Klaus J. Schulz (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Niobium and tantalum
Lithium
Manganese
Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply
SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition
Selenium
Tin
Environmental considerations related to mining of nonfuel minerals
Germanium and indium
Fluorine
Critical mineral resources of the United States—An introduction
Antimony
Rhenium
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Niobium and tantalum
Niobium and tantalum are transition metals that are almost always found together in nature because they have very similar physical and chemical properties. Their properties of hardness, conductivity, and resistance to corrosion largely determine their primary uses today. The leading use of niobium (about 75 percent) is in the production of high-strength steel alloys used in pipelines, transportatiAuthorsKlaus J. Schulz, Nadine M. Piatak, John F. PappLithium
Lithium, the lightest of all metals, is used in air treatment, batteries, ceramics, glass, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and polymers. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are particularly important in efforts to reduce global warming because they make it possible to power cars and trucks from renewable sources of energy (for example, hydroelectric, solar, or wind) instead of by burning fossil fuels.AuthorsDwight C. Bradley, Lisa L. Stillings, Brian W. Jaskula, LeeAnn Munk, Andrew D. McCauleyManganese
Manganese is an essential element for modern industrial societies. Its principal use is in steelmaking, where it serves as a purifying agent in iron-ore refining and as an alloy that converts iron into steel. Although the amount of manganese consumed to make a ton of steel is small, ranging from 6 to 9 kilograms, it is an irreplaceable component in the production of this fundamental material. TheAuthorsWilliam F. Cannon, Bryn E. Kimball, Lisa A. CorathersCritical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply
SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition
Selenium
Selenium (Se) was discovered in 1817 in pyrite from copper mines in Sweden. It is a trace element in Earth’s crust, with an abundance of three to seven orders of magnitude less than the major rock-forming elements. Commercial use of selenium began in the United States in 1910, when it was used as a pigment for paints, ceramic glazes, and red glass. Since that time, it has had many other economic uAuthorsLisa L. StillingsTin
Tin (Sn) is one of the first metals to be used by humans. Almost without exception, tin is used as an alloy. Because of its hardening effect on copper, tin was used in bronze implements as early as 3500 B.C. The major uses of tin today are for cans and containers, construction materials, transportation materials, and solder. The predominant ore mineral of tin, by far, is cassiterite (SnO2).In 2015AuthorsRobert J. Kamilli, Bryn E. Kimball, James F. CarlinEnvironmental considerations related to mining of nonfuel minerals
Throughout most of human history, environmental stewardship during mining has not been a priority partly because of the lack of applicable laws and regulations and partly because of ignorance about the effects that mining can have on the environment. In the United States, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, in conjunction with related laws, codified a more modern approach to mining, incAuthorsRobert R. Seal, Nadine M. Piatak, Bryn E. Kimball, Jane M. HammarstromGermanium and indium
Germanium and indium are two important elements used in electronics devices, flat-panel display screens, light-emitting diodes, night vision devices, optical fiber, optical lens systems, and solar power arrays. Germanium and indium are treated together in this chapter because they have similar technological uses and because both are recovered as byproducts, mainly from copper and zinc sulfides.TheAuthorsW.C. Pat Shanks, Bryn E. Kimball, Amy C. Tolcin, David E. GubermanFluorine
Fluorine compounds are essential in numerous chemical and manufacturing processes. Fluorspar is the commercial name for fluorite (isometric CaF2), which is the only fluorine mineral that is mined on a large scale. Fluorspar is used directly as a fluxing material and as an additive in different manufacturing processes. It is the source of fluorine in the production of hydrogen fluoride or hydrofluoAuthorsTimothy S. Hayes, M. Michael Miller, Greta J. Orris, Nadine M. PiatakCritical mineral resources of the United States—An introduction
Many changes have taken place in the mineral resource sector since the publication by the U.S. Geological Survey of Professional Paper 820, “United States Mineral Resources,” which is a review of the long-term United States resource position for 65 mineral commodities or commodity groups. For example, since 1973, the United States has continued to become increasingly dependent on imports to meet iAuthorsKlaus J. Schulz, John H. DeYoung, Robert R. Seal, Dwight C. BradleyAntimony
Antimony is an important mineral commodity used widely in modern industrialized societies. The element imparts strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance to alloys that are used in many areas of industry, including in lead-acid storage batteries. Antimony’s leading use is as a fire retardant in safety equipment and in household goods, such as mattresses. The U.S. Government has considered antimoAuthorsRobert R. Seal, Klaus J. Schulz, John H. DeYoung,, David M. Sutphin, Lawrence J. Drew, James F. Carlin, Byron R. BergerRhenium
Rhenium is one of the rarest elements in Earth’s continental crust; its estimated average crustal abundance is less than 1 part per billion. Rhenium is a metal that has an extremely high melting point and a heat-stable crystalline structure. More than 80 percent of the rhenium consumed in the world is used in high-temperature superalloys, especially those used to make turbine blades for jet aircraAuthorsDavid John, Robert R. Seal, Désirée E. Polyak