Q. Describe Oxosalts?
In these minerals, metals are present as their oxosalts, such as carbonates, sulphates, nitrates, phosphates, borates and silicates. Some important minerals bf this group are siderite (FeC03). magnesite (MgC03), dolomite (MgC03.CaC03), cerussite (PbC03), malachite (CuC03-Cu (OH)2), calamine (ZnCO3), barytes (BaS04), gypsum (CaS04.2H20), epsomite (MgS047H20)anglesite (PbS04), soda nitre (NaN03), monazite LaPO4.CePO4.NdPO4.PrPO4. Th3 (PO4) 4)spodumene (LiAl206), zircon (ZrSi04), beryl Be3Si6018), etc. Phosphate minerals are, in general, rare and occur in low concentrations. Silicate minerals are abundant in nature. However, the extraction of metals from silicates is difficult and the cost of extraction is very high. Therefore, only the less common metals such as lithium are extracted from silicate minerals.