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Geology deals with the Earth's dynamics, rocks, minerals, past life, and landforms. To understand geological processes and their applications in society, a multidisciplinary approach is needed. This book discusses how minerals and their inherent properties can be used for the benefit of society. Minerals are the building blocks of rocks and soils, and more than 3,000 varieties of minerals have been identified. Mineral science, traditionally known as mineralogy, is the study of naturally occurring solid substances in the universe. These substances were formed by complex earth system processes and provide a key to understanding the composition and origins of the earth. These minerals are classified based on their physical and chemical characteristics, occurrence, and economic value. Globally, India is considered a potential resource for various mineral deposits. According to the Ministry of Mines, the Indian subcontinent produces as many as 95 minerals. These minerals are used in numerous industries like engineering, infrastructure, electronics, armory, and food, etc. The physical properties of a mineral are characterized by the combination of crystal structure and chemical composition. To date, the chemical and physical properties of some of the new minerals are not known. Similarly, it is essential to develop artificial minerals to replace naturally occurring minerals. A lot of work has gone into developing low-cost materials in large quantities, with the same chemical properties as the natural materials, so that they can be used in a cost-effective way for the benefit of society and industry. Nowadays, minerals are also increasingly used in biomedical sciences and for assessing and managing water quality, especially in the Indian context. The feldspar group of minerals are the most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust and constitute up to 51% of the continental crust. The weathering of minerals, especially feldspar, plays important role in soil formation. Soil provides indispensable resources for food production and shelter. The inherent fertility of soil depends on the presence of nutrient elements, hosting or holding minerals in rocks and sediments and their bioavailability by controlled weathering processes. Agricultural productivity is correlated with geologically recent additions of fresh rock debris by processes of volcanism, glaciations, denudation and deposition and chemical weathering of feldspars. Hence, the Feldspar group of minerals are important for increasing soil fertility and productivity. Mineral-based phosphors encourage the visual recurrence transformation to develop full-shading white emanating light-transmitting diodes (LEDs). Presently, most of the focus is on the advancement of novel mineral-based LED phosphors for strong state lighting. We have proposed a few new agent groups of mineral-based LED phosphors and strong state lighting innovations for vitality and eco-accommodating lighting frameworks. Long lasting mineral-based phosphors help in future extensions. Some of the economically important minerals of India, their properties, occurrences and government mineral policies are also discussed.

Anliegen dieses Buches ist es, dem Leser in einer allgemein verständlichen Form die faszinierende Vielfalt der Kristallwelt aufzuzeigen. Im einleitenden Teil werden einerseits die Zusammenhänge zwischen natürlichen Kristallen, Mineralen und Gesteinen und andererseits das Auftreten von natürlichen und künstlichen Kristallen in Natur und Technik beschrieben. Ein kurzer historischer Abriss führt von den Anfängen der Entdeckung der Kristalle bis hin zur Entwicklung der Kristallographie als eigenständige Wissenschaft. Es wird anschaulich erläutert, wie Kristalle aufgebaut sind und wie die Kristalleigenschaften durch die strukturelle Symmetrie und durch die vorhandenen Kristallbaufehler beeinflusst werden. Die Bedeutung der modernen Kristallographie und ihre wissenschaftlichen Meilensteine bis zur Ausrichtung des Internationalen Jahres der Kristallographie 2014 durch die UNESCO und die International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) werden illustriert. Die Rolle bedeutender Frauen in der kristallographischen Forschung wird besonders hervorgehoben. ContentsWas sind Kristalle?Das Elektronikzeitalter: Vom Silizium zu den VerbindungshalbleiternNanokristalline Materialien: Neue Werkstoffe mit extremen EigenschaftenDie Bedeutung der Kristallographie und ihre wissenschaftliche EntwicklungAnhang: Tabellen und Darstellungen zur Symmetrie von Kristallen

What's That Rock or Mineral? is an indispensable beginner's guide to identifying the 150 most common North American rocks and minerals.

Chapter 1 - Mineralogy Chapter 2 - Antimony Minerals Chapter 3 - Barium Minerals Chapter 4 - Silver Minerals Chapter 5 - Lead Minerals Chapter 6 - Magnesium Minerals Chapter 7 - Mining

Chapter 1 - Mineral Chapter 2 - Lustre Chapter 3 - Sulfate Minerals and Halide Minerals Chapter 4 - Sulfide Minerals and Phosphate Minerals Chapter 5 - Aluminium Minerals Chapter 6 - Zinc Minerals Chapter 7 - Gemstone Chapter 8 - Gold Minerals Chapter 9 - Iron Minerals

Anyone who has marveled at the glimmer of a perfectly cut diamond, tended a garden, or consumed a nutritious meal has appreciated some of the many roles that minerals play in our lives. Present in many natural substances, minerals are highly structured entities, each with a unique chemical composition and set of properties. Accompanied by detailed tables, diagrams, and sidebars, this informative volume examines the various types of minerals and their structures and classifications, as well as the physical and chemical attributes that separate one mineral from another.

'Literary editor & co-author of chapters 1 & 2, Lilia Petkova; scientific editor and co-author of chapter 3, Ruslan I. Kostov'--P. [2].