Graphite is crystalline allotrope of carbon that comes in an amorphous, flake-like, or platelet shape. It is found naturally as a mineral but a synthetic version can also be created through the heat-treatment of petroleum products. There are various uses of graphite, such as use in battery anodes, which are commonly used in the lithium-ion…

Talc is a clay mineral made of hydrated magnesium silicate.  Talc is formed from metamorphic reaction of minerals in aqueous conditions.  Talc is one of the softest minerals on earth, with a Mohs hardness of 1.0 (defining mineral).  However, some abrasive impurities (such as quartz or sand) may be present in the mined talc.  It…

Bauxite is heterogeneous mineral containing aluminum hydroxide minerals such as gibbsite, boehmite and disapore.  It is a sedimentary rock mixed with kaolinite clay that might have some iron oxide minerals mixed in.  Bauxite is used as a source of Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) which is used in ceramics or as an abrasive (or for abrasion resistance). …

Zircon, also known as zircon silicate (ZrSiO4), is found in ancient mineral sand deposits and is typically brown in color. Zircon is one of the two core product streams from ‘mineral sands’, the other being titanium minerals. During mining, these minerals are separated and removed from their ore deposits. Zircon sand is mainly used in…