Raw material is the basis of production

Raw material - this material is intended for further processing in production. In fact, it is with him that the production of any products begins. It is difficult to overestimate the role of the source material, since the quality of the product depends on this. Today there are a huge number of different groups, subgroups and types of raw materials. Let's try to understand this diversity.

What is raw material for production?

Collected or extracted materials are usually processed to give them the necessary commercial qualities. In the future, they either go on sale, or continue to participate in subsequent production cycles, until they reach the stage of the final product.

Types of raw materials

Classification of raw materials is a very conventional concept. It is customary to distinguish two main groups: industrial and agricultural. The industrial sector includes minerals and energy. Agricultural raw materials are cereals, dairy products, meat, medicinal plants. It is possible to divide all types of raw materials into two groups: it can be primary (directly mined or collected) and secondary (in the form of a by-product or production waste). The secondary material group is widely used in industry, which allows to significantly reduce costs. By origin, all types of raw materials can be divided into 4 subgroups:

1. Plant origin (cereals, fruit and vegetable crops, herbs).
2. Animal origin (dairy products, animal excrement).
3. Mineral origin (natural gas, coal).
4. Biosphere (water and air).

Use of raw materials in production

Today there is a huge number of industries. The list of traditional industries is supplemented daily with new names, which means that new raw materials are being developed and used. This is connected with the growing world demand, and with developing technologies. The most topical direction for today is the development of energy carriers. If a hundred years ago, a person knew how to get energy from oil and coal, today other sources, such as natural gas , are actively being developed . There is an alternative technology for generating electricity, based on natural fermentation processes, when cow manure acts as an energy carrier. But such production, as the production of cotton cloth, has not changed in practice for many centuries. The process itself has been improved and mechanized, but the raw materials are cotton boxes - the same as it was 3-4 centuries ago. And the food industry is constantly changing. Aspiration of the manufacturer to reduce expenses turns around search of new kinds of an initial product. Natural raw materials are the best option. However, unfortunately, for the sake of economy, it is often replaced by an artificial one. Thus, today one can observe a situation in which some production branches continue to use some raw materials for centuries, while others develop technologies and develop new types of raw materials.