Notes

COMPUTER

MINERALS
Wolframite: used in monitor
Copper: used in wiring
Silver: used in electronics
Quartz: used in electronics

HOW THESE MINERALS ARE FORMED AND PROCESSED?
WOLFRAMITE
FORMED: Through magmatic-hydrothermal processes associated with felsic magmas, namely skarns, or through metamorphic processes. In the more common granitic deposits, wolframite minerals can be found in both greisen and veins as its formation is tied to these two structures.
PROCESSED: Consists of two endmembers, Ferberite (Fe2+ end member), Hübnerite (Mn2+ end member), with Wolframite, (Fe,Mn)WO4 itself being a solid solution between the two endmembers. These two end members can be present in any proportion within Wolframite, from 100% Ferberite to 100% Hübnerite. Wolframite Contains the following percentages of its components, 60.63% W+6 , 9.21% Fe+2 , 9.06% Mn+2 , 21.10% O−2. Wolframite ore exhibits massive form with a dark grey to reddish black coloration. Wolframite in its pure crystal form exhibits a monoclinic crystal system with a perfect cleavage of {010} and an iron black color. Wolframite in its crystalline form also displays lamellar and prismatic habit.

COPPER
FORMED: It starts the same way the old model did, with fluids separating from magma and taking copper and chlorine but not much sulfur with them. These fluids bubble up through the crust and collect in pores in the rock, where they sit, waiting for the final step that will allow them to form copper minerals.
PROCESSED: A high level of electrical and thermal conductivity, making it attractive for a wide range of ornamental and practical applications. With cold-working, copper becomes harder, but it can be made soft again with the heat treating process known as annealing.

SILVER
FORMED: By forming compounds with sulfur. Due to hot temperature, salty water called brine dissolves, collects and concentrates silver into the brine. Once the brine mixes with cold sea water, the metal does not stay dissolved and precipitates on the sea floor as minerals. Silver is classified as a transition and precious metal.
PROCESSED: Silver (Ag), like gold, crystallizes in the face-centred cubic system. It melts when heated to 962 °C (1,764 °F). With a density of 10.49 grams per cubic centimetre, it is the lightest of the precious metals. It is also the least noble of the precious metals, reacting readily with many common reagents such as nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Metallic silver can be dissolved from gold alloys of less than 30 percent gold by boiling with 30-percent-strength nitric acid in a process referred to as parting. Boiling with concentrated sulfuric acid to separate silver and gold is called affination. Both these processes are used on a commercial scale for separating silver and gold.

QUARTZ
FORMED: Quartz that grows from silica-rich water forms in a similar way. Silicon dioxide dissolves in water, like sugar in tea, but only at high temperature and pressure. Then, when the temperature or pressure drops, the solution becomes saturated, so quartz crystals form.
PROCESSED: Quartz may typically undergo a range of size reduction through crushers such as Jaw crushers, Cone Crushers, Impact Crushers and Hammermills. Further size reduction is typically done with rod and ball mills to liberate the quartz from other minerals.
Concentration of the quartz is often then performed by either froth flotation or gravity based processing such as Hydrosizers™ or spirals. Silica sands are often cleaned using equipment like Attrition Cells to remove surface impurities such as iron staining.

USES OF EACH MINERALS
WOLFRAMITE
electric filaments
armor-piercing ammunition
tungstic acid

COPPER
alloys used in jewellery
medical uses for copper
electrical industrie

SILVER
highest electrical conductivity
brazing and soldering
chemical production

QUARTZ
chemical properties
glass making
electronic products