Clay mineral-containing nanocomposite hydrogels have been proven to have exceptional composition, properties, and applications, and consequently have attracted a significant amount of research effort over the past few years. The objective of this paper is to summarize and evaluate scientific advances in clay mineral-containing nanocomposite hydrogels in terms of their specific preparation, form...

The characterization of minerals and biogeological deposits in a terrestrial Arabian sabkha has a direct relevance for the exploration of Mars since the discovery by the NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity of evaporate minerals on Mars that could have arisen from aquifers and subsurface water movement. The recognition of carbonates and sulphates in Gusev Crater has afforded an additional impetus...

a r t i c l e i n f o We study hyperspectral images of the Bodélé Depression in Northern Chad, acquired by the Hyperion sensor onboard EO-1 spacecraft. Relative abundances of four major mineral components are obtained on a pixel-by-pixel basis and we report on the comparison of images of a dust storm with the same areas on a calm day. Minerals lifted and suspended particles downwind of a dust s...

Organisms are capable of forming a diverse array of minerals, some of which cannot be formed inorganically in the biosphere. The initial precipitates may differ from the form in which they are finally stabilized, or during development of the organism one mineral may substitute for another. Biogenic minerals commonly have attributes which distinguish them from their inorganic counterparts. They ...

The discovery of the extreme antiquity of specific minerals through radiometric dating (e.g., Strutt 1910), coupled with Norman L. Bowen’s recognition of a deterministic evolutionary sequence of silicate minerals in igneous rocks (Bowen 1915, 1928), implies that Earth’s crustal mineralogy has changed dramatically through more than 4.5 billion years of planetary history. Detailed examination of ...

Metamict aeschynite-(Y) and polycrase-(Y) were studied by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. To restore their crystal structure, the mineral samples were heated at various temperatures in air. The temperatures of 400, 500, 650, 800 and 1000°C were determined from TGA–DTA diagrams to be potentially important for structure restoration or changes, which generally correspond to the data avai...

Adequate levels of vitamins and minerals are essential for optimal neural functioning. A high proportion of individuals, including children, suffer from deficiencies in one or more vitamins or minerals. This study investigated whether daily supplementation with vitamins/minerals could modulate cognitive performance and mood in healthy children. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controll...

Lanthanides/actinides sorption speciation on minerals and oxides by means of time resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS), extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) and density functional theory (DFT) is reviewed in the field of nuclear disposal safety research. The theoretical aspects of the methods are concisely presented. Examples of recent research results of la...

We have completed laboratory experiments and thermochemical equilibrium models to investigate secondary mineral formation under conditions akin to volcanic, hydrothermal acid-sulfate weathering systems. Our research used the basaltic mineralogy at Cerro Negro Volcano, Nicaragua, characterized by plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine, and volcanic glass. These individual minerals and whole-rock field s...