Publications

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The article provides information on copper and its various uses. It was the first metal used by humans and is considered as one of the materials that played an important role in the development of civilization. It is a major industrial metal because of its low cost, availability, electrical conductivity, high ductility and thermal conductivity. Copper has long been used in the circuitry...

The article focuses on feldspar, a mineral that composes of potassium, sodium, or a fusion of the two, and its various applications. According to estimates by scientists, the mineral is present at 60 percent of the crust of Earth, wherein it is commonly used for making glass and ceramics. Global mining of feldspar was about 20 million metric tons in 2010, wherein Italy, Turkey, and China...

The article provides information on rare earth elements, which are group of 17 natural metallic elements. The rare earth elements are scandium, yttrium and lanthanides and classified into light rare earth elements (LREE) and heavy rate earth elements (HREE). The principal ores of the rare earth elements are identified. An overview of China's production of 97 percent of the rare earths in...

The article offers information on a rare transition metal called tantalum. It says that the blue-gray mineral resource was discovered in 1801 or 1802 and was used for capacitors in 1940. It adds that the tantalite ore and other minerals in the ore should be separated in order to generate concentrates of tantalum. The use of tantalum are also cited.

The article offers information about the mineral molybdenum. Sources includes byproduct or coproduct copper-molybdenum deposits in the Western Cordillera of North and South America. Among the uses of molybdenum are stainless steel applications, as an alloy material for manufacturing vessels and as lubricants, pigments or chemicals. Also noted is the role played by molybdenum in renewable...

Garnet has been used as a gemstone since the Bronze Age. However, garnet's angular fractures, relatively high hardness and specific gravity, chemical inertness and nontoxicity make it ideal for many industrial applications. It is also free of crystalline silica and can be recycled.

The article discusses the latest developments in the global ball clay mining industry, particularly in the U.S., as of June 2011. It cites several firms that are involved in ball clay mining in the U.S., including HC Spins Clay Co. Inc., the Imerys Group and Old Hickory Clay Co. Among the products made from ball clay are ceramic tiles, sanitaryware, as well as fillers, extenders and...

The article discusses the latest developments in the global kaolin industry, particularly in the U.S., as of June 2011. It claims that Georgia is the top producing state in the U.S., with a 94% share in total production. The other top producers include South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida. Kaolin is used in the manufacture of such products as electrical porcelain, pottery and...

The article discusses the latest developments in the borates industry, particularly in the U.S., as of June 2011. It claims that the biggest economically feasible deposits of borates are seen in the U.S.' Mojave Desert, the Alpide belt in southern Asia and the Andean belt of South America. Turkish state-owned mining firm Eti Maden AS reported that borates were mainly used in the...

In 2010, U.S. apparent consumption of strontium (contained in celestite and manufactured strontium compounds) decreased by 11 percent to 10.4 kt (11,460 st) from 11.8 kt (13,000 st) in 2009. Gross weight of imports totaled 20.9 kt (23,000 st), of which 65 percent originated from Mexico.

The article discusses the latest developments in the global common clay and shale industry, particularly in the U.S. It claims that common clay and shale is mainly used in the manufacture of heavy clay products like brick, flue tile and sewer pipe. The main producing states in the U.S. include North Carolina, New York and Oklahoma. Among the firms that manufacture clay and shale-based...