Minerals

China suspends ban on exports of gallium, germanium, antimony to US

China announced on Friday the suspension of other export controls imposed on October 9, including expanded curbs on certain rare earth materials and lithium battery materials.

 Flags of the United States and China on a processor, CPU or GPU microchip on a motherboard (illustrative)
Silver Officially Added As Critical Mineral

*Silver Officially Added As Critical Mineral

Vegetables are healthy, but zinc comes from an animal source

Vegetarians or vegans? This important mineral is missing – and it’s dangerous

 Lost Lemuria resurfaces: Indian-Ocean zircons revive legend of a sunken continent. Illustration.

Lost Lemuria resurfaces: Indian-Ocean zircons revive legend of a sunken continent


Sudan gold mine collapse kills 11 in Red Sea state

Sudan has been plagued by economic instability and political turmoil since the 2021 military coup and subsequent civil conflict.

 An illustrative photo of gold mining in Sudan.

Hiroshima University Discovers Rare Mineral on Asteroid Ryugu, Challenging Space Theories

Masaaki Miyahara said it’s like finding a tropical seed in Arctic ice - suggesting either a surprising local environment or long-distance transport in the early solar system.

 Ryugu.

China-backed militia secures control of new rare earth mines in Myanmar

Beijing is heavily reliant on Myanmar for the rare earth metals and oxides needed to power critical goods like wind turbines, medical devices and electric vehicles.

 United Wa State Army (UWSA) soldiers seen in tin mine factory at Man Maw at ethnic Wa territory in northeast Myanmar October 5, 2016. Picture taken on October 5, 2016.

This is the world’s rarest mineral. It was only found once

Gemstone seekers in Chaung Gyi Village unearthed the tiny reddish-orange crystal, which later caught the eye of a gemologist.

 The rarest mineral on Earth.

Researchers find meter-high mineral chimneys in the Dead Sea, a potential sinkhole warning

These chimneys resemble hydrothermal chimneys discovered in oceanic ridges, but "the system is completely different," according to Dr. Christian Siebert.

 Meter-high mineral chimneys. The Dead Sea, Israel.