Importance of Minerals
to Society
Let’s Fit Those Minerals!
• Direction: Fit each word into a mineral-word
shape puzzle. Beside those precious boxes are
helpful clues for you to complete the task. Enjoy
fitting minerals on those boxes!
zinc
gold
potash
phosphates
bauxite
talc
copper
quartz
calcite
clay
Complete the word by supplying the missing letter.
Choose your answer from the letter bank below.
Complete the word by supplying the missing letter.
Choose your answer from the letter bank below.
Complete the word by supplying the missing letter.
Choose your answer from the letter bank below.
Complete the word by supplying the missing letter.
Choose your answer from the letter bank below.
Medicine
• calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), sodium (Na),
magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), aluminum
(Al) and titanium oxide (TiO) are utilized to
create drugs and devices.
• Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), is a dietary
supplement to be used when the amount of
calcium in the diet is not enough.
• Copper, was used in MRI scanners.
Medicine
• Silver is an active ingredient in
some topical antibiotics,
wound dressings, and medical
devices.
• titanium is a critical
component in artificial joints
because it is strong yet light
and works well as a substitute
for bone.
Agriculture
• gypsum (CaSO4), zinc (Zn), potassium
(K), phosphate (PO43-), potash (KOH),
and sulfur (S) are commonly utilized as
fertilizers to help crops yield better.
• Clay mineral is also important in
agriculture because it enriches the soil
by holding nutrient elements like
potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous,
which are necessary for plant growth.
Cosmetic industries
• Talc, bentonite, steatite are the
usual used minerals.
• Talc which is the softest mineral,
adsorbs microorganisms and other
proteins.
• Bentonite adsorbs heavy metal.
• Steatite provides luster required for
a shiny skin.
Metal-equipment industries
• copper (Cu), gold (Au),
zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni),
silver (Ag), aluminum
(Al) and titanium (Ti)
are metals used to
make many automobile
devices and
machineries
Glass-making industries
• antimony, feldspar, lead,
lithium, quartz, silica,
sodium carbonate, tantalum,
calcite, gypsum, muscovite
mica and orthoclase are the
raw materials to be used.
• Sand is primarily composed
of quartz or silica is the main
ingredient of glass.
Generate nuclear power.
•Radioactive minerals
like uranium (U) and
plutonium(P) are
utilized to generate
nuclear power
Home construction
• Plaster of Paris, granite, marble
stone, rocks, sand and gravel are
used in home construction.
• The glass in windows is made up of
a mineral called quartz and the
tiles are made up of clay minerals.
• Cement on the other hand, is made
up of various minerals like clay and
gypsum.
In households
• We use toothpaste that contains fluoride from fluorite
mineral. Face powder contains talc – the softest mineral.
In the kitchen, salts are commonly used to enhance the
flavor of our food. Kitchen utensils like casserole are made
of aluminum – a light and durable metal, and stainless
wares that contains mostly of iron, chromium and
carbon. Moreover, minerals such as silicon, silver and gold
are used as components of gadgets like cellphones and
computers. Copper is the mostly used electrical wiring
because it is less expensive.
In construction
• Skyscrapers that tower up to 50 stories high, use
durable minerals like iron steel – a combination
of iron and carbon and concrete that contains
limestone, lime and chalk that make them
strong and stand still against strong wind and
earthquake. They also use glass made mainly of
quartz and silica. Floors are made up of granite
and marbles. Aluminum are used in window and
door panels.
• In taking care of our dental health, Dentists use
many tools appropriate for a purpose. Titanium is
a strong but very light metal that is used for
teeth transplant. There are also lots of other
minerals that they use for cleaning and surgery.
Examples are gypsum in plaster cast, and alloys
like stainless steel that primarily composed of
iron, chromium and carbon in their tools.
• Power plants use minerals to provide us electricity
and energy.
• In nuclear power plant, radioactive minerals like
Uranium is used as source of heat energy to run a
nuclear reactor. Likewise, coal power plants also use
mineral coal to generate electricity. On the hand
batteries for electric cars need minerals like nickel,
copper, and lithium.
In agriculture
•NPK Fertilizers contain vital minerals
for the plant to grow healthy. These
minerals include Nitrogen,
phosphorous and potassium.
•Moreover, minerals like lime are also
used to lower the acidity of the soil.
•For our health, the pharmaceutical
industry manufactures supplements
that contain many essential minerals
that keep us strong and healthy like
Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc.
• On the other hand, minerals can also cause harm
among humans. Talc might contain asbestos that can
cause certain cancer which is why some cosmetic
companies discontinue using it. Nuclear power plant
that uses radioactive minerals produces radioactive
waste. Burning of coals releases high amount of
carbon dioxide and other gases that contributes to the
global warming. Over using of synthetic fertilizer
causes eutrophication of bodies of water.
