The Waelz slag generated during electric arc furnace dust processing is an iron-rich product with significant amounts of iron, zinc and copper. About 600–800 kg of the Waelz slag is generated per ton of the dust processed. The Waelz slag samples from two different plants were thoroughly characterized using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), chemical phase analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy and other supporting methods. The phase distribution of iron, zinc and copper was determined in the Waelz slag samples. Low-intensity wet magnetic separation was tested for the iron recovery from the Waelz slag samples. It was found that the Waelz slag samples have complex chemical and mineralogical compositions, which can impede the selective recovery of valuable elements. The obtained results indicate that the chemical and mineralogical composition of the Waelz slag samples has a considerable effect on the magnetic separation indexes. The experiments showed that the iron concentrates with Fe contents of 73% and 46.8% with the metallization degrees of 87.2% and 57.5% and the iron recovery degree of 54.8% and 52.9% were obtained at optimal conditions for two different samples, respectively, without selective segregation of Cu and Zn in the magnetic or non-magnetic fraction.

Despite the recent advances in minimally invasive surgery, kidney stones still pose a significant clinical challenge due to their high recurrence rate of 50% in 5–10 years after the first stone episode. Using the methods of geosciences and biology, the GeoBioMed approach treats kidney stones as biogenic minerals, offering a novel perspective on their formation and dissolution processes. In this review, we discuss kidney stones’ structural and mechanical properties as emerging biomarkers of urolithiasis, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive stone analysis in developing personalized treatment strategies. By focusing on unexplored properties like crystalline architecture, porosity, permeability, cleavage, and fracture, alongside the conventionally used composition and morphology, we show how these stone characteristics influence the treatment efficacy and the disease recurrence. This review also highlights the potential of advanced imaging techniques to uncover novel biomarkers, contributing to a deeper understanding of stone pathogenesis. We discuss how the interdisciplinary collaboration within the GeoBioMed approach aims to enhance the diagnostic accuracy, improve the treatment outcomes, and reduce the recurrence of urolithiasis.

The use of synthetic and natural resins in the fixation of organomineral matter for further studies is common, e.g. in the micromorphological study of soils, since the procedure of making thin sections includes the impregnation of the sample with the filling materials (resins). At the same time, their effect on the soil structure remains poorly known. In this article, an experiment to study the impact of synthetic and natural resins on the nano- and microstructure of soil during impregnation is considered. First data on the characteristics of resins frequently used in laboratories, as well as on their effects on the structure of soil samples have been obtained with small-angle X-ray scattering and computed tomography techniques. The X-ray transparency of fixing materials was detected. Subsequent impregnation of the AU horizon fraction from Haplic Chernozems of Kursk oblast by fixing materials allowed establishing their influence on the change in size of soil nanostructural heterogeneities. The experiment with different horizons of Protosalic Solonetz attests to a decrease in the size of nanoheterogeneities with depth in the impregnated soil as compared with that in the native soil. At the microlevel, a decrease in microporosity within the first percent after polymerization of the fixing material has been proved. As a result of studies of nanoheterogeneities in the soil, scanning parameters have been experimentally selected at the BioSAS station of the Kurchatov`s synchrotron radiation source. The nanostructure of soil core samples and separate fractions has been studied for the first time at this station. The above results can be used in sample preparation and further analysis of organomineral objects (soils, rocks) for a number of studies that require fixation of the substance structure at different dimensional levels.