Elements and mineral resources / Элементы и полезные ископаемые

Thousands of scholars, professors, teachers, and members of the public have visited the Geological Museum Valentí Masachs, associated with the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) (Polytechnic University of Catalonia) in Manresa (Barcelona, Catalonia), since it opened in June 1980.

The Geological Museum Valentí Masachs is an unconventional one, very different from the traditional type. The exhibition’s main aim is to visualize the connection between human activity and planet Earth (Fig. 1).

As a result of this distinctive pedagogical approach, distinguished members of the educational community demanded a much-needed book to deepen enquiry into the subject of minerals and elements, from their origin to their application and recycling (Fig. 2). And here we have the book, Elements and Mineral Resources. We divided it into three parts: Elements and Minerals; Rare Earth Elements; and Industrial Minerals. Each includes the elements in that category. For each element, we have defined its most common features using a card-type format to show the essential data in a manageable way, with useful links, further reading, and a bibliography to satisfy your curiosity when needed. <...>