Cordierite is a often-overlooked but technologically important mineral and ceramic phase with a mix of geological intrigue and practical value. This article explores its identity, where it forms in nature, how it is harnessed in industry, and several fascinating aspects that bridge mineralogy, materials science, and everyday technology. Expect discussion of its structure, properties such […]
The Byerwen Mine is a significant open-cut coal operation situated in central Queensland’s Bowen Basin. As part of one of the world’s most important coal provinces, the mine contributes to Australia’s profile as a major global supplier of coal. This article explores the mine’s location and geology, the nature of its production and operations, its
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Colemanite is a mineral that has played a quiet but indispensable role in the global supply of boron compounds. As a hydrated calcium borate, it occupies a specific niche in both the geological record and in modern industry. This article examines the mineral’s **structure**, natural **occurrence**, methods of **extraction** and **processing**, and the many **applications**
The Tropicana Mine is one of Australia’s most prominent modern gold operations, notable for its remote location, large-scale production and role in expanding Australia’s gold-bearing frontier. Located in a sparsely populated area of Western Australia, Tropicana combines cutting-edge exploration, large open-pit mining and a centralized processing plant to recover gold from Archean greenstone-hosted deposits. This
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Copper is a metal that has shaped human history, technology and biology for millennia. Its distinctive reddish hue, exceptional physical properties and wide availability have made it central to everything from ancient tools to modern electronics. This article explores where copper is found in nature, how it is processed and used, its role in living
The growing competition for freshwater resources has direct and profound consequences for the global minerals sector. As regions face intensified droughts, shifting precipitation patterns, and increasing demand from agriculture and cities, the ability of extractive industries to secure reliable water supplies is undermined. This article examines how water scarcity reshapes the economic, technical and social
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Cobaltite is a striking mineral that occupies a small but important place in the story of industrial metals, mineralogy and environmental geology. With a characteristic metallic sheen and a chemical formula that binds cobalt with arsenic and sulfur, cobaltite is both a scientific curiosity and an economically significant ore mineral. This article explores where cobaltite
The Mount Isa mining complex in northwestern Queensland is one of the world’s great concentrated sources of base metals. For nearly a century the area around the town of Mount Isa has hosted large-scale extraction of copper, lead and zinc, creating a cluster of industrial facilities — underground mines, concentrators, smelters and refineries — that
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Cobaltoan calcite is a striking variety of the common mineral calcite that owes its vivid pink to magenta hues to the presence of trace cobalt. Although it shares many physical properties with ordinary calcite, its coloration, associations and the geological environments in which it forms make it a favorite among mineral collectors, lapidaries and researchers.
The Broken Hill mine, set in the arid interior of Australia, is one of the planet’s most storied mineral districts. For more than a century it has produced vast quantities of silver, lead and zinc from a unique and exceptionally rich orebody. The town that grew around the deposit became the birthplace of one of
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