b'INNOVATIVE MINERAL SUPPLYFortunately, some mining companies now offer product development expertise as part of their value proposition.Figure 3. Diatomaceous Earth (Left and Right).DE now finds use in the personal careplastics to pharmaceuticals, fuels to industry to carry active ingredientsfarming. or replace aluminium-based salts in natural deodorants. The personal care market, in particular, has a long history of using Perlite is a volcanic glass that whenmineral ingredients to enhance rapidly heated expands to create aproduct offerings; however, outside highly porous low density material, usedof cosmetics, few personal care in horticulture and insulation industries.manufacturers have embraced mineral More recently, expanded perlite hastechnologies as key components in their been engineered to finer particle sizesproduct development toolkit.to create efficient sheen control in paints, coatings and cosmetics. Its alsoThis may be due to the unique nature replaced polyethylene beads in bodyof mineral science, and the limited wash to provide similar microabrasionavailability of experts available for cleaning power, without the negativecollaboration. One would be hard-effect on the environment. pressed to find a consumer packaged goods company, for example, with a WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? staff mineralogist on their technology Minerals are as old as the earth itself.development team.Fundamentally, their properties and characteristics have not changedFortunately, some mining companies much over time. What has changed,have evolved with the times, and now however, is industrys understanding ofoffer product development expertise as how minerals can function in variouspart of their value proposition. Todays applications. Likewise, some suppliersprogressive, multi-mineral companies in the minerals industry have evolvedare the ones that employ world-class to become key partners in productexperts in not just minerals but also in development across nearly all marketfundamental areas of application. Often sectors: from automotive to paints,they work across multiple industries soFigure 4. Expanded Perlite.90 TISSUE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'