Diamonds Do Not Form From Coal That is one of the biggest misconceptions in science.

Mineral collectors must know the rules for removing specimens from public and private property.

Geodes look like ordinary rocks on the outside but can be spectacular inside!

The Streak Test is a method to determine the color of a mineral in powdered form.

Mohs Hardness Scale is a set of reference minerals used for classroom hardness testing.

Diopside - Gem material, ornamental stone, diamond indicator, industrial mineral.

Quartz is the most abundant mineral in the crust. It has many useful properties.

The Acid Test Geologists use dilute hydrochloric acid to identify carbonate minerals.

Crystal Habit is the external shape displayed by a crystal or an aggregate of crystals.

Garnet is best known as a red gemstone. It occurs in any color and has many industrial uses.

The Science of Fireworks Learn how the colors and shapes are created.

Fluorescent Minerals glow with spectacular colors under ultraviolet light.

Calcite is a carbonate mineral with industrial, agricultural, medical and many other uses.

Topaz is a mineral best known as a durable gemstone and its use in Mohs Hardness Scale.

Rock, Mineral and Fossil Collections. Nice kits for personal or classroom use.

Corundum is the third hardest mineral. It is also the mineral of ruby and sapphire.

Mineral Identification Chart Printable mineral ID chart by Art Crossman in MS Excel format.

Olivine - Abundant in Earth*s mantle. A constituent of meteorites. The gem peridot.

Chalcopyrite - The most important ore of copper for over five thousand years.

Diamond is a mineral with unique properties and many gem and industrial uses!

Mineraloids are amorphous naturally-occurring inorganic solids that lack crystallinity.

Ilmenite - The primary ore of titanium and source of most titanium dioxide.

Azurite - Used as an ore of copper, a pigment, ornamental stone and gem material.

Gold has unique properties that make it one of the most useful minerals.

Tourmaline - the most colorful mineral and natural gem material on Earth.

Zircon is the primary ore of zirconium and a gemstone that is available in many colors.

Minerals are the building blocks of our society. We use items made with them every day.

Spodumene is a pegmatite mineral, an ore of lithium and sometimes a gemstone.

Benitoite - discovery of the State Gem of California - USGS report from 1911.

Variscite is a yellowish green to bluish green mineral. It is similar to turquoise and cut as a gem.

Rhodochrosite : a manganese mineral used as an ore, a pink gem and an ornamental stone.

Serpentine - metamorphic rocks used in construction, architecture and lapidary work.

Herkimer Diamonds Doubly-terminated quartz crystals used as specimens and gems.

Rhodonite - a manganese silicate used as a minor ore of manganese and as a gemstone.

Cinnabar - the only important ore of mercury. Used in pigments until its toxicity was realized.

Tumbled Stones are rocks that have been rounded, smoothed and polished in a rock tumbler.

United States Gemstones Small mines in the U.S. produce a diversity of gemstones.

Hematite - the most important source of iron ore and mineral pigment since prehistory.

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show Photos from the largest gem and mineral show.

Kyanite is a metamorphic mineral used to make porcelain, abrasive products and gems.

Rare Earth Elements are used in cell phones, DVDs, batteries, magnets & many other products.

Are Water and Ice Minerals? Comparing their properties with the definition of a mineral.

Abandoned Mine Accidents kill several people every year. Education can prevent deaths.

Mineral Rights - Who owns the minerals under your land? Who wants to buy them?

Geology Tools - Hammers, field bags, hand lenses, maps, hardness picks, gold pans.

Uses of Silver Most people think of jewelry and coins, but silver\'s primary use is industrial.

Talc is a soft mineral used in cosmetics, paper, paint, ceramics and many other products.

Denver Gem and Mineral Show - Photos and comments about this incredible show.

Rock Tumblers - All about rock tumblers and rock tumbling. Read before you buy a tumbler.

Minerals in Colored Glass - Minerals are what produce the color in colored glass.

Olivine Rain Spitzer Telescope discovered a rain of olivine crystals on protostar HOPS-68.

Gold Pans and Panning Kits - classifiers, snuffer bottles. Learn how to pan for gold!

How Do Snowflakes Form? They start as tiny crystals. Some grow on the way down.

Limonite - an amorphous iron oxide. An ore of iron and a pigment since prehistory.

Hardness Picks - Mohs hardness testing with precise and easy-to-use hardness picks.

Hand Lens A 10-power folding magnifier in a metal case. A frequently used lab and field tool.

Triboluminescence is flash produced when a mineral is rubbed, scratched or broken.