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Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy (2008) / Chapter Skim
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APPENDIX C: Glossary
Pages 237-244

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From page 237...
... . Catalytic converter -- A device incorporated in the exhaust system of a motor vehicle, with a catalyst for converting pollutant gases into harmless products (Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus, 1996)
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From page 238...
... . Galvanized steel -- Steel coated with a thin layer of zinc to provide corrosion resistance in underbody auto parts, garbage cans, storage tanks, or fencing wire.
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From page 239...
... -- A low-power flat-panel display used in many laptop computers, calculators, and digital watches, made up of a liquid crystal that is sandwiched between layers of glass or plastic and becomes opaque when electric current passes through it. The contrast between the opaque and the transparent areas forms visible characters (American Heritage Dictionary, 2000)
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From page 240...
... . Mineral reserve base -- That part of an identified resource that meets specified minimum physical and chemical criteria related to current mining and production practices, including those for grade, quality, thickness, and depth.
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From page 241...
... . Scanning electron microscope -- A microscope in which a finely focused beam of electrons is electrically or magnetically moved across the specimen to be examined, from point to point, again and again, and the reflected and emitted electron intensity is measured and displayed, sequentially building up an image.
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From page 242...
... , called sponge b ­ ecause of its sponge-like appearance. Titanium sponge is highly susceptible to contamination and deterioration since its sponge-like characteristics permit pickup of free moisture if it is improperly packed and stored (available at https://www.dnsc.dla.mil/iamthekey/UploadedFiles/ GENERAL_CommodityData_titanium.pdf; accessed September 27, 2007)
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From page 243...
... London: EarthScan Publications in association with the International Institute for Environment and Development, 441 pp. Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus, 1996.
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Key Terms

  • available online
  • electric current
  • heritage dictionary
  • american heritage
  • liquid crystal

  • air bubbles
  • valuable minerals
  • current passes
  • oxford dictionary
  • rare earth

  • magnetized body
  • magnetic field
  • metallic elements
  • mineral concentration
  • occurring solid

  • crystal display
  • conduction current
  • forms visible
  • contains conspicuous
  • finely focused

  • water avid
  • geological survey
  • laptop computers
  • carbonate rock
  • porphyry copper

  • alkaline rocks
  • strategic include
  • minerals aerophobic
  • mineral reserve
  • gangue minerals


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