Thermodynamics of Mineral Resources - Thanatia: The Destiny of the Earth's Mineral Resources - page 253

Chapter9

Thermodynamics of Mineral Resources

9.1 Introduction

This third part constitutes the core of the topic. Its aim is to estimate the replace-
ment costs of mineral deposits using exergy and related concepts. Consequently, the
thermodynamic basis of the methodology is firstly explained and the reference base-
line for the exergy calculations defined. The method is then systematically applied
to the Earth's mineral endowment and finally the obtained results are analysed and
conclusions are drawn.
Specifically, this chapter provides the thermodynamic tools for understanding
the energy and entropic formation of minerals and the production of metals and
other inorganic substances. The tools and equations for exergy and exergy cost
assessment of minerals, fossil fuels and industrial products are shown. To fully follow
the contents of this chapter, a minimum knowledge of Thermodynamics is required.
The reader may wish to consult classical topics of Thermodynamic fundamentals
like those of Wark and Richards (1999),Moran and Shapiro (2008) or Pitzer (1995).

9.2 Thermodynamic analysis of mineral formation and its
industrial treatment

This section gives a qualitative thermochemical vision of a) mineral formation:
from the pure atomic element to the mined product and b) mineral treatment:
from mining to the desired element through beneficiation, separation, smelting and
refining processes.
Starting with mineral formation, a deposit can be seen as a very infrequent
aggregate of rocks whereby rocks are aggregates of minerals and these are aggregates
of certain molecular substances, which are composed by aggregates of atoms. This
definition can be summarised as in Eq. (9.1).

Deposit = P rocks = PP minerals =
PPP molecules = PPPP atoms

(9.1)

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