X-ray phase analysis of clays is difficult because these materials generally consist of a mixture of different phases, i.e., mixed-layer minerals, individual clay minerals (non mixed-layer), and associated minerals, such as calcite and quartz. The analysis requires knowledge that presently is incorporated in a computer-based expert system. This expert system is capable of a) identification of a...

The lunar rocks described in the next chapter are unique to the Moon. Their special characteristics— especially the complete lack of water, the common presence of metallic iron, and the ratios of certain trace chemical elements—make it easy to distinguish them from terrestrial rocks. However, the minerals that make up lunar rocks are (with a few notable exceptions) minerals that are also found ...

Rare earth elements (REE) are either housed in exotic REE minerals that sporadically populate the host rock or they occur as ionic substitutions in the crystal structure of existing rock-forming minerals. The genesis of REEs in carbonatite rocks can result in intricate mineralogical textures between REE minerals, host rock minerals, and minerals formed by later processes. Upfront mineralogical ...

We present a first paragenetic study of the Wuyier, Wuyisan, Wuyiyi and Shihongtan sandstone-hosted roll-front uranium deposits, northwest China. The mineralization is hosted by Lower–Middle Jurassic coarseto medium-grained sandstones, which are dark-gray to black due to a mixture of ore minerals and carbonaceous debris. The sandstone is alluvial fan-braided river facies. Minerals associated wi...

Nigeria had relied solely on her oil wealth at the expense of all other naturally endowed agricultural and enormous mineral resources that abound every landscape of the country. The worldwide economic melt-down that was experienced by the third quarter of 2008 in the United States of America coupled with the slide in foreign earning from crude oil export revenue at the international market, lea...

Totally forty three representative groundwater samples were collected from various aquifers of Pondicherry region covering urban, rural and industrial areas and analyzed for trace elements concentration using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Also, eleven sediment samples at different depths from two bore holes, representing various aquifer systems were collected and analyzed for various min...

The growing environmental, industrial and commercial interests in understanding the processes of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and conversion have led us to simulate, by means of density functional theory calculations, the application of different iron oxide and sulfide minerals to capture, activate and catalytically dissociate this molecule. We have chosen the {001} and {111} surfaces of the sp...

Several grain legumes are staple food crops that are important sources of minerals for humans; unfortunately, our knowledge is incomplete with respect to the mechanisms of translocation of these minerals to the vegetative tissues and loading into seeds. Understanding the mechanism and partitioning of minerals in pea could help in developing cultivars with high mineral density. A mineral partiti...

Pasture forage is the most significant contributor to the trace mineral nutrition of grazing beef cattle. Mineral supplementation in beef cattle can be divided into two broad categories, macro-minerals and micro-minerals. These categories are based on the amount of mineral required in the cow’s diet. As a rule of thumb, micro-minerals are required in amounts less than 1 gram per day compared to...