Friday, September 21, 2012

The Zeolites: A Family of Useful Minerals

The term zeolite denotes a family of minerals with similar chemical structures. They are all aluminum- silicate minerals that have crystal structures which resemble honeycomb. Zeolite minerals are often found in vesicles inside volcanic rocks, especially basalt. There are about fifty minerals in the zeolite group.
The honeycomb-like structure found within the zeolites includes a lot of tiny tunnels and pores that allow water to pass through the mineral without affecting its crystal; and these pores are all of a uniform size. Now ask yourself: does it seem that something like this could occur by chance or do you think it points to the design of a Creator? It’s something worth thinking upon.
Because of the properties that I mentioned above, zeolite minerals are often used to filter very small particles out of air and water. They can also hold water like sponges so they are used thus and in place of potting-soil in some agricultural applications. Zeolites are used to clean up oil spills and radioactive waste as well.
Zeolite minerlas are found in many different countries far too numerous to mention here. I plan to write about some of the members in this family of useful minerals soon and their properties and locations can be discussed on an individual basis.

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