Enriching Uranium Gets Easier
March 9, 2010 | The New York Times
Uranium is enriched using a centrifuge, where the heavier uranium is removed. The more enriched the metal is, the easier it becomes to remove any remaining heavy atoms. This article briefly explains the process and why it is pertinent to Iran’s current enrichment activities.
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Uses for Iron-Respirating Bacteria
January 12, 2010 | University of East Anglia
Some bacteria have iron respiration, meaning they “inhale” iron instead of oxygen. These bacteria could be used in a variety of applications, such as creating energy from organic waste, or to remove uranium and oil pollution.
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Top Archaeology Stories of 2009
January 7, 2010 | MSNBC
Revisit the top ten archaeological stories of 2009, as featured in Archaeology magazine. Topics include artifacts in Ucupe, Peru; ancient irrigation canals near Tucson, Arizona; a treasure trove of silver and gold war items in Staffordshire, England; the Popol Veh panels of El Mirador, Guatemala; the Egyptian menagerie at Hierakonpolis; Phanagorian coins, and more.
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$2000 Gold Price in 2010?
December 27, 2009 | MineWeb.com
Some analysts believe that the price of gold could go to $2000 in 2010, fueled by inflationary fiscal policies, strong central bank demand, strong investor demand, a weak dollar and a decline in gold mine production.
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Flexible Batteries Made from Paper
December 10, 2009 | Stanford University
Nanotechnology has made it possible to turn a regular piece of paper into a battery. Miniscule tubes and wires can be combined with ink and applied to the paper to create a light and flexible battery with many possible applications. This article includes a short video that explains the process.
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Huge Demand for Gold Coins
December 2, 2009 | Wall Street Journal
Rising gold prices have excited the public about owning the metal. The US Mint produces a one ounce gold coin and sells it to the public for a few hundred dollars over the price of contained gold. They can’t keep them in stock.
Related Article: Uses of Gold
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Gold Prices Hit Another Record
November 17, 2009 | CNN Money
The price of gold rose above $1130 an ounce for the first time ever today. A decline in the value of the dollar is thought to be the trigger for higher prices for gold and other precious metals.
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Gold Price Breaks Record: $1101.90
November 8, 2009 | CNN
On Friday, the price of gold rose to $1,101.90, an all-time record high. Some investors speculate that foreign banks may be purchasing gold to reduce their risk of holding US dollars.
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Future Copper Prices and Supply Situation
November 7, 2009 | Arizona Geology Blog
“A financial analysis of the global copper market predicts uncertainty in the short term but the possibility of “severe shortages and much higher prices” in the longer term.” Quoted from the Arizona Geology Blog.
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Oregon Gold Mining With a Mobile Trommel
September 6, 2009 | Great Basin Minerals
Scott Kleine of Great Basin Minerals shares a few photos from his visit to a working gold trommel at a location near Sumpter, Oregon.
Related: Uses of Gold.
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Uranium Debates: Arizona and Colorado
August 30, 2009 | Arizona Geology Blog
Lots of people are extremely interested in uranium exploration and mining projects in Arizona and Colorado. Lee Alison links to a number of news articles here, and here, and here from his Arizona Geology Blog.
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Mineral Prospecting in Bhutan
August 30, 2009 | Kuensel Online
Kuensel Online, Bhutan’s daily news site, reports that the Department of Geology and Mines in Bhutan is in discussions with foreign interests who would like to have exploration rights to the entire country.
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Mercury in Fish, Bed Sediment, and Water
August 21, 2009 | USGS
Mercury is a global pollutant that ultimately makes its way into every aquatic ecosystem through the hydrologic cycle. USGS published a study that examined mercury in top-predator fish, bed sediment, and water from streams across the United States.
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Electronic Waste in Africa and Asia
August 3, 2009 | CNN
Some locations in Asia and Africa are being used as dump sites for other countries’ unwanted electronics. This is causing contamination issues in these areas, as well as health problems for people who explore the dumps in search of precious metals.
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Laser Creates See-Through Aluminum
July 28, 2009 | University of Oxford
An X-ray laser was successfully able to cause an aluminum sample to become transparent. While the effect lasted only briefly, scientists believe they have created a new form of matter.
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Mercury Storage: States Resistant
July 28, 2009 | MSNBC
The United States Government is looking for a place to store thousands of tons of mercury. There are suitable locations in Washington, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, South Carolina, Nevada, and Texas – but not surprisingly, most people don’t want a toxic substance in their area.
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Where Are The Economic Geologists?
July 27, 2009 | GSA Journals
An article at GSA Journals (pdf) reports that United States universities do not have a vigorous program for economic geology. Many economic geology professors are no longer active in the field and fewer than 40 graduate-level economic geologists are graduating each year. That is the status for a nation that has a very high demand for metals and a declining resource base.
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Uses of Copper
July 9, 2009 | USGS
USGS has published a Fact Sheet on copper. It includes information on the uses of copper, how it forms, supply, demand and future projections.
Did you know that copper consumption in the United States is declining but consumption in India and China is rising rapidly?
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Understanding Biomineralization
July 9, 2009 | American Chemical Society
A 2,000-year-old bronze sculpture, found underwater off the coast of Croatia, is helping scientists learn more about biomineralization. This article has in-depth information on the chemical processes that have affected it over the years.
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The Science of July 4th Fireworks!
July 3, 2009 | Geology.com
The shapes and colors that you see in an aerial fireworks display do not happen by chance. They are deliberately produced by clever people who apply principles of art, chemistry, physics and math.
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Decoding Banded Iron Formations
June 18, 2009 | Science News
The banded iron formations are thought to contain twenty times more oxygen than is currently in Earth’s atmosphere – yet these formations were deposited when Earth’s atmosphere was not rich in oxygen. How did this occur?
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Shipwrecks and Sunken Treasure
June 18, 2009 | MSNBC
This picture slideshow features 10 famous shipwrecks. Some of the treasures found in the ships include copper ingots, elephant tusks, gold coins, silver coins, pearls, satin, silks, and more.
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Sources of Bushveld Platinum and Diamonds
June 13, 2009 | National Science Foundation
Diamonds sometimes acquire trapped traces of platinum group elements such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium and iridium when they are formed. “When these elements are encapsulated as mineral inclusions in diamonds, their unique isotopic ’signatures’ help geologists determine where the diamonds were formed and how old they are.” Quoted from the NSF release.
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Iron Mountain Mine Cleanup
June 12, 2009 | SFGate.com
The Iron Mountain Mine in California was one of the largest copper mines in the world in the early 1900’s. Since then it has discharged some of the world’s worst water. Now there could be superfund money to clean it up.
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Seabed Manganese Nodules and Crusts
June 10, 2009 | Johannes Gutenberg University
Manganese and iron, along with other useful metals, are prevalent on Earth’s seabeds. This article explains how these materials formed nodules and crusts by biomineralization.
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