Appendix 4: Economic Minerals

Mineral Ore or Industrial Mineral Uses Notable Canadian Sources
Azurite & malachite Ore – Cu-bearing carbonates Ornamental stones, gemstones
Barite (BaSO4) Industrial High specific gravity, useful additive to drill mud when drilling for oil. Fireside Mine near Watson Lake, Yukon, and Walton Barite Mine in Nova Scotia
Bauxite (Al oxide) Ore – Aluminum Used to produce synthetic corundum Bauxite is mined primarily in Australia, China and Guinea, but is refined at several smelters across Canada including in Kitimat, BC and in Québec
Bornite (Cu5FeS4) Ore – Copper Source of copper for electrical equipment, wiring, construction Sudbury mining district, Ontario
Calcite (CaCO3) Industrial Fertilizer, filler in paints, used to make lime (CaO) for use in remediation of acid rock drainage, decorative (marble statues) The limestone quarry in Exshaw feeds directly into the Lafarge Exshaw Cement Plant, the largest in Canada!
Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) Ore – Copper Source of copper for electrical equipment, wiring, construction Highland Valley Copper Mine near Kamloops, B.C.
Corundum (Al2O3) Industrial Abrasive (hardness = 9!), gemstones (ruby and sapphire)
Diamond (C) Industrial Abrasive (hardness = 10!), gemstones Northwest Territories, northern Ontario and Alberta
Dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) Industrial Building stone, ornamental stone, source of Mg for metallurgy and chemical industry (Mg-salts)
Feldspar minerals (framework silicates) Industrial Porcelain, glass, and ceramics; also used as gemstones (e.g., moonstones)
Fluorite (CaF2) Industrial Source of fluorine for metallurgy, chemical industries (e.g., production of hydrofluoric acid), clear varieties used to make lenses Madoc, Ontario, and Rock Candy Mine in B.C.
Galena (PbS) Ore – Lead Lead-acid batteries, ceramics and glasses, ammunition Silvertip Mine in northern B.C., Sullivan Mine near Kimberley, B.C.
Graphite (C) Industrial Industrial lubricant for machinery, pencil “lead”
Gypsum (CaSO4 · 2H2O) Industrial Wallboard (dry wall) for its natural fire retardant properties Nova Scotia – the most productive gypsum mining area in the world!
Halite (NaCl) Industrial Table and road salt, source of Na and Cl for chemical industry Goderich, Ontario – largest salt mine in the world!
Hematite (Fe2O3) Ore – Iron Source of iron for production of steel for building, historically used as a pigment Québec-Labrador border, Baffinland Iron Mines in Nunavut
Kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4) Industrial Source of clay for ceramics, very pure clay is required to produce high quality ceramics like porcelain
Magnetite (Fe3O4) Ore – Iron Source of iron for production of steel for building, used to produce “heavy concete” for nuclear power plants Québec-Labrador border, Baffinland Iron Mines in Nunavut
Muscovite (KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2)) Industrial Adds the “glitter” to cosmetics, used as an insulator in some electrical equipment Most muscovite is mined in India, Brazil, and China, but phlogopite, a similar mica mineral, is mined near Ottawa, Ontario
Pyrite (FeS2) Industrial Source of sulphur for chemical industry (e.g., production of sulphuric acid)
Quartz (SiO2) Industrial As pure quartz sand used to make glass, minor gemstone, fracking sand for oil extraction
Sylvite (KCl) Industrial Main source of potash for fertilizer, source of potassium Saskatchewan – sylvite is the provincial mineral!
Sphalerite (ZnS) Ore – Zinc Metallurgy (creating metal alloys), pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries, used in paints, rubber, cosmetics, electrical equipment Silvertip Mine in northern B.C., Sullivan Mine near Kimberley, B.C.
Talc (Mg(OH) silicate) Industrial Key ingredient in talcum powder (baby powder), also used in cosmetics, paper making, paint, pharmaceuticals Appalachians region in southwestern Québec
Uraninite (UO2) Ore – Uranium Nuclear power generation, used to produce radioisotopes for medical purposes (e.g., chemotherapy for cancer patients) Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan – hosts the world’s largest high-grade deposits!
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A Practical Guide to Introductory Geology Copyright © 2020 by Siobhan McGoldrick is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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