Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids that make up the solid part of most solar terrestrial planets. Redox-active elements such as iron, manganese, titanium and sulfur, in these minerals allow them to engage in a wide range of electron-transfer reactions including those mediated by biota or processes involved in palaeo-weathering and biogeochemical cycling. The importance of redox-reactive minerals in many natural and industrial processes has been demonstrated by a plethora of scientific publications and industrial applications in recent decades. In this book, the influence of...

Asbestos is probably one of the most studied substances ever. Asbestos is synonymous with argument and controversy: it is magic but feared, essential but dreaded, a strategic natural raw material but a source of concern and hazard; it is banned but still used safely, and so the list goes on. Asbestos-related diseases are certainly of significant concern in terms of occupational and public health. Asbestos World Health Organisation officials estimate that 125,000,000 people worldwide are exposed annually to asbestos in occupational settings, and >100,000 people die annually of diseases...