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.
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Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 140
Mineral resource of the month: arsenic
Arsenic has a long and varied history: Although it was not isolated as an element until the 13th century, it was known to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks in compound form in the minerals arsenopyrite, realgar and orpiment. In the 1400s, “Scheele’s Green” was first used as an arsenic pigment in wallpaper, and leached arsenic from wallpaper may have contributed to Napoleon’s death in 1821.
Authors
William E. Brooks
Mineral resource of the month: mica
Humans have been using mica for millennia. Mica was first mined in India about 4,000 years ago, where it was used primarily in medicines, and some Hindu physicians still incorporate biotite mica into medicines today. Early civilizations also used mica for decorations, as windows and as surfaces on which to draw or paint. Maya temples were decorated with mica pigments, which were incorporated into
Authors
J.B. Hedrick
Mineral resource of the month: peat
Peat is a natural organic material of botanical origin, harvested from deposits in bogs and fens. Commercial deposits form from the incomplete decomposition of plant matter under anaerobic conditions and gradually accumulate to form peat over about a 5,000-year period.
Authors
Stephen M. Jasinski
Mineral resource of the month: strontium
Last month as Americans sat transfixed watching fireworks on July 4, they were probably unaware that strontium was responsible for the beautiful reds in the display. Strontium, a soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element that turns yellow when exposed to air (and red when it burns), is prized for its brilliant red flame. Because it reacts with air and water, the metal is only present natural
Authors
Joyce A. Ober
Mineral resource of the month: industrial sand and gravel
With many diverse uses, industrial sand and gravel, also known as silica sand, is one of the most important nonmetallic minerals in the world. Industrial sand and gravel is a mining industry term used for sands that have a very high percentage of silicon dioxide, or greater than 95 percent quartz. Deposits of industrial sand and gravel can be found virtually everywhere on Earth, but are less wides
Authors
Thomas Dolley
Mineral resource of the month: talc
When most people think of talc, they probably think of talcum and baby powder. However, these uses of talc are quite minor compared to its wide variety of applications in manufacturing. The leading use of talc is in the production of ceramics, where it acts as a source of magnesium oxide, serves as a flux to reduce firing temperatures and improves thermal shock characteristics of the final product
Authors
Robert Virta, Brad Van Gosen
Mineral resource of the month: thallium
Thallium is known as a poison, its use initially suspected in the recent death of a Russian spy, but it has a variety of more important applications in everything from medical imaging to wireless communications.
Authors
Xiaoyu Bi
Mineral resource of the month: steel
About 96 million metric tons of steel was produced in the United States last year — more than any other metal. And the $3.46 billion of iron and steel scrap exported was also the highest of any metal scrap export, helping to reduce the U.S. trade deficit.
Authors
Michael D. Fenton
Mineral resource of the month: zirconium and hafnium
Zirconium and hafnium are corrosion-resistant metals that are grouped in the same family as titanium on the periodic table. The two elements commonly occur in oxide and silicate minerals and have significant economic importance in everything from ink, ceramics and golf shoes to nuclear fuel rods.
Authors
Joseph Gambogi
Mineral resource of the month: kyanite
Kyanite and related minerals are used in making refractories, which are materials that can withstand high-temperature environments, generally in excess of 1,100 degrees Celsius. Refractories form an inner lining to furnaces, kilns and other containers with which molten metals and glass come into contact. Fifty to 70 percent of global refractory consumption is related to the steel industry.
Authors
Michael J. Potter
Mineral resource of the month: wollastonite
When asked about wollastonite, most people respond “wollasta-what?” That’s because the wollastonite industry in the United States is relatively small and not highly publicized. Furthermore, the general public does not have any direct contact with wollastonite despite its use in many consumer products, ranging from car brakes to paint.
Authors
Robert Virta, Brad Van Gosen
Below are partners associated with this project.
Related Content
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 140
Mineral resource of the month: arsenic
Arsenic has a long and varied history: Although it was not isolated as an element until the 13th century, it was known to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks in compound form in the minerals arsenopyrite, realgar and orpiment. In the 1400s, “Scheele’s Green” was first used as an arsenic pigment in wallpaper, and leached arsenic from wallpaper may have contributed to Napoleon’s death in 1821.
Authors
William E. Brooks
Mineral resource of the month: mica
Humans have been using mica for millennia. Mica was first mined in India about 4,000 years ago, where it was used primarily in medicines, and some Hindu physicians still incorporate biotite mica into medicines today. Early civilizations also used mica for decorations, as windows and as surfaces on which to draw or paint. Maya temples were decorated with mica pigments, which were incorporated into
Authors
J.B. Hedrick
Mineral resource of the month: peat
Peat is a natural organic material of botanical origin, harvested from deposits in bogs and fens. Commercial deposits form from the incomplete decomposition of plant matter under anaerobic conditions and gradually accumulate to form peat over about a 5,000-year period.
Authors
Stephen M. Jasinski
Mineral resource of the month: strontium
Last month as Americans sat transfixed watching fireworks on July 4, they were probably unaware that strontium was responsible for the beautiful reds in the display. Strontium, a soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element that turns yellow when exposed to air (and red when it burns), is prized for its brilliant red flame. Because it reacts with air and water, the metal is only present natural
Authors
Joyce A. Ober
Mineral resource of the month: industrial sand and gravel
With many diverse uses, industrial sand and gravel, also known as silica sand, is one of the most important nonmetallic minerals in the world. Industrial sand and gravel is a mining industry term used for sands that have a very high percentage of silicon dioxide, or greater than 95 percent quartz. Deposits of industrial sand and gravel can be found virtually everywhere on Earth, but are less wides
Authors
Thomas Dolley
Mineral resource of the month: talc
When most people think of talc, they probably think of talcum and baby powder. However, these uses of talc are quite minor compared to its wide variety of applications in manufacturing. The leading use of talc is in the production of ceramics, where it acts as a source of magnesium oxide, serves as a flux to reduce firing temperatures and improves thermal shock characteristics of the final product
Authors
Robert Virta, Brad Van Gosen
Mineral resource of the month: thallium
Thallium is known as a poison, its use initially suspected in the recent death of a Russian spy, but it has a variety of more important applications in everything from medical imaging to wireless communications.
Authors
Xiaoyu Bi
Mineral resource of the month: steel
About 96 million metric tons of steel was produced in the United States last year — more than any other metal. And the $3.46 billion of iron and steel scrap exported was also the highest of any metal scrap export, helping to reduce the U.S. trade deficit.
Authors
Michael D. Fenton
Mineral resource of the month: zirconium and hafnium
Zirconium and hafnium are corrosion-resistant metals that are grouped in the same family as titanium on the periodic table. The two elements commonly occur in oxide and silicate minerals and have significant economic importance in everything from ink, ceramics and golf shoes to nuclear fuel rods.
Authors
Joseph Gambogi
Mineral resource of the month: kyanite
Kyanite and related minerals are used in making refractories, which are materials that can withstand high-temperature environments, generally in excess of 1,100 degrees Celsius. Refractories form an inner lining to furnaces, kilns and other containers with which molten metals and glass come into contact. Fifty to 70 percent of global refractory consumption is related to the steel industry.
Authors
Michael J. Potter
Mineral resource of the month: wollastonite
When asked about wollastonite, most people respond “wollasta-what?” That’s because the wollastonite industry in the United States is relatively small and not highly publicized. Furthermore, the general public does not have any direct contact with wollastonite despite its use in many consumer products, ranging from car brakes to paint.
Authors
Robert Virta, Brad Van Gosen
Below are partners associated with this project.