Natural Zeolites: Properties, Formation, and Multidisciplinary Applications

Natural zeolites have quietly been one of nature's most versatile gifts to science and industry. These crystalline aluminosilicate minerals, shaped over millions of years deep within volcanic and sedimentary environments, carry a remarkably ordered internal structure that gives them an almost unique ability to sieve, exchange, and adsorb a wide range of molecules and ions. Over the past few decades, researchers and engineers alike have come to appreciate just how broadly these materials can be put to work — from cleaning up contaminated water to boosting crop yields, from strengthening concrete to purifying the air we breathe. This paper takes a close look at what natural zeolites are, how they form, what makes them structurally special, and why they have attracted so much attention across such diverse fields. We also discuss current challenges and the promising road ahead for these remarkable minerals. [1, 2]