Tennessee Rock and Mineral Resources

Tennessee's Rock and Mineral Resources is a project of Tennessee Earth Science Teachers (TEST), an organization dedicated to promoting an appreciation and understanding of the interrelatedness of the earth systems: the geosphere (solid earth), the hydrosphere (water), the atmosphere (air), and the biosphere (all living matter) - the major systems of the earth

This material was presented at the TSTA Convention, November, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee.

(photo by J.K. Roberts)
Kiln yard of the Dixie Brick & Tile Company, Puryear
from The Clays of West Tennessee,
TN Division of Geology Bulletin 49, 1940.

This CD is a first draft. TEST will be updating it and posting the new versions on our website Tennessee Earth Science Teachers.

Unit Description

Materials of value that can be extracted from the earth for the well-being of society include: 1) Metals and metallic ores, 2) mineral fuels, 3) ground water; and 4) a large group of materials, mostly nonmetallics, but more aptly called "industrial rocks and minerals". For the most part these resources are non-renewable

Metallic mineral deposits are typically the source of one or more metals such as zinc, gold, silver, lead, copper, mercury, iron, etc. metallic mineral deposits found in Tennessee include:

  • Chalcopyrite (copper)
  • Galena (lead)
  • Ilmenite (titanium)
  • Iron ores - magnetite, hematite, limonite
  • Sphalerite - (zinc)

Minerals that occur with the metallic minerals but have no economic value are called gangue minerals. The gangue must be separated from the desired commodity and the metal sold at a profit in order for a deposit to be considered as an ore. Sometimes a high grade (very pure) ore deposit may occur with small reserves (quantity) and be considered economical, and sometimes a low grade deposit with vast reserves may be economical.

 Industrial rocks and minerals is the category often overlooked or taken for granted. However, in sheer volume and value it outranks all other categories.
  • The construction industry alone consumes the highest volume of these materials (crushed stone, dimension stone (marble, limestone, sandstone, granite), and the raw materials for cement, brick, tile and insulation.
  • The chemical industry uses salt, sulfur, and limestone.
  • Agriculture relies on phosphate, nitrate, and potash.
  • Metallurgy requires graphite, fluorspar, magnesite, molding sand and fire clay.
  • The ceramics industry uses clay and feldspar.
  • A host of other materials are used for abrasives, well-drilling mud, filtration media, fillers, additives, and lubricants
Mineral fuels are major sources of energy and include the fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas as well as uranium for nuclear energy. Mineral fuels found in Tennessee include:
  • Coal
  • Oil and Natural Gas
Ground water is a very precious earth resource, especially due to pollution and over use. Ground water is not covered in this exercise.


This unit illustrates concepts in the Tennessee curriculum frameworks using material on Tennessee's rock and mineral resources, and provides exercises which can be used at home or in classrooms.

Background information Learning Activities
Individual information sheets on Tennessee resources General Science Exercises
Rocks and Minerals

Characteristics of Tennessee's Mineral Resources

(upper elementary/middle) Students examine a sample of sandstone and limestone for clues to its origin.
Resources and Geologic Processes: mineral environments: how minerals are deposited.
Mining and Processing: Minerals that occur with the metallic minerals having no economic value are called gangue minerals. The gangue must be separated from the desired commodity in order for the deposit to be considered as an ore:
Uses of our resources
Resources and the economy: Many mineral and rock deposits exist with potential to be of economic value, but many factors must be considered before a deposit can be considered as an ore or otherwise economically feasible to mine. Among these are: 1) accessibility of the deposit; 2) hauling distances; 3) proximity to water source; 4) market value of commodity and distance to the market; 5) cost of beneficiation (concentration of or); 6) cost of reclamation.
Impact of use of natural resources on the environment.

Resources on Resources: Reading Material Resources on Resources: Field Trips