Current Research on Mineralogy - Minerals Characterization and Their Applications (Earth Sciences)

This book aims to capture the state-of-the-art of the science devoted to studying the naturally occurring inorganic materials we refer to as “minerals”, focusing on how this concept becomes crucial when developing new technologies and applications. The advent of new analytical techniques that profit from complex energy-matter interactions has provided insights into mineral structure and composition, yielding novel information about their physicochemical properties. Under specific conditions, certain minerals undergo various chemical reactions that form the foundation of mining and other human activities. There is so much richness in all the knowledge arising from theoretical and practical studies, and the different purposes minerals may be of use. Mineralogy harbours several features that are yet to be unveiled to design improved processes where minerals are the protagonists. This touches the very foundation of the major endeavors humanity is currently facing, such as green energy and other applications. This book will try to challenge readers from diverse fields of knowledge related to minerals and their associated areas. The invitation is then to dive into the latest advances in applied mineralogy to address unresolved problems where minerals have much to contribute. Read more