In a world of diminishing, non-renewable resources, we as consumers of those resources have responsibilities, too. Instead of following the traditional “take-make-dispose” approach to goods, we have the power to play an important role in enabling products to have...
Drilling is the process of creating a hole in a hard surface, specifically where the length of the hole is greater than its diameter. It’s an integral part of the mining process, albeit less dramatic than, say, blasting.
If you’re...
Smelting is an extremely important part of the overall mining process, facilitating the extraction of all kinds of metals – including silver, and base metals like iron and copper – from their ores. But how much do you really...
There is something about “uranium” that connotes a rare — and even foreboding — substance, at least partly because of the way the word sounds. Compare “uranium” to good old “tin”, and it is somehow difficult to believe that...
It’s been discovered on every continent on earth, it’s edible, our oceans contain nearly 20 million tonnes of it, and it’s perhaps the metal most infused with symbolism. Most people may associate gold with high-quality jewellery or wealth, but...
Considering that the per carat value of coloured gemstones like emeralds and rubies is growing faster than diamond prices, it may finally be time to rewrite Marilyn Monroe’s 1950’s hit, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. The growing popularity...
You don’t have to be a miner or a metallurgist to know that demand for nickel is on the rise. Think back to the first digital cameras, when rechargeable batteries first entered our lives. Those nickel metal hydride (NiMH)...
Whenever you lay eyes on a diamond, your first thought is unlikely to be how extremely useful it is, as a stone. But many of the gemstones found in Zambia and elsewhere on the continent have important functions in...
You may think of tin as a humble metal, and you aren’t alone. Tin is often overlooked, but the element is certainly not without value. Tin has an important place in yours and many other modern lives. Read on...
Modern life as we know it simply wouldn’t be possible without copper. We rely on copper for telecommunication, for heating, and for almost everything electrical that we use in our daily lives. By some measures, we each require as...
