Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #magnetite
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Investing in #Tungsten
I start off each series on investing in a different metal talking about mineralogy – this will be no different! There are 2 commercially valuable mineral types in tungsten – scheelite (calcium tungstate) and the wolframite series (iron-manganese tungstate.)
I start off each series on investing in a different metal talking about mineralogy – this will be no different! There are 2 commercially valuable mineral types in tungsten – scheelite (calcium tungstate) and the wolframite series (iron-manganese tungstate.)
Scheelite is generally speaking easier and cheaper to recover than wolframite, mainly because it is recoverable via gravity and flotation means whereas wolframite only by gravity. Scheelite fluoresces which can make a trip to an underground #tungsten mine very interesting! 
Both scheelite and wolframite are brittle meaning that they are liable to produce unrecoverable slimes during processing. These #tungsten minerals have a very high specific gravity though, of 6 g/cm3 and 7 g/cm3 respectively, making gravity separation relatively simple.
Today’s distraction:
The winner of this match will face #Magnetite for the finals with a shot at the #MinCup2020 crown. Both are beautiful & bizarre with odd properties and a lot of charm.
The winner of this match will face #Magnetite for the finals with a shot at the #MinCup2020 crown. Both are beautiful & bizarre with odd properties and a lot of charm.
Both are Safe But Boring to lick. They even have similar texture (smooth). As far as your tongue in concerned, it’s a wash. You’ll need different criteria to pick your fav.
(One #MinCup we’ll have either a Fun To Lick or a Do Not Lick finalist and I will be overjoyed)
(One #MinCup we’ll have either a Fun To Lick or a Do Not Lick finalist and I will be overjoyed)
#Fluorite is a basic calcium fluoride (CaF2), which didn’t give me headaches when memorizing composition for mineralogy exams.
Amusingly, the element is named for the mineral, not the other way around. Same for fluorescence: the effect named for the rock’s distinctive property.
Amusingly, the element is named for the mineral, not the other way around. Same for fluorescence: the effect named for the rock’s distinctive property.
Literally nothing about the debate tonight could possibly change how I vote, and I don’t want to deal with either rage or despair from hearing his horrid voice and cruel ideals.
So I’m focusing elsewhere.
On geologic glitter, specifically.
So I’m focusing elsewhere.
On geologic glitter, specifically.
Today’s #MinCup2020 battle is a showdown between glitter vs magnetics.
I am forever & always #TeamShiny.
Which is losing.
I am forever & always #TeamShiny.
Which is losing.
#Magnetite is a pretty cool mineral. It’s key to a lot of geophysics, I like collecting it with a fridge magnet on beaches, and it makes for a cool high-impact low-effort geo demo.
But then there’s #Muscovite, a subset of mica & the essence of #TeamSparkle. It’s SO SHINY.
But then there’s #Muscovite, a subset of mica & the essence of #TeamSparkle. It’s SO SHINY.
Today’s #MinCup2019 is a face off between Very Interesting Properties.
Lots of minerals have neat optical effects, but #Ulexite is a bit different.
Light doesn’t pass straight through, like with #quartz or #halite (salt), nor does it have the birefringence of #calcite. Instead it’s a mineral of natural fibre optic channels transmitting light.
Light doesn’t pass straight through, like with #quartz or #halite (salt), nor does it have the birefringence of #calcite. Instead it’s a mineral of natural fibre optic channels transmitting light.
#Ulexite grows as a bundle of fibers, each of which totally internally reflects light. It’s the same basic optics behind why diamond is sparkly.
