Minerals are the unsung heroes of pharmaceuticals. From making a tablet more palatable to providing treatment for a number of ailments, the focus on industrial minerals in this multi-billion dollar industry is growing.
While owing to its low volume, high value nature pharmaceuticals are never going to be the big business drivers for the world’s largest miners, for many they offer a significant bonus if the company can provide a pure, high grade product.
Minerals are used for two general areas: as a carrier and as a treatment.
Talc, calcium carbonate, and some clays like halloysite are used as a carrier for medicine in the form of tablets and pills. However a select few minerals are used as a treatment: lithium carbonate, for example, is used to treat bipolar disorder, while magnesia in the form of Milk of Magnesia cures an upset stomach.
As...