# Primary mineral

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A '''primary mineral''' is any mineral formed during the original crystallization of the host [igneous](/source/Igneous_rock) [primary rock](/source/Primary_Rock) and includes the essential mineral(s) used to classify the rock along with any accessory minerals.<ref>Ailsa Allaby and Michael Allaby. "primary mineral." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. [Encyclopedia.com](/source/Encyclopedia.com). 1 Oct. 2016.</ref> In [ore](/source/ore) deposit [geology](/source/geology), [hypogene](/source/hypogene) processes occur deep below the Earth's surface, and tend to form deposits of primary minerals, as opposed to [supergene](/source/Supergene_(geology)) processes that occur at or near the surface, and tend to form '''secondary minerals'''.<ref name="Rakovan2003">{{cite journal | title=A Word to the Wise: Hypogene & Supergene | author=Rakovan, John | journal=Rocks & Minerals | year=2003 | volume=78 | issue=6 | page=419 | doi=10.1080/00357529.2003.9926759| s2cid=128609800 }}</ref>
thumb|White veins of gypsum (primary/secondary sulfate mineral) near Gunthorpe in Nottinghamshire, England, UK
The elemental and mineralogical composition of primary rocks is determined by the chemical composition of the [volcanic](/source/Volcano) or [magma](/source/magma)tic flow from which it is formed. [Extrusive rocks](/source/Extrusive_rock) (such as [basalt](/source/basalt), [rhyolite](/source/rhyolite), [andesite](/source/andesite) and [obsidian](/source/obsidian)) and [intrusive rocks](/source/Intrusive_rock) (such as [granite](/source/granite), [granodiorite](/source/granodiorite), [gabbro](/source/gabbro) and [peridotite](/source/peridotite)) contain primary minerals including [quartz](/source/quartz), [feldspar](/source/feldspar), [plagioclase](/source/plagioclase), [muscovite](/source/muscovite), [biotite](/source/biotite), [amphibole](/source/amphibole), [pyroxene](/source/pyroxene) and [olivine](/source/olivine) in varying concentrations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lawr.ucdavis.edu/classes/Ssc219/biogeo/prim.htm |title=Primary and Secondary Minerals |publisher=Lawr.ucdavis.edu |date= |accessdate=2020-01-30}}</ref> Additionally, primary sulfate minerals occur in igneous rocks. Primary sulfate minerals may occur in veins, these minerals include; [hauynite](/source/Hauyne), [noselite](/source/Nosean), [barite](/source/Baryte), [anhydrite](/source/anhydrite), [gypsum](/source/gypsum) (primary and secondary mineral), [celestite](/source/Celestine_(mineral)), [alunite](/source/alunite) (primary and secondary mineral), [creedite](/source/creedite), and [thaumasite](/source/thaumasite).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Butler |first=Bert |date=December 1, 1919 |title=Primary (Hypogene) Sulphate Minerals in Ore Deposits |url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/segweb/economicgeology/article-abstract/14/8/581/14319/Primary-hypogene-sulphate-minerals-in-ore-deposits?redirectedFrom=fulltext |journal=[Economic Geology](/source/Economic_Geology) |volume=14 |issue=8 |pages=581–609 |doi=10.2113/gsecongeo.14.8.581 |via=GeoscienceWorld|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Primary minerals can be used to analyze geochemical dispersion halos, and indicator minerals. Furthermore, the most dominant primary minerals in soils are [silicate minerals](/source/silicate_minerals).<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Nanzyo, Kanno |first=Masami, Hitoshi |title=Inorganic Constituents in Soil |publisher=[Springer Nature](/source/Springer_Nature) Singapore Pte Ltd. |year=2018 |isbn=978-981-13-1214-4 |location=Singapore |pages=11–14}}</ref> A variety of silica groups have been discovered, and are controlled by their bonding arrangement, and silica tetrahedron.<ref name=":2" />

== Geochemistry ==

=== Geochemical dispersion halos ===
Primary ore deposits contain primary ores that may develop a geochemical dispersion halo known as primary dispersion expressions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Mcqueen|first=Kenneth|title=ORE DEPOSIT TYPES AND THEIR PRIMARY EXPRESSIONS|publisher=CRC LEME|year=2005|isbn=9781921039287|location=Bentley, WA|pages=3}}</ref> "These primary expressions are syndepositional in nature, and thus can occur at or close to the time of ore formation".<ref name=":0" /> Primary ore expressions may show alteration of the host rocks. These alterations include; [silicification](/source/silicification), [pyritization](/source/pyritization), [sericitization](/source/sericitization), [chloritization](/source/Mineral_alteration), [carbonate](/source/carbonate) alteration, tourmalinization, and [greisens](/source/Greisen).<ref name=":0" />

=== Indicator minerals ===
Heavy indicator minerals can lead to a good approximation of primary geology and presence of mineral deposits. Primary indicator minerals can be used to identify [gold](/source/gold) deposits, [kimberlites](/source/Kimberlite), and massive sulfide deposits.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Bowell, Cohen |first=R.J., D.R. |title=Treatise on Geochemistry (Second Edition) Chapter 13.24 Exploration Geochemistry |publisher=[Elsevier Ltd.](/source/Elsevier_Ltd.) |year=2014 |isbn=9780080983004 |location=Amsterdam ; San Diego, CA, USA. |pages=635}}</ref>  The indicator minerals are further used to track dispersal trains in streams, which may determine the location of primary ores/minerals, and their source.<ref name=":1" />

== Characteristics ==
[[File:Elbaite.jpg|thumb|Elbaite (tourmaline) from [Minas Gerais](/source/Minas_Gerais), Brazil]]
Minerals in soils are found in two types; primary and secondary.<ref name=":2" />  "A primary mineral has not been altered chemically since its crystallization from a cooling magma."<ref name=":2" /> Additionally, a primary mineral is defined as a mineral that is found in soil but not formed in soil, whereas secondary minerals are formed during weathering of primary minerals.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/grunwald/teaching/eSoilScience/primary.shtml#parent|title=Sabine Grunwald - Soil and Water Sciences Department - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences - UF/IFAS|date=2019-07-31|publisher=Soils.ifas.ufl.edu|accessdate=2020-01-30}}</ref> The latter is further defined by Dr. Broome of North Carolina State:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://broome.soil.ncsu.edu/ssc012/Lecture/topic4.htm |title=Topic 4 Rocks and Minerals |access-date=2016-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014174526/http://broome.soil.ncsu.edu/ssc012/Lecture/topic4.htm |archive-date=2016-10-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the particle size of primary minerals is primarily larger than 2μm, which includes; silt, sand, and gravel.<ref name=":2" /> The most dominant primary minerals in soil are the [silicate mineral](/source/silicate_mineral)s. Silicate minerals consist of more than 90% of the minerals in the Earth's crust.<ref name=":2" />  There are six silica mineral groups, based on bonding arrangement, and silica tetrahedron.<ref name=":2" /> The silica groups include: nesosilicates, sorosilicates, cyclosilicates, inosilicates, phyllosilicates, and tectosilicates.<ref name=":2" /> Tectosilicates such as [quartz](/source/quartz), and [cristobalite](/source/cristobalite) are common in soils.<ref name=":2" /> Phyllosilicates are known as the sheet silicates, and include [muscovite](/source/muscovite), [biotite](/source/biotite), and clay minerals.<ref name=":2" /> Cyclosilicates are known as ring silicates, and include [tourmaline](/source/tourmaline).<ref name=":2" /> Inosilicates are known as single/double chain silicates, and include amphiboles, and pyroxenes.<ref name=":2" /> Sorosilicates contain double silica tetrahedra, such as [vesuvianite](/source/vesuvianite).<ref name=":2" /> Nesosilicates have one silica tetrahedra, such as [olivine](/source/olivine).<ref name=":2" />

The earth's crust and soils are dominated by [silicic acid](/source/silicic_acid) in combination with Na, Al, K, Ca, Fe and O ions. The following elements are components of primary minerals, whereas primary minerals are components of parent rocks. Primary rocks are the source of primary minerals and [primary water](/source/primary_water). For the classical discussions of the origin of primary ores, see the two publications "Ore Deposits" (1903 and 1913).<ref>Rickard, T.F.; Ore Deposits: Engineering and Mining Journal, 1903; and Emmons, S.F.; Ore Deposits: A. I. M. E., 1913: pp. 837-846.</ref> According to W.A. Tarr (1938) the primary mineral deposits are the result of direct magmatic action; he states that the splitting of magmas results in the basic igneous rocks and their accompanying group of accessory minerals formed by the first crystallization in the magma, on the one hand, and in the acidic igneous rocks and a second group of accessory minerals which were formed by deposition from the residual [mother liquor](/source/mother_liquor)s.<ref>Tarr, W.A.; 1938: Introductory Economic Geology; McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., p. 31.</ref>

== Beneficiation of primary ores ==
Leaching of primary sulfate minerals occurs through the process of [bioleaching](/source/bioleaching) for the separation of primary sulfide ores.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Tadesse, Makuei, Albijanic, Dyer|first=Bogale, Fidele, Boris, Laurence|date=2019|title=The beneficiation of lithium minerals from hard rock ores: A review|journal=Minerals Engineering|volume=131|pages=170–184|doi=10.1016/j.mineng.2018.11.023|s2cid=105940721 }}</ref> Primary ores are also extracted through dense media separation (DMS), which is a technique that involves the removal of [gangue](/source/gangue) through the variation of specific gravity within particles.<ref name=":4" /> The dense minerals (high specific gravity) containing primary ores sink, and the lighter gangue minerals float to the surface.<ref name=":4" /> DMS plants have been widely used for different mining applications, such as the beneficiation of lithium bearing ores from pegmatites, like the main lithium-bearing mineral known as [spodumene](/source/spodumene).<ref name=":4" /> Another method of beneficiation is through magnetic separation. Magnetic separation involves the separation of iron-bearing gangue, such as [hematite](/source/hematite).<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last=Yu, Han, Li, Gao|first=Jianwen, Yuexin, Yanjun, Peng|date=2017|title=Beneficiation of an iron ore fines by magnetization roasting and magnetic separation|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301751617302053|journal=International Journal of Mineral Processing|volume=168|pages=1|doi=10.1016/j.minpro.2017.02.001|via=Elsevier Science Direct|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Hematite cannot be used in the iron and steel industry without beneficiation.<ref name=":5" /> Roasting of primary low grade ores, such as [siderite](/source/siderite) and hematite occurs further forming [magnetite](/source/magnetite).<ref name=":5" /> Once the conversion of iron-oxides occurs, magnetic separation may proceed to extract magnetic ores.<ref name=":5" /> Additionally, another beneficiation technique used for primary ores is froth flotation.<ref name=":5" />  Froth flotation is used after roasting of primary ores, where the magnetite (or other primary ore) is further separated forming a concentrate.<ref name=":5" /> 

==References==
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* Tarr, W.A.; 1938: Introductory Economic Geology; McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.

Category:Minerals

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Primary mineral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_mineral) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_mineral?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.