This paper described the following three topics concerning with the studies on the manganese minerals in Japan from the mineralogical viewpoint.
1). Historical developement and mineral species of the Japanese manganese minerals.
The number of the manganese mineral species confirmed to occur in Japan during from 1887 to 1987 amount to 88 (silicates 44, oxides 30, sulfates 5, borates 3, carbonates 2, sulfides 2, tungustate 1, and arsenate 1). Mineral name, chemical composition, localities, and authors of the manganese minerals found first in Japan are listed as a table in chronological order.
2). Manganoan sugilite and associated other minerals from the Furumiya mine.
The mode of occurrence, microscopic feature, chemical composition, and X-ray powder diffraction data for the manganoan sugilite are described. The mineral occurs as veinlets of purple tint with guartz vein cutting braunite ore, and it is found associated with serandite, sanbornite, krauskopfite, and Mn-alkali amphibole. These associated minerals are determined by means of EPMA.
3). Witherite and “BaMn (CO₃)₂” mineral (unnamed new mineral) from the Hagidairaand Fukumaki mines.
Both the minerals from the Hagidaira mine are found in rhodochrosite-manganositea-labandite ore. The witherite occurs as a fine-grained aggregate, while the “BaMn (CO₃)₂ ” mineral is coarse-grained crystal, and it is surrounded by the fine-grained witherite. The mode of occurrence, optical properties, chemical composition, and X-ray powder diffraction data for the witherite and “BaMn (CO₃)₂” mineral from the Hagidaira mine are described. On the other hand, the witherite and “BaMn (CO₃)₂ ” mineral from the Fukumaki mine occur in manganosite-tephroite-galaxite ore. The mode of occurrence, optical properties, and chemical composition of both the minerals are generally similar to those of the Hagidaira mine. However, although individual crystals of both the minerals from the Fukumaki mine are much too small, the X-ray powder diffraction data of them are not determined yet.

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Development of industrial materials is essential to that of technology and industry. Importance of mineralogical background in the material researches is demonstrated through a review of the recent works on the high-T_c oxide superconductors. It is suggested that mineralogy should establish its solid status as a basic science of material researches. A plan of writing a book titled “Mineralogy for Material Research” is proposed.

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The combustion synthesis is a new chemical process with highly exothermic reaction spontaneously propagating through the reactant with converting into compound. Many refractory materials of borides, carbides, nitrides, silicides and other compounds having high formation energies are easily formed by igniting the mixed powders of their constituent elements. A variety of applications to the materials development can be expected for the combustion synthesis because of its high temperature, rapid and economic process. This review presents the reaction analysis of the combustion synthesis, and its applications to the powder synthesis of nitrides and the gas-pressure combustion sintering of boride and carbide ceramics.

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Microporous glass materials were prepared by making use of phase separation in immiscibility region of a glass of CaO-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂ system from volcanic glass. Because of their uniformly controlled pores and possibility of designing the pore size, various applications of the material are promising in advanced technology. Preparing process of the porous glass, their physical and chemical properties and some applications were introduced and discussed in this paper.

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Usability of rice husk ash was investigated as a siliceous material for calcium silicate lightweight building materials manufactured by hydrothermal reaction. From the results, it was concluded that rice husk ash can be used as a superior siliceous material for manufacture of calcium silicate insulating materials with good thermal durability up to 1, 000°C. Characteristics of rice husk ash, viz, high SiO₂ content, reactive silica phase comprising amorphous silica, cristobalite and/or tridymite, and high surface area, are favourable to the formation of well grown xonotlite which forms bodies of insulating materials. In addition, potentiality of rice husk and rice husk ash is briefly introduced as replenishable resources for industry.

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