Question

Are all ores are minerals?

Answer 1

Ores and minerals are compounds that are used for the extraction of metals for commercial use. Ores are those in which the metal is more in quantity and the unwanted substance is less quantity, and minerals are those in which metals can be in good quantity or less quantity.

Complete step-by-step answer: Metals are those elements that are used for many purposes like utensils, machines, electrical appliances, etc. and these metals are extracted from the surface of the earth. The substances from which the metals are extracted are called ores and minerals.
Let us first explain the minerals, minerals are those substances that naturally occur in the earth's crust in which the metals are present along with the impurities. It is not necessary that the amount of metal in the mineral is highest.
Now, let us define the ore, a specific mineral in which the amount of metal is high as compared to the impurity and which can be used to extract the metal conveniently and economically.
Some examples of minerals aluminium are Bauxite whose formula is $Al{{O}_{x}}{{(OH)}_{3-2x}}$ , Kaolinite $[A{{l}_{2}}{{(OH)}_{4}}S{{i}_{2}}{{O}_{5}}]$. Minerals of iron are Haematite, magnetite, siderite, Fool’s gold. Minerals of copper are Copper pyrites, Malachite, Cuprite, etc. Minerals of zinc are Zinc blend, Calamine, Zincite, etc.
And ore can be defined as the substances that have oxides of iron are the ores of iron.
So, we can say that all ores are minerals but not all minerals are ores.

Note: In Bauxite the amount of aluminium is very high, so it is regarded as the mineral as well as the ore for aluminium. All the minerals are converted into ore first then the metals are extracted.