Earth Materials Lecture 3: Minerals and Society Flashcards
What is quartz used for?
Quartz for glassware, optics, PV cells, water filtration, heaters.
Quartz is synthesized for its piezoelectric properties.
What are sands of olivine and zircon used for?
Sands of olivine and zircon used in steel casting.
What minerals are used as abrasives?
Garnet, emery, diamond sand as abrasives
What are micas used for?
Micas for electrical and heat insulation, wallpaper lustre.
What are clays used for
Clays for bricks, tiles, pipes, geomembranes, ceramics, drilling mud, paper gloss.
What is Feldspar used for
Ceramics
What is gypsum used for
Plaster
Describe societal uses for synthetic minerals
Quartz is synthesized for its piezoelectric properties.
Natural and synthetic zeolites – catalysts, cation exchange, molecular sieves, desiccants.
Synthetic Y-G garnets – lasers, e.g. medical.
Synthetic pyrochlore and garnet for HLNW.
Various CuS and related alloys for thermoelectric effects.
WHat are some minerals that are mined for elements?
Hematite - Fe
Sphalerite - Zn
Galena - Pb
Chalcopyrite - Cu
Bauxite - Al
Chromite – Cr, Fe
Pentlandite – Ni, Fe
Apatite – PO4
What are slate and limestone used for
Slate for roof tiles
Limestone for cement
WHat are the various uses of lithium
Rechargeable Li-ion batteries (LIB’s)
Especially in EV’s and storage units
for national grids.
High energy density, low self discharge
rate, long life cycle, fast charging,
low weight.
Lowers melting temp of glass and firing ceramics
lowers viscosity of molten glass
Neutron absorber and coolant in nuclear industry.
Flux welding
Lightweight and strong alloys
What are the main lithium bearing minerals
Spodumene - pyroxene
Petalite – Li-Al silicate
Amblygonite - phosphate
Lepidolite - mica
