The great diversity of mineral resources

This lecture has provided an overview of mineral resources, including topics that will not be covered here, such as rock materials and gems. The diversity of uses as well as the diversity of deposits are at the root of major contrasts in the value of mineral resources. Quality requirements and the need to adapt minerals to specific uses, and therefore the choice of suitable deposits, were highlighted. The case of metal ores was briefly addressed, as the subject has been taken up in other lectures and seminars. The two examples chosen, lithium and nickel, demonstrated the uneven distribution of the resource, and the wide variety of conditions under which their deposits are formed.