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
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 140
Mineral resource of the month: pumice and pumicite Mineral resource of the month: pumice and pumicite
The article offers information on pumice, an important commodity for the construction, horticulture and abrasives industries. The commodity is described as an extremely light, highly porous extrusive volcanic rock which was formed due to the rapid cooling of air-pocketed lava. It is noted that the characteristics of pumice make it as an ideal aggregate material in lightweight building...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: gold Mineral resource of the month: gold
The article presents information on the valuable mineral called gold. It states that early civilizations valued gold because of its scarcity, durability and characteristics yellow color. By the late 20th century, gold was used as an industrial metal because of its unique physicochemical properties. The U.S. has several productive deposits of gold, including placer, gold-quartz lode...
Authors
Micheal W. George
Mineral resource of the month: lime Mineral resource of the month: lime
The article presents facts about lime, which is said to be a caustic chemical manufactured from limestone or other calcium carbonates in a kiln at temperatures ranging from 935 to 1,350 degrees Celsius. It states that lime is widely used in industries such as steelmaking, paper production and chemical manufacturing. It also mentions that global lime production amounts up to 280 million...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: bromine Mineral resource of the month: bromine
The article offers information on bromine, a natural element considered as a dissolved species in seawater, saltwater lakes and underground brines linked with petroleum deposits. Bromine belongs to the halogen group of elements and is characterized with brownish-red color and beach-like odor. It is commonly used in flame retardants, agriculture and drilling.
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: iron oxide pigments Mineral resource of the month: iron oxide pigments
The article discusses iron oxide pigments, which have been used as colorants since human began painting as they resist color change due to sunlight exposure, have good chemical resistance and are stable under normal ambient conditions. Cyprus, Italy and Spain are among the countries that are known for the production of iron oxide pigments. Granular forms of iron oxides and nano-sized...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: Iron oxide pigments Mineral resource of the month: Iron oxide pigments
No abstract available.
Authors
Joyce A. Ober
Mineral resource of the month: antimony Mineral resource of the month: antimony
The article describes the characteristics and industrial uses of antimony. Antimony, which is produced as a byproduct of mining other metals such as gold, lead or silver, is used in everything from flame retardants, batteries, ceramics and glass. It is also used in glass for television picture tubes, computer monitors, pigments and catalysts.
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: gemstones Mineral resource of the month: gemstones
Humans have been intrigued by gemstones since prehistoric times. Gemstones have been valued as treasured objects throughout history by all societies in all parts of the world. The first stones known to have been used for making jewelry include amber, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, garnet, jade, jasper, lapis lazuli, pearl, rock crystal, ruby, serpentine and turquoise. These stones...
Authors
Donald W. Olson
Mineral resource of the month: Graphite Mineral resource of the month: Graphite
The article presents facts about graphite ideal for industrial applications. Among the characteristics of graphite are its metallic luster, softness, perfect basal cleavage and electrical conductivity. Batteries, brake linings and powdered metals are some of the products that make use of graphite. It attributes the potential applications for graphite in high-technology fields to...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: natural and synthetic zeolites 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...
Authors
Robert L. Virta
Mineral resource of the month: cultured quartz crystal Mineral resource of the month: cultured quartz crystal
The article presents information on cultured quartz crystals, a mineral used in mobile phones, computers, clocks and other devices controlled by digital circuits. Cultured quartz, which is synthetically produced in large pressurized vessels known as autoclaves, is useful in electronic circuits for precise filtration, frequency control and timing for consumer and military use. Several...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: vermiculite 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
Authors
M.J. Potter
Below are partners associated with this project.
Related
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 140
Mineral resource of the month: pumice and pumicite Mineral resource of the month: pumice and pumicite
The article offers information on pumice, an important commodity for the construction, horticulture and abrasives industries. The commodity is described as an extremely light, highly porous extrusive volcanic rock which was formed due to the rapid cooling of air-pocketed lava. It is noted that the characteristics of pumice make it as an ideal aggregate material in lightweight building...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: gold Mineral resource of the month: gold
The article presents information on the valuable mineral called gold. It states that early civilizations valued gold because of its scarcity, durability and characteristics yellow color. By the late 20th century, gold was used as an industrial metal because of its unique physicochemical properties. The U.S. has several productive deposits of gold, including placer, gold-quartz lode...
Authors
Micheal W. George
Mineral resource of the month: lime Mineral resource of the month: lime
The article presents facts about lime, which is said to be a caustic chemical manufactured from limestone or other calcium carbonates in a kiln at temperatures ranging from 935 to 1,350 degrees Celsius. It states that lime is widely used in industries such as steelmaking, paper production and chemical manufacturing. It also mentions that global lime production amounts up to 280 million...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: bromine Mineral resource of the month: bromine
The article offers information on bromine, a natural element considered as a dissolved species in seawater, saltwater lakes and underground brines linked with petroleum deposits. Bromine belongs to the halogen group of elements and is characterized with brownish-red color and beach-like odor. It is commonly used in flame retardants, agriculture and drilling.
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: iron oxide pigments Mineral resource of the month: iron oxide pigments
The article discusses iron oxide pigments, which have been used as colorants since human began painting as they resist color change due to sunlight exposure, have good chemical resistance and are stable under normal ambient conditions. Cyprus, Italy and Spain are among the countries that are known for the production of iron oxide pigments. Granular forms of iron oxides and nano-sized...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: Iron oxide pigments Mineral resource of the month: Iron oxide pigments
No abstract available.
Authors
Joyce A. Ober
Mineral resource of the month: antimony Mineral resource of the month: antimony
The article describes the characteristics and industrial uses of antimony. Antimony, which is produced as a byproduct of mining other metals such as gold, lead or silver, is used in everything from flame retardants, batteries, ceramics and glass. It is also used in glass for television picture tubes, computer monitors, pigments and catalysts.
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: gemstones Mineral resource of the month: gemstones
Humans have been intrigued by gemstones since prehistoric times. Gemstones have been valued as treasured objects throughout history by all societies in all parts of the world. The first stones known to have been used for making jewelry include amber, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, garnet, jade, jasper, lapis lazuli, pearl, rock crystal, ruby, serpentine and turquoise. These stones...
Authors
Donald W. Olson
Mineral resource of the month: Graphite Mineral resource of the month: Graphite
The article presents facts about graphite ideal for industrial applications. Among the characteristics of graphite are its metallic luster, softness, perfect basal cleavage and electrical conductivity. Batteries, brake linings and powdered metals are some of the products that make use of graphite. It attributes the potential applications for graphite in high-technology fields to...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: natural and synthetic zeolites 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...
Authors
Robert L. Virta
Mineral resource of the month: cultured quartz crystal Mineral resource of the month: cultured quartz crystal
The article presents information on cultured quartz crystals, a mineral used in mobile phones, computers, clocks and other devices controlled by digital circuits. Cultured quartz, which is synthetically produced in large pressurized vessels known as autoclaves, is useful in electronic circuits for precise filtration, frequency control and timing for consumer and military use. Several...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Mineral resource of the month: vermiculite 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
Authors
M.J. Potter
Below are partners associated with this project.