Mineral Uses

Titanium Uses Approximately 95% of titanium is consumed in the form of titanium dioxide (TiO 2), a white pigment in paints, paper, and plastics. TiO2 pigment is characterized by its purity, refractive index, particle size, and surface properties. To develop optimum pigment properties, the particle size is controlled within the range of about 0.2 to 0.4 micrometer. The superiority of TiO2 as a white pigment is due mainly to its high refractive index and resulting light-scattering ability, which impart excellent hiding power and brightness. ZIRCON USES •

Zircons are commercially mined for the metal zirconium, and are used for abrasive and insulating purposes.

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It is the source of zirconium oxide(ZrO2), one of the most refractory materials known.

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Crucibles of ZrO2 are used to fuse platinum at temperatures in excess of 1755 oC.

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Zirconium metal is used in nuclear reactors due to its neutron absorption properties.

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Large specimens are appreciated as gemstones, owing to their high refractive index. (Zircon has a refractive index of approximately 1.95; diamond's is approximately 2.4.)

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Zircon is one of the key minerals used by geologists for geochronology .

Garnet Uses Garnet is ground to a variety of sizes to be used as an abrasive. Garnet sandpaper was the original application of this mineral. It is also used to make a number of similar products, including sanding belts, discs, and strips. Today, the vast majority of garnet is used as an abrasive blasting material, for water filtration, in a process called water jet cutting, and to make abrasive powders.

Monazite uses It is known as the "rare earth" elements and it is a rich source of the radioactive element thorium. Rare earth elements are used in high performance magnets, as pigment in ceramics, in robot motors, x-ray screens, fibre optics, energy efficient lanthanum lamps and colour television tubes. Thorium is radioactive and is used in

incandescent

gas

mantles

and

in

fuel

for

nuclear

reactors.

Monazite is actually three different minerals technically, but because of a lack of great differences between them they are referred to as one mineral, monazite. The three monazites have differences in the percentages of their chemical makeup and these differences are reflected in their respective Monazite uses include: primary source for thorium, cerium, and other rare elements. Illminite uses Ilmenite is the primary ore of titanium. It is also used in the manufacture of titanium dioxide for paint pigments. Titanium is used to manufacture a wide variety of metal parts where light weight and very high strength are needed. Examples include: aircraft parts, artificial joints for humans and sporting equipment such as bicycle frames. Titanium is also used in a number of highperformance alloys