Geology

Inside Porphyry and Epithermal Deposits: The Geology of Earth's Most Productive Mines

In March 2025, the USGS published an updated global database cataloguing every known porphyry copper deposit on Earth, a remarkable cartographic exercise for a deposit type that already supplies the planet with about 60% of its copper. What the database does not show is that the same magmatic engine produces a second, very different ore type immediately above: epithermal gold-silver veins

June 23, 2026

2 min

The Mohs Scale: Measuring Mineral Hardness from Talc to Diamond

For over two centuries, diamond has sat unchallenged at the apex of mineral hardness. However, in early 2025, Chinese scientists successfully synthesized a hexagonal "super diamond" (lonsdaleite) that is theorized to withstand 58% more stress than standard cubic diamonds. While the frontier of material science pushes past natural limits, the foundational metric used to rank these materials remains surprisingly unchanged. Invented in 1812, the Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness continues to be the ultimate benchmark for geologists, miners, and gemologists. Instead of complex chemical classifications, it relies on a simple, observable physical property: scratch resistance.

April 29, 2026

2 min

How Earth’s Subduction Zones Fuel the Global Mineral Engine

Beneath the crashing waves of the Pacific and the jagged peaks of the Andes lies a high-pressure conveyor belt that has been running for millions of years.

January 22, 2026

3 min

1900-2022: Tracing Sweden's Shift to High-Efficiency Mining

Sweden has been a mining superpower for over a millennium, fueling everything from Viking expansion to the Great Power era.

December 16, 2025

3 min

Properties of Common Minerals

Minerals are the fundamental building blocks of rocks, forming the foundation of our planet and providing essential resources. From the humble Graphite in a pencil to sparkling Garnets in jewelry, minerals vary widely. But how do we tell these natural treasures apart?

May 2, 2025

1 min

Copper & Gold Giants in the Tethyan Belt

As one of Earth's most significant metallogenic belts, the Tethyan Belt carves a vast path across the globe, stretching thousands of kilometers from Europe, through the Middle East and the Himalayas, and extending into Southeast Asia.

April 8, 2025

1 min