Minerals questions

Mponeng, the world's deepest gold mine, is located in Carletonville, South Africa, about 65 kilometers west of Johannesburg. Owned and operated by Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited, it produces an average of 420,000 ounces of gold per year.

Hypocalcemia, commonly known as calcium deficiency disease, occurs when calcium levels in the blood are low. A long-term deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle. Otherwise symptoms may include numbness, muscle spasms, seizures, confusion, or cardiac arrest.

The ancient Greeks believed that amethyst was a very strong antidote against drunkenness. They would wear jewelry decorated with the stone and drink from goblets carved out of large crystals in a bid to protect themselves from intoxication. There are several myths and legends that all have variations on the theme of amethyst gaining its color from the wine of the gods (in one story Bacchus himself pours wine over a white stone), both leading to the creation of amethyst. The stone, therefore, had an association with the power and protection of the gods.

Silicon was identified as an element by the French physicist Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794) in 1787. Stable silicon isotopes are 28Si, 29Si and 30Si. Silicon in nature occurs in the form of silicon dioxide and silicates, never in a free state. It plays an important role in the body - it is necessary along with vitamin C for proper collagen synthesis, conditions faster wound healing, improves the condition of hair, skin and nails, and removes aluminum from the body. It is also a good medium for actively growing tumors (eg leukemia and glioma), so it is forbidden to supplement it.

Spinel ( /spɪˈnɛl/) is the magnesium aluminium member of the larger spinel group of minerals. It has the formula MgAl2O4 in the cubic crystal system. Its name comes from Latin "spina" (arrow). Balas ruby is an old name for a rose-tinted variety of spinel.

Moissanite is regarded as a diamond alternative, with some optical properties exceeding those of diamond. Its lower price and less exploitative mining practices necessary to obtain it make it a popular alternative to diamonds. Due in part to the similar thermal conductivity of moissanite and diamond, it is a popular target for scams; however, higher electrical conductivity and birefringence of moissanite may alert a buyer to fraud.

Cadmium is a chemical element with symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. It was discovered in 1817 simultaneously by Stromeyer and Hermann, both in Germany, as an impurity in zinc carbonate.

Armalcolite is a titanium-rich mineral with the chemical formula (Mg,Fe2+)Ti2O5. It was first found at Tranquility Base on the Moon in 1969 and is named for Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, the three Apollo 11 astronauts. Together with tranquillityite and pyroxferroite, it is one of three new minerals that were discovered on the Moon.

Garnets come in a variety of colors and have many different varieties, except blue. The most widely-known color of Garnet gemstones is dark red. When the term "Garnet" is used, it is usually connotative of the dark red form.

Cut of diamond does not refer to shape (pear, oval), but the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond. The cut of a diamond greatly affects a diamond's brilliance; this means if it is cut poorly, it will be less luminous. The first guild of diamond cutters and polishers was formed in 1375 in Nuremberg and the first cut was called the point cut.