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USGS · 70045864

Mineral resource of the month: talc

Robert Virta·Brad Van Gosen
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Abstract

When most people think of talc, they probably think of talcum and baby powder. However, these uses of talc are quite minor compared to its wide variety of applications in manufacturing. The leading use of talc is in the production of ceramics, where it acts as a source of magnesium oxide, serves as a flux to reduce firing temperatures and improves thermal shock characteristics of the final product.

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Robert Virta, Brad Van Gosen. 2007. Mineral resource of the month: talc. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70045864

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