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Examples Of What Minerals Are Used Where:
Aircraft Frames and Engines
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (aluminum alloys)
  • Beryllium (superalloys)
  • Chromium (superalloys)
  • Cobalt (superalloys)
  • Iron (steel)
  • Magnesium (aluminum and magnesium alloys)
  • Manganese (aluminum alloys and steel)
  • Nickel (superalloys)
  • Rhenium (superalloys)
  • Silicon (aluminum alloys and steel)
  • Titanium (titanium alloys)
  • Tungsten (superalloys)
  • Vanadium (titanium alloys)
  • Zirconium and hafnium (superalloys)

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Antacids
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (aluminum hydroxide)
  • Bismuth (bismuth subsalicylate)
  • Crushed stone (calcium carbonate)
  • Magnesium (magnesium hydroxide, magnesium trisilicate)

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Antiseptic, providone-iodine
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Iodine (providone-iodine)

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Baby Power
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Talc

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Battery, lead-acid automotive
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Arsenic (plates)
  • Feldspar (polypropylene case)
  • Lead (plates, terminals)
  • Sand (polypropylene case)
  • Sulfur (sulfuric acid)
  • Talc (polypropylene case)
  • Wollastonite (polypropylene case)

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Beverage cans, aluminum
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (aluminum alloys)
  • Iron (aluminum alloys)
  • Magnesium (aluminum alloys)
  • Manganese (aluminum alloys)
  • Silicon (aluminum alloys)

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Beverage Glass
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Feldspar
  • Sand
  • Soda ash (glass making)
  • Crushed stone or lime (glass making)

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Brick, clay
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Common clay

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Cardboard Packages
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Kaolin
  • Lime (calcium carbonate)
  • Sodium sulfate
  • Talc
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)

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Coins
Minerals and Materials Used:

Cent (copper plated zinc)

  • Copper (2.5%)
  • Zinc (balance)
Nickel
  • Nickel (25%)
  • Copper (balance)
Dime
  • Nickel (8.33%)
  • Copper (balance)
Quarter
  • Nickel (8.33%)
  • Copper (balance)
Half Dollar
  • Nickel (8.33%)
  • Copper (balance)
Golden Dollar
  • Copper (88.5%)
  • Zinc (6%)
  • Manganese (3.5%)
  • Nickel (2%)

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Cosmetics
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Barite (barium lake)
  • Aluminum (alumina)
  • Bentonite
  • Bismuth (bismuth oxychloride)
  • Boron (boron nitride)
  • Calcium (calcium carbonate/calcium lake)
  • Chromium (e.g. chromium oxide, chromium hydroxide)
  • Iron oxide pigment
  • Kaolin
  • Magnesium (e.g. magnesium carbonate, magnesium stearate)
  • Manganese (e.g. manganese oxide)
  • Mica
  • Salt
  • Talc
  • Tin (e.g. tin oxide)
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)
  • Zinc (e.g. zinc oxide, zinc stearate)

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Dietary Supplements
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Boron
  • Calcium (calcium carbonate)
  • Chromium
  • Cobalt (vitamin B12)
  • Copper
  • Gypsum (filler)
  • Iodine
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Molybdenum
  • Nickel
  • Phosphate rock (phosphorus)
  • Potash (potassium)
  • Sand (silica)
  • Selenium
  • Silicon
  • Sulfur
  • Tin
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)
  • Vanadium
  • Zinc

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Dishwasher
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (aluminum alloys)
  • Chromium (steel)
  • Copper
  • Fluorspar (steel making)
  • Gold (electrical contacts)
  • Iron (steel)
  • Manganese (aluminum and steel alloys)
  • Silicon (aluminum and steel alloys)
  • Zinc (coating)

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Electric Power
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Coal
  • Lime/limestone (environmental control)

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Electrical Wire, copper
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Copper

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Electronics
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum
  • Beryllium
  • Cesium
  • Cobalt
  • Copper
  • Diamond (e.g. etching)
  • Germanium
  • Gold
  • Indium
  • Iron (steel)
  • Lead
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Molybdenum
  • Mercury
  • Mica
  • Platinum-group metals
  • Rhenium
  • Sand (e.g. quartz crystal)
  • Selenium
  • Silicon
  • Silver
  • Tantalum
  • Tellurium
  • Thallium
  • Tin
  • Titanium
  • Tungsten
  • Zinc

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Emery Board
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Garnet
  • Sand

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Faucet
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Chromium (plating)
  • Copper (brass)
  • Nickel (plating)
  • Tin (brass)
  • Zinc (brass)

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Fireworks
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (metal powder - bright flashes and loud bangs)
  • Antimony (glittering effect)
  • Barite (barium salts - bright greens, barium oxide - white)
  • Calcium (calcium salts, chloride, and sulfate - orange)
  • Copper (copper carbonate - blues)
  • Iron (iron with carbon - golds)
  • Lithium (lithium salts and carbonate - red)
  • Magnesium (metal powder or flake - silvers)
  • Salt (sodium compounds - yellow colors)
  • Strontium (strontium salts and carbonate - reds)
  • Titanium (metal powder - silvers)
  • Zinc (smoke and clouds)
  • Zirconium (metal powder - silvers)

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Flooring, vinyl
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Crushed stone (ground calcium carbonate)
  • Kaolin
  • Talc
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)

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Fluorescent Light
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum
  • Copper
  • Crushed stone or lime (glass making)
  • Feldspar
  • Manganese (aluminum)
  • Mercury (vapor)
  • Sand (glass)
  • Silicon (aluminum)
  • Soda ash (glass making)

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Foil, aluminum
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (aluminum alloys)
  • Iron (aluminum alloys)
  • Magnesium (aluminum alloys)
  • Manganese (aluminum alloys)
  • Silicon (aluminum alloys)

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Food
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Calcium (e.g. dairy products)
  • Chromium (e.g. meats and grains)
  • Cobalt (B-12)
  • Copper (e.g. seafood and grains)
  • Diatomite (filler)
  • Fluorspar (fluorine)
  • Gypsum (crisper and filler)
  • Iodine (e.g. table salt)
  • Iron (e.g. meat, vegetables)
  • Lime
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese (e.g. fruits)
  • Molybdenum (e.g. grains)
  • Nickel (e.g. vegatables)
  • Phosphate rock (phosphorus)
  • Potash (potassium)
  • Salt (sodium, iodine, chlorine)
  • Selenium (e.g. fish)
  • Sulfur (proteins and vegetables)
  • Tin (e.g. cereals)
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)
  • Vanadium (e.g. radishes)
  • Zinc (e.g meats and fish)

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Foundation, concrete
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Cement
  • Crushed stone
  • Iron (steel rebar)
  • Manganese (steel rebar)
  • Pumice
  • Sand and gravel
  • Silicon (steel rebar)

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Joint Compound
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Barite
  • Crushed stone (calcium carbonate)
  • Fuller's earth
  • Gypsum
  • Kaolin
  • Mica
  • Talc
  • Wollastonite

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Kitchen Utensils
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Chromium (steel)
  • Iron (steel)
  • Manganese (steel)
  • Silicon (steel)
  • Silver

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Lamp, brass
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Copper
  • Lead
  • Tin
  • Zinc

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Incandescent Light
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (aluminum alloy base)
  • Copper (wire, contact)
  • Crushed stone or lime (glass making)
  • Manganese (aluminum alloy base)
  • Molybdenum (wire)
  • Nickel (wire)
  • Sand (glass)
  • Silicon (aluminum alloy base)
  • Soda ash (glass)
  • Tungsten (filament)

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Magnets
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Cobalt
  • Iron
  • Nickel
  • Strontium

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Matches, safety
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Antimony (antimony trisulphide)
  • Potash (potassium chlorate)
  • Phosphate rock (red phosphorus in the striking surface)

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Mirror
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Feldspar (glass)
  • Crushed stone or lime (glass making)
  • Sand (glass)
  • Silver (reflective back)
  • Soda ash (glass making)

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Nails, galvanized
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Iron (steel)
  • Manganese (steel)
  • Silicon (steel)
  • Zinc (corrosion resistant coating)

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Nonstick Coating, polytertrafluoroethylene
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Fluorspar (polytetrafluoroethylene)

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Paints and Coatings
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Barite
  • Bentonite
  • Crushed stone (ground calcium carbonate)
  • Diatomite
  • Iron oxide pigment
  • Kaolin
  • Mica
  • Perlite
  • Pumice
  • Sand
  • Talc
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)
  • Wollastonite

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Pharmaceuticals
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Bismuth
  • Bromine
  • Calcium (calcium carbonate)
  • Fluorspar
  • Fuller's earth
  • Gypsum
  • Iodine
  • Iron oxide pigments
  • Salt
  • Sand
  • Kaolin
  • Lithium
  • Talc
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)

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Pipe, polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Barite
  • Crushed stone (calcium carbonate)
  • Feldspar
  • Gypsum
  • Kaolin
  • Salt (polyvinylchloride)
  • Sand
  • Talc

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Pipe, steel
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Iron (steel)
  • Manganese (steel)
  • Silicon (steel)

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Plate, ceramic
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Ball clay
  • Feldspar
  • Sand

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Razor Blades
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Chromium (stainless steel)
  • Iron (stainless steel)
  • Manganese (stainless steel)
  • Silicon (stainless steel)

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Roads
Minerals and Materials Used In Road Construction:

  • Cement
  • Crushed stone
  • Diamond (surface preparation)
  • Lime (asphalt)
  • Flyash (coal combustion product)
  • Manganese (steel making)
  • Sand and gravel
  • Silicon (steel making)
  • Iron (steel rebar)
Minerals and Materials Used In Road Bed:
  • Crushed stone
  • Lime
  • Coal combustion products

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Siding, aluminum
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Aluminum (aluminum alloys)
  • Magnesium (aluminum alloys)
  • Manganese (aluminum alloys)
  • Silicon (aluminum alloys)

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Sink, ceramic
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Ball clay
  • Feldspar
  • Sand
  • Wollastonite
  • Zirconium (zircon)

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Sink, stainless steel
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Chromium (stainless steel)
  • Iron (stainless steel)
  • Manganese (stainless steel)
  • Nickel (stainless steel)
  • Silicon (stainless steel)

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Soap and Shampoo
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Boron (borates)
  • Chromium (chromium hydroxide pigment)
  • Magnesium (magnesium compounds)
  • Mica
  • Pumice
  • Salt
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)
  • Zinc

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Solder, lead-free
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Bismuth
  • Selenium

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Stone Structures
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Cement (mortar)
  • Dimension stone
  • Sand and gravel (mortar)

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Structural Beams, steel
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Iron (steel)
  • Manganese (steel)
  • Silicon (steel)

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Table Salt, iodized
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Salt (sodium chloride)
  • Iodine (potassium iodide)

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Television Picture Tube
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Barite
  • Crushed stone or lime (glass making)
  • Feldspar
  • Germanium
  • Lead
  • Rare earths
  • Sand
  • Soda ash
  • Strontium

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Tile, ceramic
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Ball clay
  • Boron
  • Common clay
  • Feldspar
  • Kaolin
  • Sand
  • Talc
  • Wollastonite

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Tire, rubber
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Antimony
  • Iron (steel radial)
  • Lithium (catalyst in manufacturing)
  • Sulfur
  • Tellurium (tellurium diethyldithiocarbamate)
  • Zinc (zinc oxide)

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Toilet, ceramic
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Ball clay
  • Feldspar
  • Sand
  • Wollastonite
  • Zirconium (zircon)

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Toothpaste
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Fluorspar (fluoride)
  • Mica (sparkle)
  • Sand (paste thickener)
  • Titanium (titanium dioxide)

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Wallboard
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Gypsum
  • Perlite
  • Vermiculite

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Wood, pressure treated
Minerals and Materials Used:

  • Arsenic (chromated copper arsenate)
  • Chromium (chromated copper arsenate)
  • Copper (chromated copper arsenate and alkaline copper quaternary)

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