Narrative: Compact Mirror from Iceland Air

This mirror was given to me by a friend who took a flight on Iceland Air. Glass, the main component of mirrors, reflects only about 4 percent of the light that strikes it but its uniformity when polished makes it useful for mirrors. It will form an effective base for a reflective layer of metal. When the metal layer is deposited, the surface is very even, with no bumps or wells. Glass is also considered a good material for mirrors because it can be molded into various shapes for specialty mirrors. Glass sheets are made from silica, which can be mined or refined from sand. Glass made from natural crystals of silica is known as fused quartz.  The base materials must be coated to make a mirror. Aluminum is currently the most commonly used metallic coating for mirrors. There is a design process, a cutting process, an application process, and a quality control process to make the mirror. The plastic is molded to fit the square mirror, and the mirrors are distributed to major airports.

Petroleum refineries; Power generation and supply; Plastics material and resin manufacturing; Coal mining; Alumina refining and primary aluminum production; Other basic organic chemical manufacturing; Oil and Gas extraction; Motor vehicle parts and manufacturing; Truck transportation; Oil and gas extraction; Iron and steel mills. Land use includes: Logging; Forest nurseries, forest products, and timber tracts; Cattle ranching and farming.