In the last decade, the potential application of minerals for a safer environment and for medical uses has been extensively studied. Microminerals, for instance, have been investigated as drug carriers, antimicrobial agents, and natural traps for toxic elements. Minerals are also the main inorganic components of atmospheric particulate matter and affect both human health and the environment. An understanding of the role of minerals in the environment and in medical applications requires the knowledge of their basic properties, including surface adsorption capacities, crystallographic defects, ionic and cationic exchange capacities, micro- and nano-scale physical and chemical properties, as well as the understanding of mineralogical-biological interactions. This session will highlight recent research on minerals, as well as on proto-crystalline materials, relevant for environmental and medical applications. It will provide an international forum for the discussion of the effects of minerals on both human and environmental health and of the roles they play in toxic element immobilization and waste management.