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Earth materials that are not used as fuels or processed for the metals they contain are
referred to as nonmetallic mineral resources. Nonmetallic mineral resources are extracted and
processed either for the nonmetallic elements they contain or for the physical and chemical
properties they possess. Although these resources have diverse origins, many are sediments or
sedimentary rocks. People often do not realize the importance of nonmetallic minerals, because
they see only the products that resulted from their use and not the minerals themselves. That is,
many nonmetallics are used up in the process of creating other products. Examples include the
fluorite and limestone that are part of the steelmaking process, the abrasives required to make a
piece of machinery, and the fertilizers needed to grow a food crop.
Nonmetallic mineral resources are commonly divided into two broad groups: building
materials and industrial minerals. Because some substances have many different uses, they are
found in both categories. Limestone, perhaps the most versatile and widely used rock of all, is
the best example. As a building material, it is used not only as crushed rock and building stone
but also in making cement. Moreover, as an industrial mineral, limestone is an ingredient in the
manufacture of steel and is used in agriculture to neutralize acidic soils.
Other important building materials include cut stone, aggregate (sand, gravel, and
crushed rock), gypsum for plaster and wallboard, clay for tile and bricks, and cement, which is
made from limestone and shale. Cement and aggregate go into the making of concrete, a material
that is essential to practically all construction.
A wide variety of resources are classified as industrial minerals. In some instances these
materials are important because they are sources of specific chemical elements or compounds.
Such minerals are used in the manufacture of chemicals and the production of fertilizers. In other
cases their importance is related to the physical properties they exhibit. Examples include
minerals such as corundum and garnet, which are used as abrasives.

Task 4. Answer the following questions, using the vocabulary from Task 1.
1. Why are nonmetallic mineral resources extracted?
2. Do these resources have diverse origins?
3. Do people often realize the importance of nonmetallic minerals?
4. What are the groups nonmetallic mineral resources are commonly divided into?
5. Provide the examples of building materials.
6. Provide the examples of industrial minerals.
7. What is the difference between building materials and industrial minerals?
8. Which nonmetallic mineral resources: building materials or industrial minerals are used in
the manufacture of chemicals and the production of fertilizers?

Task 5. Look at Figure 3.1 and try to list the two groups of non-metallic resources
and some examples of each.

Task 6. Find English equivalents for the following (see the text). Try to build up
your own sentences with them.
Використовувати у якості пального; оброблятись заради металів, які в них
містяться; заради фізичних та хімічних властивостей; мати різне походження;
усвідомлювати важливість; у процесі створення інших видів продукції; частина процесу
виплавки сталі; поділятись на дві широкі групи; мати різне використання; найбільш
універсальний; щебінь; виробництво сталі; глина для цегли; бути необхідним для
практично усіх видів будівництва; виробництво добрив.

Task 7. Talk about nonmetallic mineral resources formed from sedimentary rocks.
You may use the table from Figure 3.1.

Task 8. Give a short summary of the text from Task 2.