Raw Materials and the Secondary Sector: Energy and Industry
Raw Materials and the Secondary Sector
The secondary sector encompasses activities necessary for transforming raw materials into consumer products. The primary activity of this sector is industry, but it also includes energy production and construction.
Raw Materials for Industry
Raw materials are essential for industry and are of various types:
- Animal
- Vegetable
- Mineral:
- Metallic minerals (e.g., bauxite, iron, lead)
- Non-metallic minerals (e.g., sulfur, salt)
- Clay
- Mineral carbon energy sources (e.g., oil, uranium)
Energy Sources
Energy sources are natural resources used for energy production, industry, and transport. They are classified as:
- Non-renewable sources: These are finite resources that can be depleted, such as oil, coal, natural gas, and uranium.
- Renewable sources: These are inexhaustible resources, such as water, wind, and sun. They do not pollute the environment.
- Hydroelectric: Utilizes water flow in dams to generate electricity.
- Solar: Converts sunlight into electricity through solar panels.
- Wind: Harnesses wind power to generate electrical energy.
Types of Industries
Industry involves transforming raw materials into consumer goods. There are several types of industries:
- Basic or Heavy Industry: These industries use raw materials to produce products for other industries, such as steel and metal production.
- Equipment Goods Industry: Uses products from heavy industry to manufacture goods for consumer use and construction, including electrical and electronic components.
- Consumer Goods or Light Industry: Manufactures goods for direct use and consumption, such as textiles, automobiles, electronics, food, and pharmaceuticals. These are often located in industrial estates.
Industrial Location Worldwide
In developed countries, the most important industrial areas are:
- North America: Chicago and Los Angeles.
- South America: Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
- Europe: Ruhr River Basin, extending to the Po Basin; also, Russia.
- Asia: Japan, China, Taiwan, and Mumbai (India).
- Africa: Cape Town.
- Australia: Melbourne.
Modernization of Industry in Spain
Industrialization in Spain started late compared to Western Europe, beginning in the 1950s and 1960s. An economic crisis in the mid-1970s curbed growth, and industrial restructuring began in 1958. Spain’s integration into the European Union further influenced its industrial policies.
Spain has some raw materials and mining activity, but they are insufficient. The country is very poor in energy sources such as oil, which is imported from Russia, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. Natural gas is also imported, primarily from Algeria and Libya via pipelines (underground pipes that transport gas).
Industrial Location in Spain
- Primary Industrial Zones: Metropolitan areas of Madrid and Barcelona, the Mediterranean coast from Valencia to Murcia, the Basque Country, and the Ebro Valley area.
- Secondary Industrial Zones: Cantabrian area, Galician cores, and some areas around major cities in Andalusia.