Earth Science: Minerals and Mineral Commodities*

Aluminum*

Light; nonmagnetic; malleable; ductile

Automobiles; product packaging; building materials

Australia, Guinea, Jamaica, Brazil, India

Asbestos

Insulator; fire resistant

Insulation; roofing

Russia, Canada, China, Brazil

Beryl

Many colors; hard

Main source of beryllium; gem-stones (emerald, aquamarine)

Colombia, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Austria

Bismuth

Expands when solidifying; diamagnetic

Electronics

Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, China

Borax

Dissolves in water

Antiseptic; water softener; detergent

Southwest United States

Boron*

Variable conductivity of electricity; transmits infrared light

Glass production; detergents; fire retardants

United States, Russia, Turkey, Argentina, Chile

Calcite

Fluorescent; main component of many kinds of rock

Agriculture; ore of calcium; chalk; base for cement; many other industrial uses

Iceland, Mexico, United States, many others

Chromite

Resistant to corrosion; hard

Ore of chromium; used in making stainless steel

South Africa, Kazakhstan, India, Turkey, Finland

Cobalt*

Brittle; hard; resistant to corrosion

Aircraft metal alloys; magnetic alloys

Zambia, Canada, Australia, Russia, Cuba

Copper

Highly conductive of electricity; malleable; ductile

Electrical wire and machinery; coins; cooking utensils

Chile, United States, Canada, Russia, Australia

Corundum

Very hard; stable; easily synthesized; many colors; insoluble in acids

Abrasives; gem-stones (ruby, sapphire)

Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United States

Diamond

Hardest, best heat conductor, highest melting point, and highest refractive index of known natural materials

Jewelry; abrasives; thermal insulation; optics; electronics

South Africa, Australia, Botswana, Russia, Brazil, Canada

Fluorite

Fluorescent; many colors (but colorless when pure)

Main source of fluorine; steel manufacture; optics

England, Switzerland, Mexico, United States

Gold

Highly conductive of electricity; malleable; ductile; very stable

Jewelry and ornaments; coins; photography; dentistry

South Africa, United States, Australia, China, Russia

Graphite

Conductive of electricity; soft; smudges

Pencil leads; lubricant; electrical applications

New York, Alabama, Finland, Italy, England, Quebec

Gypsum

Flexible crystals

Primary ingredient of plaster; cement; sheetrock; decorative (alabaster); dentistry

United States, Thailand, Iran, China, Canada, others

Iodine*

Volatile at room temperature

Food supplementation; colorants; pharmaceuticals

Chile, Japan, United States, China

Iron*

Conductive of heat; corrodes easily; brittle; can be magnetized

Main ingredient of steel; building materials; automobiles; containers

China, Brazil, Australia, Russia, United States

Lead*

Heavy; malleable; soft

Batteries; paint pigments; glasswork; radioactive shielding

Australia, United States, China, Peru, Canada

Magnesium*

Light; strong; ignites when heated in air

Aluminum alloys; iron and steel production; cathodes

United States, Canada, China, Russia, Norway

Manganese*

Hard; brittle

Steel production

South Africa, China, Gabon, Brazil, Ukraine

Mercury*

Liquid at room temperature; poisonous

Thermometers; amalgams for extracting metals from ores

Kyrgyzstan, Spain, Algeria

Molybdenum*

High melting point; very hard

Iron and steel production

United States, China, Chile, Canada, Mexico

Nickel*

Hard; takes high polish; ductile; malleable

Stainless steel production; batteries

Russia, Canada, Australia, New Caledonia

Nitrogen*

Colorless; odorless; inert gas

Ammonia; fertilizers; plastics and resins production

China, United States, India, Russia

Platinum

Ductile; malleable; heavy; does not tarnish

Jewelry; catalysts; dentistry

South Africa, Russia, Canada, United States

Potash*

Alkaline

Fertilizers; soaps

Canada, Russia, Belarus, Germany, Israel

Quartz

Piezoelectric (generates electrical charge when subjected to pressure)

Electronics; optical equipment; timepieces

Brazil, Germany, Madagascar (all sources of lascas, used for synthesizing quartz crystal)

Salt

Lowers freezing point of water; enhances food flavors; preserves organic material

Highway deicing; food; water treatment

United States, China, Germany, Canada, India

Silicon*

Resistant to most acids; conductive of heat

Iron and steel production; aluminum production; semiconductors

China, United States, Norway, Russia, Brazil

Silver*

Ductile; conductive of electricity

Jewelry; tableware; photography; coins; dentistry

Mexico, Peru, United States, Australia, Canada

Sulfur

Odorless; brittle; insoluble in water

Sulfuric acid; fertilizers; petroleum refining

United States, Canada, China, Russia, Japan

Talc

Very soft; smooth and slippery; high luster; low conductivity

Ceramics; paper production; paints; roofing; cosmetics

China, United States, Japan, South Korea, India

Tin*

Malleable; crystalline structure; corrosion resistant

Containers; roofing; electrical applications

China, Indonesia, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Australia

Titanium*

Light and strong; corrosion resistant; burns in air

Aerospace industry; armor; sporting goods; paint (as titanium dioxide)

Japan, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Ukraine

Tungsten*

Highest melting point of metals; corrosion resistant

Industrial cutting blades; light bulb filaments

China, Russia, Austria, North Korea, Portugal

Uraninite

Highly radioactive

Primary ore of uranium

France, Czech Republic, Germany, South Africa, Canada

Yttrium*

Lustrous; fine bits can ignite in air

Color television phosphors; fluorescent lights; laser crystals

China, Russia, India, Brazil

Zinc*

Fairly conductive of electricity; burns in air

Galvanizing of steel; brass and bronze production

China, Australia, Canada, Peru, United States

Zirconium*

Very heat and corrosion resistant; strong

Ceramics; abrasives; sandblasting

Australia, South Africa, Ukraine