Mineral Resource of the Month: Talc
March 1, 2014
When people think of talc, they often think of talcum and baby powder. However, these uses of talc are minor compared to its use in industrial manufacturing. The leading use of talc in the United States is in the production of ceramics, where it is a source of magnesium oxide, serves as a flux to reduce firing temperatures, and improves thermal shock characteristics of the final product. Worldwide, the major use of talc is as a paper constituent, where it fills the interstices between cellulose paper fibers, reduces paper transparency, improves ink receptivity, and absorbs undesirable tree sap residues that can generate blemishes in the paper.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2014 |
---|---|
Title | Mineral Resource of the Month: Talc |
Authors | Robert L. Virta, Bradley S. Van Gosen |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Earth |
Index ID | 70186163 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | National Minerals Information Center |