Advances in Rock and Mineral Materials

Material sciences support society by means of research and development of new, advanced, environmental and health-friendly materials that we all use for everyday activities. Among them are mineral raw materials, like iron and ferro-alloy metals, non-ferrous metals, precious metals, industrial minerals, mineral fuels, and materials for the construction industry. These "primary" raw materials are extracted from the earth and are precursors for various engineered materials, which are used for a vast number of different products that we use in everyday life, including products for construction, transportation, energy production and supply, telecommunications, home appliances, products for green transition, packaging, etc. To safeguard primary raw materials, the use of "secondary" raw materials has been gaining increased importance. The “secondary” raw materials are recycled raw materials that can be used in manufacturing processes instead of or alongside virgin raw materials.

This Reprint presents recent advancements in geo- and material science, focusing on studies related to clays, development of new forms of cements and their applications, new advancements in mineralogy and metal recovery, as well as the mechanical properties of rocks.