The naturally occurring substances in the form of which metals occur in the earth’s crust along with impurities are called as minerals. The mineral from which the metal can be extracted conveniently and profitably is called as an ore. Thus, all ores are minerals but all minerals are not ores. For example, aluminium occurs in earth’s crust in the form of bauxite and clay. Out of these two minerals, aluminium can be conveniently and economically extracted from the bauxite. Therefore, bauxite is the ore of aluminium. Similarly, Zinc can be obtained from blende (ZnS), calamine (ZnCO₃), Zincite (ZnO) etc.

Thus these minerals are called ores of zinc.