Uis is a settlement located in the Erongo Region , Namibia . It belongs to the Dâures electoral constituency . Located in the former Damaraland , it is known for the local mineral wealth. The settlement was established in 1958 as workers' settlement to exploit local tin deposits. It has approximately 3,600 inhabitants and, before being downgraded from "village" to "settlement" in 2010, owned 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi) of land.
31-773: UIS may refer to: Uis , a village in Erongo Region, Namibia Underwater Inspection System , a component of the Underwater Port Security System developed for the United States Coast Guard Universal Interactive Studios (now Vivendi Games ) University of Illinois Springfield , a public four-year university in the United States Universidad Industrial de Santander , Colombia University of Stavanger ,
62-454: A centimeter over several million years. The average diameter of a polymetallic nodule is between 3 and 10 cm (1 and 4 in) in diameter and are characterized by enrichment in iron, manganese, heavy metals , and rare earth element content when compared to the Earth's crust and surrounding sediment. The proposed mining of these nodules via remotely operated ocean floor trawling robots has raised
93-421: A direct result of metamorphism. These are the leading source of copper ore. Porphyry copper deposits form along convergent boundaries and are thought to originate from the partial melting of subducted oceanic plates and subsequent concentration of Cu, driven by oxidation. These are large, round, disseminated deposits containing on average 0.8% copper by weight. Hydrothermal Hydrothermal deposits are
124-449: A large source of ore. They form as a result of the precipitation of dissolved ore constituents out of fluids. Laterites form from the weathering of highly mafic rock near the equator. They can form in as little as one million years and are a source of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al). They may also be a source of nickel and cobalt when the parent rock is enriched in these elements. Banded iron formations (BIFs) are
155-644: A number of ecological concerns. The extraction of ore deposits generally follows these steps. Progression from stages 1–3 will see a continuous disqualification of potential ore bodies as more information is obtained on their viability: With rates of ore discovery in a steady decline since the mid 20th century, it is thought that most surface level, easily accessible sources have been exhausted. This means progressively lower grade deposits must be turned to, and new methods of extraction must be developed. Some ores contain heavy metals , toxins, radioactive isotopes and other potentially negative compounds which may pose
186-579: A public research university in Norway Union Internationale de Spéléologie , an international umbrella organization for caving and speleology Unisys Corporation NYSE stock symbol UIs, plural abbreviation of user interface Uisai language , ISO 639-3 code Umpire Information System , made by QuesTec and used for providing feedback and evaluation of Major League umpires UNESCO Institute for Statistics See also [ edit ] UI (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
217-824: A risk to the environment or health. The exact effects an ore and its tailings have is dependent on the minerals present. Tailings of particular concern are those of older mines, as containment and remediation methods in the past were next to non-existent, leading to high levels of leaching into the surrounding environment. Mercury and arsenic are two ore related elements of particular concern. Additional elements found in ore which may have adverse health affects in organisms include iron, lead, uranium, zinc, silicon, titanium, sulfur, nitrogen, platinum, and chromium. Exposure to these elements may result in respiratory and cardiovascular problems and neurological issues. These are of particular danger to aquatic life if dissolved in water. Ores such as those of sulphide minerals may severely increase
248-513: A single mineral, but it is mixed with other valuable minerals and with unwanted or valueless rocks and minerals. The part of an ore that is not economically desirable and that cannot be avoided in mining is known as gangue . The valuable ore minerals are separated from the gangue minerals by froth flotation , gravity concentration, electric or magnetic methods, and other operations known collectively as mineral processing or ore dressing . Mineral processing consists of first liberation, to free
279-539: A sizeable portion of international trade in raw materials both in value and volume. This is because the worldwide distribution of ores is unequal and dislocated from locations of peak demand and from smelting infrastructure. Most base metals (copper, lead, zinc, nickel) are traded internationally on the London Metal Exchange , with smaller stockpiles and metals exchanges monitored by the COMEX and NYMEX exchanges in
310-486: A variety of geological processes generally referred to as ore genesis and can be classified based on their deposit type. Ore is extracted from the earth through mining and treated or refined , often via smelting , to extract the valuable metals or minerals. Some ores, depending on their composition, may pose threats to health or surrounding ecosystems. The word ore is of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning lump of metal . In most cases, an ore does not consist entirely of
341-478: Is a mineral deposit occurring in high enough concentration to be economically viable. An ore deposit is one occurrence of a particular ore type. Most ore deposits are named according to their location, or after a discoverer (e.g. the Kambalda nickel shoots are named after drillers), or after some whimsy, a historical figure, a prominent person, a city or town from which the owner came, something from mythology (such as
SECTION 10
#1732848324373372-608: Is a reasonable amount of traffic, by far the main source of economic activity in Uis. The settlement holds a small supermarket, guesthouses and a restcamp, a bakery and a petrol station, together with a few other small shops. The ephemeral Uis River , a tributary to the Ugab River , passes the settlement. Uis is home to the Brandberg Primary School and Petrus ǃGaneb Secondary School , both for about 300 learners. Petrus Ganeb SS
403-410: Is considered alluvial if formed via river, colluvial if by gravity, and eluvial when close to their parent rock. Polymetallic nodules , also called manganese nodules, are mineral concretions on the sea floor formed of concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core. They are formed by a combination of diagenetic and sedimentary precipitation at the estimated rate of about
434-432: Is dependent on a high world market price. The mine and the surrounding settlement are situated on the farm Uis Townlands No. 215 and in private ownership today. The white mine spoils are visible from afar. Since 1995 Namib Base Minerals Pty Ltd is the owner, after a subsidiary of ISCOR sold it. Uis still produces rare rocks and minerals. Namibia is well known as a mineral rich country and geologists come from all over
465-555: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Uis Uis is located at the foot of the Brandberg , Namibia's highest mountain. The Brandberg is home to the world famous The White Lady rock painting, said by some to be over 20,000 years old. Being also situated on the C36 , the main road between the coast and the Damaraland interior, there
496-547: Is economically viable to mine and process. The grade of ore refers to the concentration of the desired material it contains. The value of the metals or minerals a rock contains must be weighed against the cost of extraction to determine whether it is of sufficiently high grade to be worth mining and is therefore considered an ore. A complex ore is one containing more than one valuable mineral. Minerals of interest are generally oxides , sulfides , silicates , or native metals such as copper or gold . Ore bodies are formed by
527-730: The United States and the Shanghai Futures Exchange in China. The global Chromium market is currently dominated by the United States and China. Iron ore is traded between customer and producer, though various benchmark prices are set quarterly between the major mining conglomerates and the major consumers, and this sets the stage for smaller participants. Other, lesser, commodities do not have international clearing houses and benchmark prices, with most prices negotiated between suppliers and customers one-on-one. This generally makes determining
558-553: The acidity of their immediate surroundings and of water, with numerous, long lasting impacts on ecosystems. When water becomes contaminated it may transport these compounds far from the tailings site, greatly increasing the affected range. Uranium ores and those containing other radioactive elements may pose a significant threat if leaving occurs and isotope concentration increases above background levels. Radiation can have severe, long lasting environmental impacts and cause irreversible damage to living organisms. Metallurgy began with
589-417: The direct working of native metals such as gold, lead and copper. Placer deposits, for example, would have been the first source of native gold. The first exploited ores were copper oxides such as malachite and azurite, over 7000 years ago at Çatalhöyük . These were the easiest to work, with relatively limited mining and basic requirements for smelting. It is believed they were once much more abundant on
620-458: The highest concentration of any single metal available. They are composed of chert beds alternating between high and low iron concentrations. Their deposition occurred early in Earth's history when the atmospheric composition was significantly different from today. Iron rich water is thought to have upwelled where it oxidized to Fe (III) in the presence of early photosynthetic plankton producing oxygen. This iron then precipitated out and deposited on
651-427: The largest open-cast tin mine in the world - was viable only because South Africa , to which the territory was mandated, was economically isolated and could not buy tin on the world market. When apartheid was abolished and international sanctions were lifted the mine was no longer competitive. In 1991, the main mining operations closed down because the price of tin dropped far enough to make it un-economical. There
SECTION 20
#1732848324373682-620: The main tin source, began. Some 3000 years ago, the smelting of iron ores began in Mesopotamia . Iron oxide is quite abundant on the surface and forms from a variety of processes. Until the 18th century gold, copper, lead, iron, silver, tin, arsenic and mercury were the only metals mined and used. In recent decades, Rare Earth Elements have been increasingly exploited for various high-tech applications. This has led to an ever-growing search for REE ore and novel ways of extracting said elements. Ores (metals) are traded internationally and comprise
713-520: The name of a god or goddess) or the code name of the resource company which found it (e.g. MKD-5 was the in-house name for the Mount Keith nickel sulphide deposit ). Ore deposits are classified according to various criteria developed via the study of economic geology, or ore genesis . The following is a general categorization of the main ore deposit types: Magmatic deposits are ones who originate directly from magma These are ore deposits which form as
744-582: The ocean floor. The banding is thought to be a result of changing plankton population. Sediment Hosted Copper forms from the precipitation of a copper rich oxidized brine into sedimentary rocks. These are a source of copper primarily in the form of copper-sulfide minerals. Placer deposits are the result of weathering, transport, and subsequent concentration of a valuable mineral via water or wind. They are typically sources of gold (Au), platinum group elements (PGE), sulfide minerals , tin (Sn), tungsten (W), and rare-earth elements (REEs). A placer deposit
775-403: The ore from the gangue, and concentration to separate the desired mineral(s) from it. Once processed, the gangue is known as tailings , which are useless but potentially harmful materials produced in great quantity, especially from lower grade deposits. An ore deposit is an economically significant accumulation of minerals within a host rock. This is distinct from a mineral resource in that it
806-431: The price of ores of this nature opaque and difficult. Such metals include lithium , niobium - tantalum , bismuth , antimony and rare earths . Most of these commodities are also dominated by one or two major suppliers with >60% of the world's reserves. China is currently leading in world production of Rare Earth Elements. The World Bank reports that China was the top importer of ores and metals in 2005 followed by
837-403: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title UIS . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=UIS&oldid=1199116612 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
868-465: The surface than today. After this, copper sulphides would have been turned to as oxide resources depleted and the Bronze Age progressed. Lead production from galena smelting may have been occurring at this time as well. The smelting of arsenic-copper sulphides would have produced the first bronze alloys. The majority of bronze creation however required tin, and thus the exploitation of cassiterite,
899-529: The world to study in Namibia because much of the interesting geology and rare rocks are situated at ground level rather than high up on mountains or deep underground. Uis is in danger of becoming a ghost town if mining cannot be continued. Uis was downgraded to "settlement" status in 2010. Ore grade Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals , typically including metals , concentrated above background levels, and that
930-477: Was built before Namibian independence ; its facilities are old and dilapidated. Tin has been mined in the Uis region since 1922. Uis Tin Mining Company was established in 1951 and a settlement was developed in 1958 to house the mine workers when ISCOR , a South African mining company, started operations there and increased production. However, the ore grade at Uis is very low, and the mine - at its time
961-423: Was still minimal activities on the mine site. Technology had improved enough to make it worthwhile to re-process the already excavated ore that was originally discarded and there is a re-processing plant located near the old mine dumps. This ore is processed to an enriched state and then taken to Walvis Bay for export. After 2010 new investments enabled work to start again at the old mine. Today successful production