Mineral Crystal Structures
In the article “What Are Minerals,” we looked at five properties that classify an element or compounds of elements as a mineral. To sum it up, the five properties are as follows: A mineral is solid. A mineral is naturally occurring. Minerals are inorganic substances. Minerals have a specific, predictable chemical composition. Minerals have an…
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What Are Minerals?
In a previous article, we looked at elements, the building blocks of minerals: A mineral is made up of one or more elements. There are 88 naturally occurring elements found in nature, yet only 38 elements make up the approximately 3,800 known minerals. Of these known minerals, many have numerous variations in crystalline structure and…
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Native Minerals
I have acquired numerous native mineral pieces over the years. I especially enjoy the Copper dendrites from Michigan that have a leaf-like formation – very aesthetic. The Sulfur crystals from Bolivia are almost a fluorescent yellow; the color is outstanding, while the Sulfur from Italy (Cozzo Disi Mine) has a more muted yellow color but…
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Gem & Mineral Collecting: Do You Just Look At Them?
What is it that draws people to gem and mineral collecting? I’m convinced every kid has had a rock collection. Purely aesthetics – it sparkles, has a neat shape, interesting color, it’s “pretty.” It’s undeniably a universal draw. Then kids begin to throw rocks. And then by accident, a rock breaks and the inside is…
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What To Look For When Acquiring Gems & Minerals
I have been asked countless times, “How do you pick the pieces that you acquire? What do you look for?” It’s a great question, and over time the process often becomes second nature so I might not even be thinking consciously about the numerous qualities that I’m scrutinizing as I scan each piece. Take the…
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