The mineral known as alexandrite has captured the imagination of gem lovers, scientists and collectors for nearly two centuries. Famous for its dramatic and often mysterious optical behavior, this relatively rare form of chrysoberyl offers a natural spectacle: under daylight it commonly appears greenish, while in incandescent light it can look reddish. That striking color-change […]
The Ramagundam mine complex is one of the most important coal-producing areas in southern India. Located in the state of Telangana, the mine has played a pivotal role in powering regional industry and supplying fuel to thermal power plants for decades. This article explores where Ramagundam is situated, what is extracted there, its economic significance,
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Chromium is a transition element that has shaped modern industry, materials science and even art. Its distinct physical and chemical properties make it indispensable in a wide range of applications, while some of its compounds have inspired both admiration for their vivid colors and concern because of their toxicity. This article explores where chromium is
The metallurgy and materials communities face mounting challenges as the global demand for strategic metals grows. Among these, molybdenum plays an outsized role in modern steelmaking, contributing to corrosion resistance, high-temperature strength, and hardenability. Yet the same industrial forces that drive demand are colliding with concentrated production, regulatory shifts, and logistical disruptions, resulting in pronounced
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Albite is a common and versatile mineral whose presence weaves through the story of the Earth’s crust. This sodium-rich member of the feldspar family plays a key role in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary processes, and carries both scientific importance and practical value. The following article explores where albite occurs, how it is used in industry
The Singrauli region, often referred to as a powerhouse of India’s energy landscape, hosts one of the country’s most important coal basins. Located on the borderland of two Indian states, this coalfield has shaped regional development, industrial growth and national energy planning for decades. The following article explores where the Singrauli coalfield is situated, what
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Alabaster has captivated human hands and eyes for millennia, prized for its soft workability and delicate beauty. This article explores the geology, uses, cultural history and practical aspects of working with and conserving this material. You will learn where it occurs, how it differs depending on composition, and why artists and craftsmen continue to choose
The Jharia Coalfield is one of the most famous and problematic mining regions in South Asia, combining immense industrial importance with a long history of environmental and human challenges. Located in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, it has been central to India’s growth in heavy industry and steelmaking for more than a century,
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Fuchsite is a striking green member of the mica family whose vivid color and delicate flaky habit make it attractive to collectors, lapidaries, and researchers alike. This chromium‑rich variety of muscovite combines familiar physical properties of micas—perfect cleavage, pearly luster and flexible sheets—with a distinctive emerald to apple‑green hue caused by chromium substitution. Beyond aesthetics,
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The rise and closure of the mining complex at Kudremukh is one of the most compelling and contested stories in modern Indian industrial and environmental history. Nestled within the forested slopes of the Western Ghats, this operation extracted high-quality iron ore for decades, shaping local economies, transport networks and industry linkages across Karnataka and beyond.
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