Ore
An ore is a mineral which has a valuable metal inside it. Ores are usually extracted by being mined. They can sometimes be found on the Earth's surface. Most ores are chemical compounds such as oxides or sulfides. There are different ways to get the metal out of the ore, which is called smelting. Iron ore, for example, is smelted in a blast furnace.
Ore Media
Iron ore (banded iron formation)
Manganese ore – psilomelane (size: 6.7 × 5.8 × 5.1 cm)
Granitic pegmatite composed of plagioclase and K-feldspar, large hornblende crystal present. Scale bar is 5.0 cm
Piece of kimberlite. 11.1 cm x 4.5 cm
A cross-section of a typical volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) ore deposit
Gold ore (size: 7.5 × 6.1 × 4.1 cm)
Magnified view of banded iron formation specimen from Upper Michigan. Scale bar is 5.0 mm.
Some ore deposits in the world
