Introduction
Mineral resources contribute enormously to improving human living conditions. In our daily lives, we are surrounded by tools such as telephones, computers and so on. It’s important to understand that if technology is currently advancing by leaps and bounds, it’s mainly thanks to the exploitation of the mineral resources that lie beneath our feet. In this article, we take a look at the telephone, and you’ll see that it’s actually the pooling of several mineral resources.
What are the mineral resources used to manufacture phones ?
The telephone is widely used throughout the world for long-distance communication. We’ve gone from the letter model to a much more fluid form of communication thanks to the telephone, which itself is made up of several minerals, including:
SILICON
Many of the semiconductors that power phones are silicon semiconductors; we’ve covered the reasons why silicon is used in a wide range of devices here. Silicon is one of the most abundant minerals in the universe, which makes it extremely accessible and cost-effective.
GERMANIUM
Similar to silicon, the semiconductive property of germanium makes it significant. However, it’s not limited to the semiconductor chip in phones. It is also applicable to its electronics, battery, and display.
Researchers are looking for new sources of germanium because it is used in so many gadgets. Actually, among the most promising have been plants. You never know when your phone might be powered by plants!
COPPER
In actuality, the most prevalent mineral in telephones is copper. Its electrical conductivity, like that of silicon and germanium, is crucial. That being said, one benefit it possesses is the ability to transfer heat.
Which Minerals Are Included in Your Cell Phone’s Exterior?
Given that so many other electronics use minerals, it makes reasonable that your mobile does too. It might surprise you to hear, though, that a combination of minerals is what makes your phone screen as robust and clear as it is.
SILICA
Glass wouldn’t be able to deliver screens on cell phones the kind of durability that users have been accustomed to. Manufacturers use silica sand for this. It’s crucial to remember that although silicon and silica sand share many characteristics, they also differ greatly in some significant ways.
POTASSIUM
Potassium salt is added to the phone’s screen after silica sand has been coated. This increases durability even more.
BAUXITE
It’s fascinating to know that bauxite is perfect for usage with cell phone displays because it includes gallium. Backlight is provided by gallium, allowing you can read on your phone in the absence of external light sources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s important to note that mining is an important part of the world’s economies, as it helps to extract resources vital to the functioning of tools such as computers, telephones, the Internet and many others. Nowadays, however, it’s important to integrate notions of sustainability into mineral extraction processes.
