Mineral Resource of the Month
The column "Mineral Resource of the Month", featuring the work of USGS mineral commodity specialists, now appears in the American Geological Institute's (AGI) magazine Earth (formerly Geotimes) with selected articles online at the Earth Magazine's Mineral Resource of the Month Archive. For more information about these and other mineral commodities, visit the USGS Commodity Statistics and Information site.
Related Content
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 141
Mineral resource of the month: vermiculite
Vermiculite, a hydrated magnesium-aluminum-iron silicate mineral, has a range of uses that take advantage of its fire resistance, good insulating properties, high liquid absorption capacity, inertness and low density. Most applications for vermiculite use an exfoliated (heat-expanded) form of the mineral. In general, coarser grades of vermiculite are used as loose fill insulation and in horticultu
Authors
M.J. Potter
Mineral resource of the month: arsenic
Arsenic has a long and varied history: Although it was not isolated as an element until the 13th century, it was known to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks in compound form in the minerals arsenopyrite, realgar and orpiment. In the 1400s, “Scheele’s Green” was first used as an arsenic pigment in wallpaper, and leached arsenic from wallpaper may have contributed to Napoleon’s death in 1821.
Authors
William E. Brooks
Mineral resource of the month: peat
Peat is a natural organic material of botanical origin, harvested from deposits in bogs and fens. Commercial deposits form from the incomplete decomposition of plant matter under anaerobic conditions and gradually accumulate to form peat over about a 5,000-year period.
Authors
Stephen M. Jasinski
Mineral resource of the month: natural and synthetic zeolites
Volcanic rocks containing natural zeolites — hydrated aluminosilicate minerals that contain alkaline and alkaline-earth metals — have been mined worldwide for more than 1,000 years for use as cements and building stone. For centuries, people thought natural zeolites occurred only in small amounts inside cavities of volcanic rock. But in the 1950s and early 1960s, large zeolite deposits were discov
Authors
Robert L. Virta
Mineral resource of the month: industrial sand and gravel
With many diverse uses, industrial sand and gravel, also known as silica sand, is one of the most important nonmetallic minerals in the world. Industrial sand and gravel is a mining industry term used for sands that have a very high percentage of silicon dioxide, or greater than 95 percent quartz. Deposits of industrial sand and gravel can be found virtually everywhere on Earth, but are less wides
Authors
Thomas Dolley
Mineral resource of the month: niobium (columbium)
It’s not just diamonds associated with conflict in Africa. Coltan, short for columbite-tantalite (a blend of niobium — also called columbium — and tantalum minerals), is linked with the recent conflicts in the Congo that involved several African countries. The metallic ore, which is processed to separate out niobium and the very valuable tantalum (see Geotimes, August 2004), is believed to be smug
Authors
John F. Papp
Mineral resource of the month: kyanite
Kyanite and related minerals are used in making refractories, which are materials that can withstand high-temperature environments, generally in excess of 1,100 degrees Celsius. Refractories form an inner lining to furnaces, kilns and other containers with which molten metals and glass come into contact. Fifty to 70 percent of global refractory consumption is related to the steel industry.
Authors
Michael J. Potter
Mineral resource of the month: thallium
Thallium is known as a poison, its use initially suspected in the recent death of a Russian spy, but it has a variety of more important applications in everything from medical imaging to wireless communications.
Authors
Xiaoyu Bi
Mineral resource of the month: wollastonite
When asked about wollastonite, most people respond “wollasta-what?” That’s because the wollastonite industry in the United States is relatively small and not highly publicized. Furthermore, the general public does not have any direct contact with wollastonite despite its use in many consumer products, ranging from car brakes to paint.
Authors
Robert Virta, Brad Van Gosen
Mineral resource of the month: selenium
Selenium is a trace mineral needed in small amounts for good health; however, in any significant amount, it is toxic. As a relatively rare metallic element, selenium has a surprising diversity of uses.
Authors
Micheal W. George
Mineral resource of the month: steel
About 96 million metric tons of steel was produced in the United States last year — more than any other metal. And the $3.46 billion of iron and steel scrap exported was also the highest of any metal scrap export, helping to reduce the U.S. trade deficit.
Authors
Michael D. Fenton
Below are partners associated with this project.
Related Content
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 141
Mineral resource of the month: vermiculite
Vermiculite, a hydrated magnesium-aluminum-iron silicate mineral, has a range of uses that take advantage of its fire resistance, good insulating properties, high liquid absorption capacity, inertness and low density. Most applications for vermiculite use an exfoliated (heat-expanded) form of the mineral. In general, coarser grades of vermiculite are used as loose fill insulation and in horticultu
Authors
M.J. Potter
Mineral resource of the month: arsenic
Arsenic has a long and varied history: Although it was not isolated as an element until the 13th century, it was known to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks in compound form in the minerals arsenopyrite, realgar and orpiment. In the 1400s, “Scheele’s Green” was first used as an arsenic pigment in wallpaper, and leached arsenic from wallpaper may have contributed to Napoleon’s death in 1821.
Authors
William E. Brooks
Mineral resource of the month: peat
Peat is a natural organic material of botanical origin, harvested from deposits in bogs and fens. Commercial deposits form from the incomplete decomposition of plant matter under anaerobic conditions and gradually accumulate to form peat over about a 5,000-year period.
Authors
Stephen M. Jasinski
Mineral resource of the month: natural and synthetic zeolites
Volcanic rocks containing natural zeolites — hydrated aluminosilicate minerals that contain alkaline and alkaline-earth metals — have been mined worldwide for more than 1,000 years for use as cements and building stone. For centuries, people thought natural zeolites occurred only in small amounts inside cavities of volcanic rock. But in the 1950s and early 1960s, large zeolite deposits were discov
Authors
Robert L. Virta
Mineral resource of the month: industrial sand and gravel
With many diverse uses, industrial sand and gravel, also known as silica sand, is one of the most important nonmetallic minerals in the world. Industrial sand and gravel is a mining industry term used for sands that have a very high percentage of silicon dioxide, or greater than 95 percent quartz. Deposits of industrial sand and gravel can be found virtually everywhere on Earth, but are less wides
Authors
Thomas Dolley
Mineral resource of the month: niobium (columbium)
It’s not just diamonds associated with conflict in Africa. Coltan, short for columbite-tantalite (a blend of niobium — also called columbium — and tantalum minerals), is linked with the recent conflicts in the Congo that involved several African countries. The metallic ore, which is processed to separate out niobium and the very valuable tantalum (see Geotimes, August 2004), is believed to be smug
Authors
John F. Papp
Mineral resource of the month: kyanite
Kyanite and related minerals are used in making refractories, which are materials that can withstand high-temperature environments, generally in excess of 1,100 degrees Celsius. Refractories form an inner lining to furnaces, kilns and other containers with which molten metals and glass come into contact. Fifty to 70 percent of global refractory consumption is related to the steel industry.
Authors
Michael J. Potter
Mineral resource of the month: thallium
Thallium is known as a poison, its use initially suspected in the recent death of a Russian spy, but it has a variety of more important applications in everything from medical imaging to wireless communications.
Authors
Xiaoyu Bi
Mineral resource of the month: wollastonite
When asked about wollastonite, most people respond “wollasta-what?” That’s because the wollastonite industry in the United States is relatively small and not highly publicized. Furthermore, the general public does not have any direct contact with wollastonite despite its use in many consumer products, ranging from car brakes to paint.
Authors
Robert Virta, Brad Van Gosen
Mineral resource of the month: selenium
Selenium is a trace mineral needed in small amounts for good health; however, in any significant amount, it is toxic. As a relatively rare metallic element, selenium has a surprising diversity of uses.
Authors
Micheal W. George
Mineral resource of the month: steel
About 96 million metric tons of steel was produced in the United States last year — more than any other metal. And the $3.46 billion of iron and steel scrap exported was also the highest of any metal scrap export, helping to reduce the U.S. trade deficit.
Authors
Michael D. Fenton
Below are partners associated with this project.