Tag: Geological processes

With over 5,000 officially recognized mineral species on Earth, it's a common question: what is the ultimate source of minerals? The answer is a dynamic and multifaceted geological process, driven by the planet's internal heat and surface forces, leading to constant mineral creation and recycling.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), most clay minerals form where rocks are in contact with water, air, or steam, a process fundamentally linked to the mineral content found in mud. Mud is not just simple dirt and water; it is a rich, semi-colloidal substance containing an assortment of mineral ions and compounds that have significant geological, agricultural, and even therapeutic importance.

Over 92 minerals are commercially exploited in Pakistan alone. In nature, minerals are transported through complex geological cycles, from the movement of sediments by wind and water to their uptake by plants through biological processes. Industrial operations then use sophisticated logistics, involving trucks, trains, and ships, to move these valuable resources from mine sites to global markets.

Despite appearing permanent, minerals are finite resources, and their slow but constant destruction is a fundamental geological process. Over eons, weathering, erosion, and chemical alteration work to break down and transform minerals and the rocks they compose, a natural cycle often accelerated by human intervention.