Mineralogy is the scientific study of the physical and chemical properties, crystal structure, composition, and formation conditions of minerals, and within mining it is applied specifically to characterize ore and gangue minerals in order to guide exploration targeting, metallurgical process selection, and product quality control. Detailed mineralogical characterization, often using techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and automated mineralogy platforms like QEMSCAN or MLA, allows operators to predict how an ore will behave during processing. In gold mining, mineralogy determines whether ore is free-milling, allowing straightforward cyanide leaching, or refractory, requiring pre-treatment such as roasting, pressure oxidation, or biooxidation due to association with sulphide minerals like pyrite or arsenopyrite. In iron ore, the dominant iron mineral, whether hematite, magnetite, or goethite, dictates the appropriate beneficiation route and product marketability. In bauxite, the relative proportions of gibbsite, boehmite, and diaspore determine the digestion temperature and caustic concentration required in the Bayer process. In diamond exploration, mineralogy of kimberlite indicator minerals such as garnet, ilmenite, and chromite is used to trace kimberlite source bodies back to their point of origin.
