Industrial Minerals

Features

• Frac sand in the pipeline February 2012

  Where North America’s thirst for oil and natural gas has grown, so too has the demand for frac sand. The supply rush has exerted intense pressure on railroads and the environment, but has been a gold mine to the recession-stricken continent Read More

• Afghanistan’s mineral plan February 2012

  With its position at the heart of Central Asia, and significant mineral resources including lithium and rare earths, Afghanistan holds vast potential for attracting private sector investment, Vasili Nicoletopoulos reveals Read More

• Exploration key to growing Greek industry February 2012

  Greece is opening its doors to private investment to boost domestic industries. Ananias Tsirambides and Anestis Filippidis discuss the country’s key exploration targets for industrial minerals development Read More

• End User Focus: Reconstruction revives refractories in Japan February 2012

  Sluggish steel outlook tempered by cement stimulus from post-quake rebuilding programme Read More

• High purity quartz: under the spotlight January 2012

  With an estimated market size of 100,000 tpa, and intrinsic ties to the semiconductor and photovoltaic cell markets, high purity quartz is the downplayed strategic mineral of the green technology boom Read More

• Greece seeks mineral lifeboat January 2012

  While economic difficulties for Greece continue, Ananias Tsirambides and Anestis Filippidis highlight the wealth of the country’s mineral resources and suggest how they could contribute to assisting its financial future Read More

• Zirconium’s cloudy future January 2012

  Prices for zircon sand and downstream zirconium chemicals tripled over 2010-2011, pushing consumers to look for alternative materials. Alister MacDonald examines zircon’s substitution potential, but cautions that demand in 2012 is anything but certain Read More

• Inside iodine December 2011

  Production problems in Japan and Chile this year have led to supply shortages and an unprecedented spike in prices. With demand growth expected to continue throughout the decade, the world’s established producers must expand capacities to fill the deficit Read More

• Calcium carbonate’s polymer promise December 2011

  Mineral fillers offer cost reduction – and sometimes enhanced properties – to polymer formulations. Siddhartha Roy outlines ground calcium carbonate’s changing role in the growing polymer market Read More

• High purity limestone quest December 2011

  Reconnaissance assessments are one of the first steps in identifying new commercial mining projects. Clive Mitchell outlines the British Geological Survey’s recent evaluation of high purity limestone deposits worldwide, including in the Middle East Read More

• India’s feldspar fortunes December 2011

  Ajay Kulshreshtha reports on the feldspar industry of India and the country’s production hub, Rajasthan, discussing the outlook for key ceramic and glass consumers Read More

• End User Focus: Bentonite’s clay cleanse December 2011

  Sustainability issues, a rise in allergy prevalence and the EU’s REACH directive are all encouraging the use of bentonite-based additives in the detergent industry, as Dr Andreas Werner discusses Read More