Preface

Mineralogy is a branch of geology that deals with chemistry, crystal structure and physical properties of minerals in various igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary processes, from high to low temperatures and in various surfaces to deep Earth's interior conditions and from continental to marine environments.

Mineralogy is also an important background and of high significance for many other scientific disciplines including environmental and geotechnical firms, mining and materials industry, oil and gas industry and biomedical science.

Minerals have a wide spectrum of applications and uses, such as industrial minerals, ores and gemology. Several society infrastructures are also made completely from mineral resources (e.g., cell phones, copper wires, diamond rings, gold jewelry, aluminum cans, steel bridges, plaster walls, nuclear reactors, and many others).

*Mineralogy - Significance and Applications* includes ten chapters that discuss the importance and applications of mineralogy in selected regions of the world. Generally, these contributions range geographically from various countries in Asia, Europe and Africa and extend far to Mars, with contributions on some industrial and biomedical applications of minerals.

Chapter 1, "Hematite spherules on Mars," by Anupam K. Misra and Tayro E. Acosta-Maeda focuses on the hematite spherules on Mars through the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) launched by NASA and data gained from the NASA's Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity," which landed in Eagle crater on Meridiani Planum. The authors discuss the observed properties of Martian hematite spherules and explain why a cosmic spherule formation mechanism provides a possible solution to the puzzling observations on Mars.

Chapter 2, "Mineral chemistry of Chalki basalts in northern Iraq and their petrological significance," by Mohsin M. Ghazal, Ali I. Al-Juboury and Sabhan M. Jalal describes the use of an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) to distinguish the various phases of minerals resulted from the alteration on basaltic rocks of the Chalki volcanics in extreme Northern Iraq, as well as interprets their petrologic significance.

Chapter 3, "Titanite from titanite-spots granodiorites of the Moldanubian Batholith (central European Variscan Belt)," by Miloš René integrates petrologic, mineralogic and geochemical analyses of titanite enclosed in hell "spots" in titanite-rich granodiorites from the Austrian Mühlviertel to show their significance in petrogenesis as late-magmatic evolution.

Concerning industrial applications of mineralogy, Chapter 4, "Investigation of the usability of pseudoleucites in Central Anatolia alkali syenites as industrial raw

**II**

**Chapter 9 125**

**Chapter 10 135**

Future of Nanoparticles in the Field of Medicine

Chemical Synthesis and Characterization of Luminescent Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Biomedical Applications

*by Martin Onani, Leandre Brandt and Zuraan Paulsen*

*by Neha Sharma*

materials," by Zeynel Başibüyük and Gökhan Ekincioğlu studies intrusion-related distri butions, mineralogical and petrographical properties, and mineral chemistry of pseudoleucites in İsahocalı (Kırşehir) alkali syenites from Central Anatolia granitoids. It also demonstrates that these pseudoleucites can be used as industrial raw material in many application such as ceramics, agriculture, and cement industries.

Chapter 5, "Mineralogical-petrographical investigation and usability as the gemstone of the North Anatolian kammererite, Tokat, Turkey," by İlkay Kaydu Akbudak, Zeynel Başibüyük and Gökhan Ekincioǧlu focuses on nodules and thin veins of kammererites within Mesozoic basic-ultrabasic rocks from Turkey and their use in both jewelry and ornamental objects.

Chapter 6, "Enhanced humidity sensing response in Eu3+-doped iron-rich CuFe2O4: A detailed study of structural, microstructural, sensing, and dielectric properties," by I.C. Sathisha, K. Manjunatha, V. Jagadeesha Angadi, B. Chethan, Y.T. Ravikiran, Vinayaka K. Pattar, S.O. Manjunatha and Shidaling Matteppanavar describes the synthesis of CuFe(2-x)EuxO4 (where x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03) nanoparticles via solution combustion using a mixture of fuels for the first time. Higher concentration and good-sensing ferrites are used for sensor applications, while low-sensing ferrites are used in battery and electronic applications.

Consequently, Chapter 7, "Iron oxides synthesized in hypersaline solutions," by Nurit Taitel-Goldman describes the synthesis of iron oxides using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) in conditions similar to those prevailed in the Red Sea. The authors conclude that crystallized phases were submicron magnetite, feroxyhyte, goethite and akagenéite. The study reveals that iron oxides were synthesized at higher pH, elevated temperatures and hypersaline brines.

The significance and applications of mineralogy in medicine are addressed in the next three chapters.

Chapter 8, "Preparation and characterization of Fe2O3-SiO2 nanocomposite for biomedical application," by Violeta N. Nikolić emphasizes the importance of investigating the influence of synthesis parameter variations onto the magnetic properties of composite materials containing nano-hematite particles. These materials could be used as starting materials for preparing multifunctional nanoparticles that can be used in different areas of biomedicine.

Chapter 9, "Future of nanoparticles in the field of medicine," by Neha Sharma concludes that magnetic nanoparticles can be used in hyperthermia treatment involving removal of tumorous cell/tissue with not much collateral damage.

Finally, Chapter 10, "Chemical synthesis and characterization of luminescent iron oxide nanoparticles and their biomedical applications," by Martin Onani, Leandre Brandt and Zuraan Paulsen discusses the synthesis of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles using the co-precipitation method and their application as diagnostic and drug delivery tools for treatment of cancer and many other diseases.

**V**

book project.

This work was achieved with great support from fruitful suggestions of expert reviewers whose comments and contributions play a recognizable role in finalizing this book in high quality. We express our gratitude to Mohsin Ghazal, Angelo Paone, Igor Petrik, Hakan Çoban, Mohammad Aljaradin, Dicle Bal Akkoca, Marek Łodziński and Prof. Yasuhisa Maeda. We also acknowledge the scientific contribution by Dr. Brajesh Kumar, which has greatly benefited our

**Dr. Ali Ismail Al-Juboury**

Geology Department, University of Mosul,

Professor,

Mosul, Iraq

This work was achieved with great support from fruitful suggestions of expert reviewers whose comments and contributions play a recognizable role in finalizing this book in high quality. We express our gratitude to Mohsin Ghazal, Angelo Paone, Igor Petrik, Hakan Çoban, Mohammad Aljaradin, Dicle Bal Akkoca, Marek Łodziński and Prof. Yasuhisa Maeda. We also acknowledge the scientific contribution by Dr. Brajesh Kumar, which has greatly benefited our book project.

> **Dr. Ali Ismail Al-Juboury** Professor, Geology Department, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq

**IV**

diseases.

industries.

brines.

next three chapters.

materials," by Zeynel Başibüyük and Gökhan Ekincioğlu studies intrusion-related distributions, mineralogical and petrographical properties, and mineral chemistry of pseudoleucites in İsahocalı (Kırşehir) alkali syenites from Central Anatolia granitoids. It also demonstrates that these pseudoleucites can be used as industrial raw material in many application such as ceramics, agriculture, and cement

Chapter 5, "Mineralogical-petrographical investigation and usability as the gemstone of the North Anatolian kammererite, Tokat, Turkey," by İlkay Kaydu Akbudak, Zeynel Başibüyük and Gökhan Ekincioǧlu focuses on nodules and thin veins of kammererites within Mesozoic basic-ultrabasic rocks from Turkey and

Chapter 6, "Enhanced humidity sensing response in Eu3+-doped iron-rich CuFe2O4: A detailed study of structural, microstructural, sensing, and dielectric properties," by I.C. Sathisha, K. Manjunatha, V. Jagadeesha Angadi, B. Chethan, Y.T. Ravikiran, Vinayaka K. Pattar, S.O. Manjunatha and Shidaling Matteppanavar describes the synthesis of CuFe(2-x)EuxO4 (where x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03) nanoparticles via solution combustion using a mixture of fuels for the first time. Higher concentration and good-sensing ferrites are used for sensor applications, while low-sensing

Consequently, Chapter 7, "Iron oxides synthesized in hypersaline solutions," by Nurit Taitel-Goldman describes the synthesis of iron oxides using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) in conditions similar to those prevailed in the Red Sea. The authors conclude that crystallized phases were submicron magnetite, feroxyhyte, goethite and akagenéite. The study reveals that iron oxides were synthesized at higher pH, elevated temperatures and hypersaline

The significance and applications of mineralogy in medicine are addressed in the

Chapter 8, "Preparation and characterization of Fe2O3-SiO2 nanocomposite for biomedical application," by Violeta N. Nikolić emphasizes the importance of investigating the influence of synthesis parameter variations onto the magnetic properties of composite materials containing nano-hematite particles. These materials could be used as starting materials for preparing multifunctional

Chapter 9, "Future of nanoparticles in the field of medicine," by Neha Sharma concludes that magnetic nanoparticles can be used in hyperthermia treatment involving removal of tumorous cell/tissue with not much collateral damage.

Finally, Chapter 10, "Chemical synthesis and characterization of luminescent iron oxide nanoparticles and their biomedical applications," by Martin Onani, Leandre Brandt and Zuraan Paulsen discusses the synthesis of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles using the co-precipitation method and their application as diagnostic and drug delivery tools for treatment of cancer and many other

nanoparticles that can be used in different areas of biomedicine.

their use in both jewelry and ornamental objects.

ferrites are used in battery and electronic applications.

**1**

**Chapter 1**

**Abstract**

concretions

**1. Introduction**

covers an area of over 175,000 km2

millions of years on early Mars.

Hematite Spherules on Mars

In 2004, the observation of large amounts of hematite spherules on Mars by the NASA's Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity," which landed in Eagle crater on Meridiani Planum, created tremendous excitement among the scientific community. The discovery of hematite was significant as it suggests past presence of water on Mars. Furthermore, the hematite spherules were widely suggested to be concretions that formed by precipitation of aqueous fluids. Among the various observed mysteries of Martian hematite spherules, also known as "blueberries," one regarding to their size limit was very puzzling. All of the millions of blueberries observed on Mars were smaller than 6.2 mm in diameter. Because the concretions on Earth are not limited in size, the formation of the Martian blueberries became difficult to explain. In this chapter, we will discuss the observed properties of Martian hematite spherules and explain why a cosmic spherule formation mechanism provides a pos-

**Keywords:** Martian hematite spherules, Martian blueberries, cosmic spherules,

In 1996, NASA launched the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft to perform global mapping of Mars. One of the instruments on the MGS is the thermal emission spectrometer (TES), which would map the mineralogy of the Martian surface using infrared spectroscopy. TES imaging revealed the presence of crystalline gray hematite on Mars in Sinus Meridiani. **Figure 1** shows the global distribution of minerals on Mars [1, 2]. The distribution of hematite is shown in pink and labeled as H in the areas of Aram Chaos and Sinus Meridiani. The bottom image shows the distribution of hematite in Sinus Meridiani. According to [1] and [3], the hematite

and all the hematite is very possibly confined to a thin layer. According to [3], this layer could be only 100 microns, because TES gives surface measurements. The age of hematite is estimated over 3.5 Ga. The unnamed crater shown in the bottom image (**Figure 1**) shows no hematite, indicating that it was formed after the hematite deposit. Similarly, the inflow from top may be newer than hematite. The authors suggested that these hematite deposits were formed by chemical precipitation from aqueous fluids, and TES data provide evidence that liquid water has been stable for

The Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity" landed in Eagle crater on Meridiani

Planum in the western part of the Sinus Meridiani region on January 24, 2004. Within a few days of landing on Mars, the Opportunity rover sent pictures of large numbers of spherules, as shown in false-colored images in **Figures 2** and **3** [4].

. The hematite boundary is abrupt and immobile

*Anupam K. Misra and Tayro E. Acosta-Maeda*

sible solution to the puzzling observations on Mars.
