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Mineral Discoveries that Changed Everyday Life

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Celebrating the International Year of Mineralogy

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Abstract

This chapter depicts examples of discoveries in the field of mineralogy that have significantly impacted human life, blooming numerous areas of science and technology. In the past, these outstanding discoveries have been accomplished in a random or empirical way or based on practical experiences. Since the industrial revolution, these discoveries have been the outcome of a more systematic approach based on the advance of scientific studies that have revealed the very nature of specific materials. These new discoveries or technologies defined new lines of development, leading to a revolution in many areas of basic and applicative science. Selected examples of mineralogy-related discoveries for climate change, energy, industrial applications, health and environment are presented and discussed, with a window open for the future opportunities in a sustainable changing world. The last paragraph of this chapter leads the reader into the world of zeolites. Both natural and synthetic zeolites are probably the most outstanding impactful past, present (and future) mineral discoveries that changed our life and that’s why they deserve a full section dedicated to them.

The most exciting phrase to hear in Science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ but ‘That’s funny…’

Isaac Asimov

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122, Ferrara, Italy

    Giuseppe Cruciani

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 103, 41125, Modena, Italy

    Alessandro F. Gualtieri

Authors
  1. Giuseppe Cruciani
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  2. Alessandro F. Gualtieri
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Correspondence to Giuseppe Cruciani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Luca Bindi

  2. Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

    Giuseppe Cruciani

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Cruciani, G., Gualtieri, A.F. (2023). Mineral Discoveries that Changed Everyday Life. In: Bindi, L., Cruciani, G. (eds) Celebrating the International Year of Mineralogy. Springer Mineralogy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28805-0_12

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