Home » Minerals
What Are Minerals?
Minerals are materials that meet five requirements. They are: 1) naturally occurring, 2) inorganic, 3) solids, 4) with a definite chemical composition, and, 5) an ordered internal structure.
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| Dig for Gems at dozens of sites across the United States. Keep what you find at most locations. |
Rhodochrosite
Rhodochrosite - a manganese mineral used as an ore, a pink gem and an ornamental stone.
Grape Agate
Grape Agate is a popular mineral specimen with the color and the shape of a bunch of grapes.
Fool*s Gold
Fool*s Gold is a name used for pyrite when its brassy color fools people looking for gold.
Copper
Copper is a metal used in coins, electronics, pipes, wiring, motors, alloys and many other products.
What Are Minerals?
Minerals are the building blocks of our society. We use items made with them every day.
Hemimorphite
Hemimorphite is an ore of zinc that can often be cut into gems with spectacular blue color.
Mineral Hardness
Mohs Hardness Scale is a set of reference minerals used for classroom hardness testing.
Hand Lens
Hand Lens A 10-power folding magnifier in a metal case. A frequently used lab and field tool.
Variscite
Variscite is a yellowish green to bluish green mineral. It is similar to turquoise and cut as a gem.
Cinnabar
Cinnabar - the only important ore of mercury. Used in pigments until its toxicity was realized.
Diamonds from Coal?
Diamonds Do Not Form From Coal That is one of the biggest misconceptions in science.
Is Water a Mineral?
Are Water and Ice Minerals? Comparing their properties with the definition of a mineral.
Magnesite
Magnesite is a carbonate mineral used for chemicals, fire bricks, magnesium metal and more.
Molybdenite
Molybdenite is the primary ore of molybdenum which is used in superalloys and as a lubricant.
Crystal Habit
Crystal Habit is the external shape displayed by a crystal or an aggregate of crystals.
Tumbled Stones
Tumbled Stones are rocks that have been rounded, smoothed and polished in a rock tumbler.
Rare Earth Elements
Rare Earth Elements are used in cell phones, DVDs, batteries, magnets & many other products.
Rock Tumbling
Rock Tumblers - All about rock tumblers and rock tumbling. Read before you buy a tumbler.
Rock and Mineral Kits
Rock and Mineral Kits The most effective way to learn about rocks and minerals.
Geology Dictionary
Geology Dictionary - contains thousands of geological terms with their definitions.
Rock-Forming Minerals
Rock-Forming Minerals - most of Earth*s crust is made-up of a small number of minerals.
Don*t Go To Jail
Mineral collectors must know the rules for removing specimens from public and private property.
Uses of Talc
Talc is a soft mineral used in cosmetics, paper, paint, ceramics and many other products.
Uses of Silver
Uses of Silver Most people think of jewelry and coins, but silver\'s primary use is industrial.
Dangerous Mines
Abandoned Mine Accidents kill several people every year. Education can prevent deaths.
Gold Panning Kits
Gold Pans and Panning Kits - classifiers, snuffer bottles. Learn how to pan for gold!
Olivine Rain
Olivine Rain Spitzer Telescope discovered a rain of olivine crystals on protostar HOPS-68.
Geology Tools
Geology Tools - Rock hammers, field bags, hand lenses, maps, hardness picks, gold pans.
Pyroxene Minerals
Pyroxenes are a group of chain silicate minerals found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
