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Ore

ore | ˈȯr

noun

A metal-bearing mineral from which metal can be profitably mined or extracted

Ore is any type of natural sediment or rock that contains a number of valuable minerals. These typically consist of different types of metals that are valued for their precious nature or that are used in manufacturing processes. The ore that is extracted from the ground via mining is treated and refined using a series of smelting processes to extract the valuable metals from the stone. Ore has different grades depending on the volume and purity of the metal inside of the ore. The grade of the ore will ultimately determine if it is worth mining the ore and extracting those metals. In some cases, low enough metal content in an ore makes it more costly to mine than it is worth. There are dozens of types of ore related to native metals like copper and gold, sulfides, oxides, and more.