Raw material facts for kids

Sulfur ready to be loaded onto a ship.

Latex being collected from a tapped rubber tree.

Raw materials are natural things that haven't been changed or processed yet. They are found in nature, just as they are, before people do anything to them. Think of them as the basic ingredients used to make almost everything around us. These materials are then turned into many different products we use every day.

Where Do Raw Materials Come From?

Raw materials come from three main places in nature:

• Plants and Trees: Many raw materials grow from the ground. For example, wood comes from trees, and cotton comes from cotton plants.
• Animals: Some raw materials are provided by animals. Wool comes from sheep, and leather comes from animal hides.
• The Earth (Mines): Many important materials are dug out of the ground through mining. This includes minerals like iron ore, metals like gold, and crude oil.

Examples of Raw Materials

Here are some common examples of raw materials:

• Grains: Like wheat and rice. These are grown on farms and are used to make bread, pasta, and many other foods.
• Vegetables: Such as carrots and onions. These are eaten fresh or used as ingredients in cooking.
• Meat: Like beef and chicken. These come from animals and are a main food source.
• Wood: This comes directly from trees. It's used for building houses, making furniture, and even paper.
• Honey: This sweet substance is made by bees and collected from their nests.
• Minerals and Metals: These are found deep in the Earth. Examples include iron ore, which is used to make steel, and gold, used for jewelry.
• Crude Oil: This is a thick, black liquid found underground. It's a very important raw material used to make gasoline and many plastics.

What Are NOT Raw Materials?

Once a natural material has been changed or processed by people, it is no longer considered a raw material. It has become a finished product or an intermediate product.

Here are some examples of things that are NOT raw materials because they have been processed:

• Food Products: Bread (made from wheat), pasta (made from wheat), and sausages (made from meat) are all processed foods.
• Household Items: Toothpaste and soap are made from various raw materials through chemical processes.
• Furniture: Items like chairs and tables are made from wood, but the wood has been cut, shaped, and assembled.
• Machines: A car, for instance, is built from many different processed metals, plastics, and other components.
• Jewelry: Jewelry is made from metals like gold or silver that have been mined, refined, and shaped.
• Clothing: Clothing and shoes are made from fabrics like cotton or wool that have been spun into thread and woven.
• Fuels: Gasoline is made from crude oil through a refining process.
• Lubricants: The oil that goes in cars is also a refined product of crude oil.

Images for kids

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  Vyasanakere Iron Ore Mine

See also

In Spanish: Materia prima para niños