Question

Distinguish between the following: Ferrous and nonferrous minerals.

Answer 1

Hint:Minerals are naturally occurring substances that have a well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure. They are found in various forms in nature from the softest talc to the hardest diamond. Different kinds of minerals can be extracted from an ore. Metals are extracted from these minerals by different processes. There are many different kinds of minerals.

Complete answer:Ferrous and nonferrous minerals are both metallic minerals but ferrous minerals contain iron and nonferrous minerals do not contain iron. Examples of ferrous minerals are Cobalt, Manganese, Iron Ore. Examples of nonferrous minerals are Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead. The major differences between both of these are:

Ferrous Minerals	Nonferrous Minerals
They are Magnetic.	They are Nonmagnetic.
They weigh more.	They weigh less.
They are good conductors of electricity	They are bad conductors of electricity.
They are less resistant to corrosion.	They are more resistant to corrosion.
They are mainly composed of iron as hydroxide, sulfides, and carbonates.	They are composed of various elements and combinations.

Note:Ferrous minerals are those which contain iron in the oxidation state of +2. Ferric minerals are those which contain iron in the oxidation state of +3. Examples of ferrous metals are iron and alloys.Non-ferrous are those metals and alloys which do not contain an appreciable amount of iron. For example aluminum, copper, etc.