Mineral Many sulfide minerals are economically important as metal ores; examples include sphalerite (ZnS), an ore of zinc, galena (PbS), an ore of lead, cinnabar (HgS), an ore of mercury, and molybdenite (MoS, an ore of molybdenum. Pyrite (FeS), is the most commonly occurring sulfide, and can be found in most geological environments. It is not, however, an ore of iron, but can be instead oxidized to produce sulfuric acid. Related to the sulfides are the rare sulfosalts, in which a metallic element is bonded to sulfur and a semimetal such as antimony, arsenic, or bismuth. Like the sulfides, sulfosalts are
Group 5 element magnesium. 230,000 metric tons of niobium ore are produced yearly, with Brazil producing metric 210,000 tons, Canada producing 10000 metric tons, and Australia producing 1000 metric tons. 60000 metric tons of pure niobium are produced each year. 70000 metric tons of tantalum ore are produced yearly. Brazil produces 90% of tantalum ore, with Canada, Australia, China, and Rwanda also producing the element. The demand for tantalum is around 1200 metric tons per year. Dubnium is produced synthetically by bombarding actinides with lighter elements. Vanadium's main application is in alloys, such as vanadium steel. Vanadium alloys are used in springs, tools,