Answer: One contains iron and the other does not.
Explanation: The primary difference between ferrous and non-ferrous minerals revolves around their iron content. Ferrous minerals contain iron, meaning they are magnetic and prone to corrosion. On the other hand, non-ferrous minerals do not contain iron, but rather encompass a large variety of metals that are essential to have when dealing with electronics, construction, and general equipment. It is important to distinguish ferrous from non-ferrous minerals because they have different uses and extraction methods. This can impact industry in a variety of ways.