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The Center conducts analyses of and develops information on minerals-related issues, including minerals conservation, sustainability, availability, materials flow, and the economic health of the U.S. minerals industry. 

Filter Total Items: 588

Bauxite and alumina in 2013

No abstract available.
Authors
E. Lee Bray

Mineral resource of the month: Wollastonite

Wollastonite, a calcium metasilicate, has an ideal composition of 48.3 percent calcium oxide and 51.7 percent silicon dioxide, but it can also contain minor amounts of aluminum, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium or strontium substituting for calcium. Wollastonite occurs as prismatic crystals that break into tabular-to-acicular fragments. It is usually white but also may be gray, cream,
Authors
Robert L. Virta, Bradley S. Van Gosen

Mineral Resource of the Month: Talc

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
Authors
Robert L. Virta, Bradley S. Van Gosen

Mineral resource of the month: Iron and steel

Iron is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, but it does not occur in nature in a useful metallic form. Although ancient people may have recovered some iron from meteorites, it wasn’t until smelting was invented that iron metal could be derived from iron oxides. After the beginning of the Iron Age in about 1200 B.C., knowledge of iron- and steelmaking spread from the ancient Middle East thr
Authors
Michael D. Fenton

Mineral resource of the month: Iron and steel

Iron is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, but it does not occur in nature in a useful metallic form. Although ancient people may have recovered some iron from meteorites, it wasn’t until smelting was invented that iron metal could be derived from iron oxides. After the beginning of the Iron Age in about 1200 B.C., knowledge of iron- and steelmaking spread from the ancient Middle East thr
Authors
Michael D. Fenton

The lifecycle of silver in the United States in 2009

Because silver is highly sought after for its properties, which make it eminently suitable for new technology applications, a clear understanding of the flow of materials in the economy, the historical context, and trends for the future can help project the future of silver in the economy of the United States. Silver has many properties that are desired in today’s economy. It has superior electric
Authors
Thomas G. Goonan

Kaolin

The article reports on the market performance of kaolin in the U.S. in 2009 and presents an outlook for its 2010 performance. There was a decline in the domestic sales of kaolin from 6.74 measurement ton (Mt) to 5.2 Mt. Companies in the country engaged in kaolin production include Advanced Primary Minerals Corp., Applied Minerals Inc., and Daleco Resources Corp. The decline in world production of
Authors
Robert L. Virta

Mineral resource of the month: Strontium

Strontium occurs commonly in nature, ranking as the 15th most abundant chemical element on Earth. Only two minerals contain sufficient strontium, however, to be used commercially to produce strontium compounds: Strontianite (strontium carbonate) has a higher strontium content, but celestite (strontium sulfate) is by far the most abundant strontium mineral.
Authors
Joyce A. Ober

The nation’s top 25 construction aggregates producers

U.S. production of construction aggregates in 2012 was 2.18 billion short tons valued at $17.6 billion, free on board (f.o.b.) at plant. In 2012, construction aggregates production remained virtually unchanged from the levels of the last two years because of a very slight increase compared with that of 2011 in the production of both construction sand and gravel and crushed stone. The average unit
Authors
Jason C. Willett

Mineral resource of the month: Phosphate rock

As a mineral resource, “phosphate rock” is defined as unprocessed ore and processed concentrates that contain some form of apatite, a group of calcium phosphate minerals that is the primary source for phosphorus in phosphate fertilizers, which are vital to agriculture.
Authors
Stephen M. Jasinski

Mineral Resource of the Month: Thallium

No abstract available.
Authors
David E. Guberman

Mineral Resource of the Month - Kyanite

No abstract available
Authors
Arnold O. Tanner