «métalliques», mais il vaut mieux réserver ce terme pour désigner les minéraux qui ont l'éclat métallique, car certains minéraux métallifères n'ont pas cet éclat [...]

OBS

Par opposition à «minéral de gangue».

Spanish

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