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Earth Science
 Mineral Super Store

Mineral Super Store
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 9 to 10
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   9.37

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    chromium, gypsum, hematite, hydrothermal, kaolinite, magnetite, manganese, platinum, precipitate, rarity, subsurface, calcite, brilliance, radioactivity, metamorphic, metamorphism

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Mineral Super Store
By Trista L. Pollard 		  
1     Located in the third spot from the sun, lies a mineral super store. It has taken millions of yeas, but our planet has formed over 3,000 different minerals in its crust. These mineral resources fall into two categories- metals and nonmetals. The majority of these mineral resources are mined for our consumption.
 
2     Metals have very distinct characteristics that separate them from nonmetals. They have shiny surfaces and are great conductors of heat and electricity. Since metals are very pliable they are used for items like wires and jewelry. Nonmetals, however, have dull surfaces. They are also poor conductors of heat and electricity which make them great insulators. Metals and nonmetals are referred to as ores.
 
3     Ores are natural materials that have a high concentration of valuable minerals. When the concentration of minerals is high enough, then the ore can be mined profitably. Gold, silver, copper, and other metallic minerals are called native elements. You would find these native elements in the form of pure metal nuggets in the Earth's crust. Other minerals in the Earth's crust are usually compounds of two or more elements. In the case of iron, Fe, the metal has to be mined from the minerals magnetite and hematite, which occur naturally. So, how do these ores appear?

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