ESSENTIAL MINERALS
SCIENCE

Oxidation State and Electrical Charge of Essential Minerals
Elemental particles and larger molecules can have positive and negative electrical charges. If an ion has additional electrons, it will have a negative charge. If an ion is missing electrons, it will have a positive charge. This electrical charge is referred to as the ion’s ‘oxidation state.’Essential minerals are only useful to the human body if they are in the right oxidation state. The plot of the film Erin Brockovich concerns the difference between trivalent chromium [chromium3+, or chromium (III)] which is regarded as a dietary mineral and hexavalent chromium [chromium6+, or chromium (VI)] which is highly toxic and mutagenic.
Zinc (II)
Zinc in oxidation state (II), or Zn2+, is transported from the digestive system to the rest of the body.- Zinc Status and Autoimmunity, Nutrients, Jan. 11, 2018, Vol. 10, p. 68; doi:10.3390/nu10010068; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29324654/
- The Role of Zinc in Antiviral Immunity, Advances in Nutrition, July, 2019, Vol. 10, Iss. 4, p. 696, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmz013
- Zinc and Zinc Transporters in Dermatology, International Journal of Molecular Science, Dec. 18, 2022, Vol. 23, 16165. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232416165
Copper (II)
Copper(II), or Cu2+, is reduced to copper(I) in the human digestive system, then transported to the rest of the body. Copper(II) in blood serum is connectedwith the recently described cellular process “cuproptosis.”- Recent Advances in Cancer Therapeutic Copper-Based Nanomaterials for Antitumor Therapy, Molecules, March 1, 2023, Vol. 28, p. 2303. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28052303
Magnesium (II)
Magnesium in oxidation state (II), or Mg2+, is transported from the digestivesystem to the rest of the body. Magnesium might be able to get into the lymphatic system beneath the dermis and enter the circulatory system.- Direct and indirect associations between dietary magnesium intake and breast cancer risk, nature.com Scientific Reports, April 8, 2019, Vol. 9:5764 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42282-y
- Myth or Reality—Transdermal Magnesium?, Nutrients, Jul. 28, 2017; Vol. 9, p. 813; doi:10.3390/nu9080813, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28788060/

HISTORY
Naturally occurring sulfur and metal sulfates have been used for their salubrious effects on humans for thousands of years. The medical traditions of classical antiquity paid particular attention to the healing properties of natural hot springs and the metal sulfates found there, as described by physicians such as Galen, and natural philosophers like Pliny the Elder.Blue Vitriol / Vitriol of Cyprus /Roman vitriol (copper(II) sulfate)
Older names for the pentahydrate include blue vitriol, bluestone, vitriolof copper, and Roman vitriol. In nature, it is found as the mineral known as chalcocyanite. The pentahydrate also occurs in nature as chalcanthite.
White Vitriol (zinc(II) sulfate)
Zinc sulfate is used as a dietary supplement to treat zinc deficiency and to prevent the condition in those at high risk. As a mineral, ZnSO4·7H2O is known as goslarite. Zinc sulfateoccurs as several other minor minerals, such as zincmelanterite.
Silver Vitriol (magnesium(II) sulfate)
Magnesium(II) sulfate is usually encountered in the form known as Epsom salt, which is a household chemical with many traditional uses, including bath salts. Epsomite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system. The normal form is as massive encrustations, while acicular or fibrous crystals are rarely found. It is colorless to white with tints of yellow, green and pink. It was first systematically described in 1806 for an occurrence near Epsom, Surrey, England, after which it was named.