Types of natural stones: photos with names and descriptions, classification and varieties of minerals. The most amazing minerals The most beautiful minerals in the world

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10.12.2020

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In medieval Latin, minera means ore. A mineral is a chemically and physically independent solid that has a relatively uniform composition. It arose as a result of physical and chemical processes of natural origin occurring in the bowels of the Earth and other planets. It usually refers to a constituent of rocks, meteorites, or ores. Most of the well-known stones got their names back in antiquity - at a time when the science of mineralogy did not yet exist, but people were already actively using many types of minerals.


The history of the use of mineral raw materials dates back many centuries: the Stone Age began long before the Bronze and Iron Ages. At that time, the main household tools and weapons were made of stone. Yes, people still used wood and bone, but they still called the stone age, and this is not accidental, it was he who made it possible to make a much-needed leap in development.

Since ancient times, people have been attracted by minerals, their enchanting beauty and mysterious power do not leave anyone indifferent even now. The variety of shapes and colors, the splendor of shades created by nature, fascinates. Ancient people worshiped precious stones, considering them symbols of immortality. And this is not surprising, because human generations go into oblivion one after another, everything flows and changes, only stones remain forever. These things for a modern person are not only luxury items and a great way to invest capital. They are a source of inspiration for poets and an adornment for women, a subject of research for scientists and a working material for jewelers.

People believe in magical power, which are fraught with minerals. Scientists know how many secrets unrevealed by science are hidden in the strata of rocks and in the depths of the earth's crust. For some it is a source of healing and inner strength, for others it is an object of admiration and admiration. But they do not leave anyone indifferent. Immerse yourself in the world of these dazzlingly beautiful gifts of nature, so diverse and delightful that you can admire them endlessly. Learn more about the treasures that lie right under our feet!

So what is a mineral?

Minerals are called homogeneous natural bodies, which are chemical compounds of a certain composition, having a crystalline structure and formed as a result of geological processes. They are components of rocks.

Rocks are masses or aggregates of one or more mineral species or organic matter formed as a result of natural processes.

These are the materials that make up the earth's crust. There are hard, loose, soft and consolidated rocks.

There are some other concepts related to the above. A mineral variety is a group of minerals that have slight differences in chemical composition and physical properties. A mineral individual is understood as a mineral body isolated by an interface.

Origin of minerals

Genesis is the process of mineral formation. Such processes are divided into three groups, depending on the source of energy.

1. Magmatogenic (hypogenic) processes

Formation occurs by solidification and crystallization of magma.
This solution-melt, consisting mainly of silicates (silicon compounds) and containing all chemical elements, either overcomes the resistance of overlying rocks and pours out to the surface, or remains in the depths and cools down and crystallizes there. Accordingly, products are classified into effusive and intrusive, respectively.

Since any magma has a predominantly siliceous composition, the formation of silicates (siliceous minerals) occurs there. Many of them are rock-forming minerals that form granites, syenites, diorites and other crystalline rocks. To a large extent, they are represented by feldspars, granites, micas, hornblende, olivine, etc. During their formation, Si, Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, Ti, K, Na, H2, O2 are transferred from magma to the residual melt.

When embedded in the earth's crust, the temperature of magma is about 1200°C. By the end of crystallization, it decreases to 500–600°C, and at this temperature, residual melt intrudes into rock cracks, forming pegmatite veins.

Part of the volatile substances enters the crystallized rocks through cracks. They act on the constituent minerals and transform them. So greisens, tungsten, molybdenum, tin and rare metal ores are formed in granites.

With a further decrease in temperature, hydrothermal solutions are released. From them deposits of gold, zinc, copper, silver, uranium, lead, antimony, mercury, tin, arsenic are formed.

2. Metamorphic processes (endogenous)

They imply changes in minerals in the bowels under the influence of pressure and temperature. These phenomena occur in connection with a change in the geological situation and the original occurrence of rocks.

Allocate regional and contact metamorphism. Processes of the first type affect large areas and occur at considerable depths. In this case, shales and gneisses are formed. Contact metamorphism consists in the impact of magma (especially granite) when intruding into the strata of marl and limestone. As a result, they turn into marbles and skarns. Deposits of iron, tungsten, molybdenum, tin, cobalt are sometimes associated with them.

3. Exogenous processes

These phenomena are due to external factors associated with the energy of the Sun. They occur at normal pressure and low temperature near the earth's surface. They consist in the fact that rocks and minerals exposed and occurring at shallow depths are subject to weathering (destruction) under the mechanical and chemical effects of water, sun, wind, organisms, etc. Some of the destroyed rocks and minerals are carried away, some remain in place, forming placers of gold, platinum, zircon, diamond, garnets, tin, magnetite, tungsten derivatives, etc. Many rock-forming minerals are destroyed and dissolved. Their salts are carried by waters, and in arid regions they precipitate, forming deposits of gypsum, sodium and potassium salts, and mirabilite.

That is, exogenous mineral formation occurs as a result of the mutual action of the factors of the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere on minerals on the Earth's surface. New minerals formed in this way from the original ones are called supergene.

In addition, there is a biochemical subtype of exogenous mineral formation. It consists in the transformation of the remains of organisms and their vital activity. As a result, combustible minerals, chalk, limestones, native sulfur, some brown iron ore, and phosphorites are formed. Feldspars, plagioclases, hornblende, etc. are very common.

Classification

The main, as a rule, consider the structural-chemical classification.

So, crystallochemical includes 9 types:

  1. silicates. Salts of silicic acids. Represented by the most common rock-forming minerals in the earth's crust (more than 90% of its mass), which are part of all types of rocks. They include about 800 species, divided on the basis of the structure of the crystal lattice into 6 subtypes: island, ring, chain, ribbon, layer, frame. These are feldspars, plagioclases, hornblende, etc.
  2. Carbonates. About 80 items represented by salts of carbonic acid. The most common among them are magnesite, calcite, and dolomite.
  3. oxides and hydroxides. This includes about 200 minerals-compounds with oxygen and hydroxyl groups. They are divided into compounds with silicon (quartz, etc.) and compounds with metals (hematite, limonite, etc.). They make up about 17% of the mass of the earth's crust.
  4. Sulfides. About 200 compounds with sulfur (pyrite, bornite, cinnabar, etc.).
  5. sulfates. Approximately 260 mineral species represented by salts of sulfuric acid (gypsum, barite, anhydrite, etc.).
  6. Halides. Salts of halogen acids. They include about 100 items (halite, sylvin, fluorite, etc.).
  7. Phosphates. Salts of phosphoric acid, including apatite and phosphorite.
  8. Tungstates. Salts of tungstic acid (wolframite, scheelite, etc.).
  9. native elements. Includes 45 items, consisting of one element (gold, sulfur, diamond, etc.).

Structural-chemical

There is also a structural-chemical classification close to this. According to it, there are two types: inorganic and organic minerals.

The first includes the following classes:

  • native elements and intermetallic compounds;
  • nitrides, carbides, phosphides;
  • sulfides, sulfosalts and the like;
  • halogen compounds and halo salts;
  • oxides;
  • oxygen salts.

According to their abundance, minerals are divided into four types:

  • 1. Rock-forming. They make up the majority of rocks.
  • 2. Accessory. Often present in them, but usually up to 5%.
  • 3. Ore. They form significant accumulations in the form of ore deposits and contain industrially valuable components.
  • 4. Rare. Few or single.

There are three forms of being in nature:

  1. mineral individuals. These are the constituent parts of aggregates, represented by crystals, grains and other segregations, separated by interfaces.
  2. mineral aggregates. Intergrowths of individuals of one or different minerals that do not have clear signs of symmetrical figures. There are single and multi-stage.
  3. mineral bodies- accumulations of aggregates with natural boundaries. They can range in size from microscopic to comparable to geological objects.

In addition, the genetic classification discussed above is used.

Minerals secondary

This is the name of minerals formed during metasomatism, during the weathering of other minerals and rocks, that is, during processes that transform already formed rocks. Escalya (a Finnish petrographer) called these minerals posterior (in Latin - subsequent).

These include minerals in igneous rocks: epidote, zoisite, serpentine, muscovite, tourmaline, talc, calcite... In other words, all hydro-acid and carbonate compounds that cannot be released from fiery-liquid magma. But many minerals that are generally formed directly during the solidification of magma can also be present in one or another rock as a secondary mineral (for example, quartz, ore minerals, and others).

The distinction between secondary and primary formations is essential in petrography. Primary components illuminate the conditions of genesis rock, and secondary minerals make it possible to trace the course of certain changes and transformations that the rock has undergone.

Finally, minerals are subdivided according to practical significance, which is given below.

Properties

Properties are divided into chemical, physical, optical, magnetic.

Chemical properties determined by the elements that make up: chemical formula mineral. It is these properties that determine the solubility of minerals and acids.

Physical Properties determined by the chemical composition and their crystal structure. Some of them appear depending on the crystallographic direction. Based on this parameter, they are divided into scalar and vector ones (the former depend, the latter do not). Scalar properties include density, vector properties include hardness, and crystallographic features.

Also, physical properties are classified into mechanical, optical, magnetic, luminescent, thermal, electrical, radioactivity.

Many parameters are used to determine minerals in the field (diagnostic properties). In addition to the main external characteristics, such as shape and color, hardness, separation, cleavage, fragility, brilliance, fracture are used for this. Some minerals are diagnosed by flexibility, malleability and elasticity.

Mechanical properties include:

  • fragile (main part);
  • malleable;
  • inflexible (among leafy and scaly);
  • brittle and flexible (fibrous minerals).

fragility- the strength of mineral grains, which manifests itself during mechanical splitting.

Among the physical properties, a very important indicator of minerals is hardness. Based on it, a 10-digit Mohs scale was created. In it, each value corresponds to a mineral (from talc to diamond). At the same time, it should be taken into account that for some mineral species this parameter differs for different parties(for example, for kyanite 5.5 and 7). This is due to the unequal density of the crystal lattice.

Cleavage it is the ability to split along crystallographic directions.

discoloration- the presence of a thin colored or multi-colored film on a weathered surface. It is the result of oxidation.

kink this is an important diagnostic property. Thanks to it, the surface of the fragments formed during the impact is characterized, forming surface features on a non-jointed fresh cleavage.

Density is the mass per unit volume of a substance. It is also called specific gravity. According to their density, minerals can be:

  • light - up to 2500 kg per cubic meter;
  • medium - from 2500 to 4000 kg per cubic meter;
  • heavy - from 4000 to 8000 kg per cubic meter;
  • very heavy from 8000 kg per cubic meter and more.

The density of a mineral directly depends on its composition, type of structure, the number of microinclusions and their nature, as well as on such phenomena as metamict and hydration.

Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a mineral to the density of water. It is used to determine the unit mass and serves as a diagnostic feature for some classes. So, highest value This parameter is possessed by native metals and intermetallic compounds (for example, for gold it is 19.3 g/cm3), oxides and sulfides are among common minerals due to the presence of elements with high atomic mass in the composition.

Optical properties

Color. In some minerals it is defined, in others it is very variable. The latter can be explained by the presence of many modifications or polychroism. In the first case, due to the inclusion of impurities in the chemical composition, the mineral gets a different color. In the second, the crystals change color depending on the direction of the light.

  • White stone
  • Black stones
  • Red colors and gems
  • orange stone
  • yellow stone
  • green stone
  • blue stone
  • blue stone
  • purple stone
  • Lilac stone
  • pink stone
  • brown stone
  • transparent stones

Line color. Appears when scratched. The same as the color of the mineral in powder. Glitter is a light effect created by reflecting part of the light flux. Determined by reflectivity.

Refraction, polarization, dispersion characterize optical constants.

Magnetic properties determined by the content of ferrous iron.

Place of Birth

Large accumulations of minerals are called deposits. There are several classifications.

  • According to the state of aggregation of mineral substances, they are divided into gas, liquid, solid.
  • By industrial use: ore, combustible, non-metallic, hydromineral.
  • According to the complexity of the geological structure: simple (Group 1), complex (Group 2), very complex (Group 3), with small bodies, disturbed occurrence, variability of thickness and structure, or uneven quality (Group 4).
  • By location relative to the earth's surface: open, buried.
  • According to the conditions of formation: igneous, metamorphic, exogenous.

You can learn more about minerals in the Mineral deposits section. We have descriptions for over 40,000 locations around the world.

Application

About 15 percent of the minerals known today are used in industry. Some minerals are used to make various kinds metals and some other chemical elements.

The use of certain types of minerals for technical purposes based on their physical properties:

  • hard minerals such as diamond, garnet or agate are used to make abrasive and anti-abrasive materials;
  • piezoelectric stones such as quartz are used in the electronics industry;
  • muscovite or phlogopite, related to micas, due to the presence of electrical insulating properties, are used in radio and electrical engineering;
  • quartz or pyrophyllite - in the manufacture of ceramic products;
  • talc - for the production of lubricants and in the medical industry;
  • asbestos is used as a heat insulator;
  • Icelandic spar or fluorite is used in the manufacture of optics.

Mineral raw materials are used in all industries. Minerals are divided into ore and non-ore minerals as far as possible. From the former, metal elements are mined, and from the latter, non-metallic raw materials for the production of construction, medical, chemical, and other products.

Separately, it should be noted the aesthetic value of minerals. Well-known stones used in jewelry. Even more they are used as ornamental raw materials and in their original form as exhibits of museums and collections.

There are classifications based on value. In accordance with one of them (VNII Yuvelirprom), they are divided into jewelry (diamond, pyrite, pearls, etc.), jewelry and ornamental (fibrolite, aventurine, azurite, etc.) and ornamental (obsidian, onyx, alabaster, etc.) .

A similar classification is better known, according to which minerals are divided into precious, semi-precious and ornamental.

Such classifications are very conditional, since they primarily use aesthetic standards and several parameters (hardness, chemical composition, color, etc.) and there are no clear limits for any of them.

Popular Minerals

Diamond is a cubic modification of carbon. In a pure (transparent) form, it is represented only by this element. Colored variants include various impurities. It is synthesized in several ways from carbon. It is the hardest mineral (10 on the Mohs scale). It is used in glass cutters, drilling equipment, jewelry.

Emerald— modification of beryl with an admixture of Cr3+ or oxides of V and Fe. It differs from it in green color and transparency. Found in crystals and aggregates. It is of metamorphic origin. It has high hardness (7.5 - 8) and acid resistance. Artificial emeralds are distinguished by their lower density and refractive index. It is mainly used in the jewelry industry.

Ruby represented by a modification of corundum with an admixture of Cr3+, Fe3+, V3+. It differs from it in red (purple, brown). Synthetic stones are obtained by growing corundum from a melt. They are characterized by a uniform color, unlike natural ones. The second hardest mineral after diamond (9). It is used in instrument making, watchmaking and laser technology, jewelry industry.

Sapphire- a variety of corundum, including impurities Fe3+, Fe2+, Ti. From a mineralogical point of view, only variants are considered sapphire. of blue color, with jewelry - any colors except red. Synthetic varieties are both pure (colorless) and with impurities (of various colors). It is used in ophthalmology, stomatology, production of glasses and protective screens, jewelry industry.

Alexandrite- a variety of chrysoberyl with an admixture of Cr. It is distinguished by strong pleochroism (changes color from dark blue-green to purple), there are transparent options. Hardness - 8.5. It is of magmatic origin. Artificial crystals are obtained by two methods. It is mainly used in the jewelry industry.

Pearl- biogenic formation. It is formed in the shells of molluscs. Does not apply to minerals, but includes aragonite. It is represented by rounded or irregularly shaped bodies with a hardness of 3-4. It comes in various colors (white, black, blue, yellowish, green, pink, etc.). There are imitations made of glass and plastic. Used mainly in the jewelry industry.

Amber- biogenic formation, represented by fossilized resin of the Paleogene and Upper Cretaceous periods. It occurs in the form of amorphous formations with a hardness of 2 - 2.5. Color - from light yellow to brown, colorless, red, greenish, white. There are imitations made of natural resins and plastics. Mainly used in the jewelry industry, less in the pharmaceutical, electronic, chemical, food, perfume industries.

The bowels of our planet conceal countless treasures - minerals. Their indescribable diversity and beauty have always conquered human hearts. We invite you to admire a selection of these ‎beautiful examples of frozen natural harmony.‎

1 Opal Veined Petrified Wood
Under certain conditions, fragments of a fallen tree do not rot, but mineralize, turning into real stones of a bizarre shape. This requires hundreds of years and lack of air access to the material, resulting in a unique mineral that resembles fragments of an iced tree, dotted with sparkling inclusions of opal or chalcedony.‎

2. Uvarovit
Discovered in the 19th century in Siberia, a stone related to garnets was nicknamed by the people "Ural emerald". bewitching green color imparts chromium to the mineral. In nature, it is extremely rare, and a few finds are of very modest size. ‎By the way, it was this mineral that Alexander Kuprin meant in his work ‎‎“Garnet Bracelet.”‎

3. Fluorite
This mineral, which has long been used for decorative purposes and delighted the views of high society with graceful translucent vases and figurines glowing in the dark, has now found a more applied application in optics, becoming an excellent material for creating lenses.

4. Kemmererite
A very fragile fuchsia-colored stone - kemmererite - is considered a collector's item. To make a piece of jewelry out of it, the master needs to apply all his scrupulousness and precision. ‎For this reason, the cost of the processed mineral is extremely high.‎

5. Hematite, rutile and feldspar
The ability of the black mineral hematite, when processed, to color water in a blood-red color has caused many ineradicable superstitions regarding this stone. But it is popular not only for this reason - hematite is very common in nature and is used in addition to decorative in many applied areas.

6. Thorbernite
As bewitchingly beautiful this mineral is, it is just as deadly. Prisms of torbernite crystals contain uranium and can cause cancer in humans. In addition, when heated, these stones begin to slowly emit the most dangerous gas, radon.‎

7. Clinoclase‎
A rare clinoclase crystal has one small secret - when heated, this exquisitely beautiful mineral emits a garlic smell.‎

8. white barite, studded with vanadinite crystals ‎
Vanadinite got its name in honor of the Scandinavian goddess of beauty Vanadis. This mineral is one of the heaviest on the planet due to its high lead content. ‎Keep vanadinite crystals away from sunlight, as they tend to darken under their influence.‎

9 Fossil Egg? No - opal core geode
In places rich in minerals, you can find geodes - geological formations, which are cavities that conceal various minerals inside. On cuts and chips, geodes can look extremely outlandish and attractive.‎

10. Silver stibnite with barite
Stibnite is an antimony sulfide, but appears to be composed of silver high standard. Thanks to this similarity, one day someone decided to make elite cutlery from this material. And it was a very bad idea… Antimony crystals cause severe poisoning, even after contact with the skin it is necessary to wash it thoroughly with soap.‎

11. Chalcanthite
The enchanting beauty of these crystals hides a mortal danger: once in a liquid environment, the copper contained in this mineral begins to rapidly dissolve, threatening all living things that get in its way. Just one small blue pebble is capable of destroying an entire pond with all its flora and fauna, so you should be extremely careful with it.

12. Cacoxenite
Acting as an inclusion, this rare mineral is able to give quartz and amethyst a unique color and higher value. As a representative of needle-like crystals, cacoxenite is incredibly fragile.‎

13. Labradorite
Mined in the northern regions, the mineral seems to reflect the sky under which it was found: colored overflows against the background of the darkness of the stone dotted with sparkling stars resemble the northern lights blazing on a long polar night.‎

14. Black Opal
The most valuable variety of opals. Despite the word "black" in the name, this mineral gets the highest value if it has a multi-colored sparkle against a dark background. ‎The more varied the shades of its radiance, the higher the price.‎

15. Kuprosklodovskite
Needle-like crystals of kuprosklodovskite attract admiring attention with the depth and variety of their green coloring, as well as their interesting shape. However, this mineral is mined in uranium deposits and is highly radioactive and should be kept away not only from living beings, but even from other minerals.‎

16. Blue halite and sylvite
Milky white or whitish sylvite is often found in volcanoes, and blue halite (sodium chloride) is often found in sedimentary rocks.‎

17. Bismuth
Artificially grown crystals have a recognizable iridescent sheen on their dark surface. This effect occurs due to the oxide film covering it. By the way, bismuth chloride is used in the creation of nail polishes as a means to give them shine.

18. Opal
The noble gemstone opal is demanding on the humidity surrounding it: if it stays in excessively dry conditions for a long time, it can fade and even crack. For this reason, opals should occasionally be “bathed” in clean water, and also worn more often if they are presented in the form jewelry so that the stones are saturated with moisture emanating from the human body. ‎

19. Tourmaline
Juicy red and pink colors, smooth transitions of shades with the most unexpected ranges make tourmaline one of the most popular collectible minerals. According to historians, it was these stones that crowned many decorations and accessories of members of royal families and eminent persons: from Catherine II to Tamerlane. ‎

20. Baildonite
The rare baildonite crystal owes its color to the copper contained in its composition, and its brilliance to a high percentage of lead.‎

21. Osmium ‎
Having the status of the densest natural substance, osmium is extremely difficult to process. The widespread use of this metal in medicine, manufacturing and the defense industry makes the demand for it incredibly high. And given the rarity of osmium in nature, the cost of one gram of its isotope is currently twenty thousand dollars.

22. Malachite
The whimsical arrangement of copper layers in the voids of karst caves, where malachite is born, determines the future structure of its patterns. They can be represented by concentric circles, star-shaped placers or chaotic ribbon patterns. ‎The age of malachite beads found in the ancient city of Jericho is determined by archaeologists to be 9,000 years old.‎

23. Emmonsite
A rather rare mineral emmonsite, presented in the form of small needle-like crystals with a glassy sheen, is found in the mines of North and South America.‎

24. Aquamarine on potassium mica
For the similarity of the edges to the purest sea waves, the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder gave this noble stone the name "aquamarine". More blue aquamarines are valued more than greenish ones. This mineral is very popular among designers and jewelry lovers, and its highest strength helps to create jewelry of any configuration.

25. Pallasite meteorite
In 1777, the German scientist Pallas delivered to the Kunstkamera Museum samples of a rare metal found in Krasnoyarsk at the site of a meteorite fall. Soon, the entire block of extraterrestrial origin weighing 687 kg was transported to St. Petersburg. This material was called "pallas iron" or pallasite. A similar substance from those that are mined on our planet has not been found. According to experts, this meteorite is an iron-nickel base with numerous inclusions of olivine crystals. ‎

26. Sick
Small cubic crystals of blue color - boleites - are especially valued in the countries of South and North America. So far, this rare mineral has not been seen in circulation in Russia.‎

27. Crocoite‎
The name "crocoite" comes from the ancient Greek word meaning "saffron", since the similarity of the crystal surface with this spice is noticeable to the naked eye. The red lead ore, which this mineral is, is of particular value to collectors and connoisseurs.


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  • Minerals and stones with the letter UMinerals starting with the letter Yu Minerals starting with the letter Yu. Stones starting with the letter Yu. Catalog of stones in Yu. Reference book of stones in Yu. Description of stones in Yu. Chemical properties. Physical properties, formulas, connection with the zodiac, connection with names, origin, where they are mined, legends about stones with the letter Yu.
  • Minerals and stones with the letter IMinerals starting with the letter Z Minerals starting with the letter Y. Stones starting with the letter Y. Catalog of stones starting with Z. Directory of stones starting with Z. Description of stones starting with Z. Chemical properties. Physical properties, formulas, connection with the zodiac, connection with names, origin, where they are mined, legends about stones with the letter Y.

The bowels of our planet conceal countless treasures - minerals. Their indescribable diversity and beauty have always conquered human hearts. We invite you to admire a selection of these ‎beautiful examples of frozen natural harmony.‎

‎1. Petrified wood with opal veins

Under certain conditions, fragments of a fallen tree do not rot, but mineralize, turning into real stones of a bizarre shape. This requires hundreds of years and lack of air access to the material, resulting in a unique mineral that resembles fragments of an iced tree, dotted with sparkling inclusions of opal or chalcedony.‎

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‎2. Uvarovite

Discovered in the 19th century in Siberia, a stone related to garnets was nicknamed by the people "Ural emerald". Chromium gives the mineral its bewitching green color. In nature, it is extremely rare, and a few finds are of very modest size. ‎By the way, it was this mineral that Alexander Kuprin meant in his work ‎‎“Garnet Bracelet.”‎

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‎3. Fluorite

This mineral, which has long been used for decorative purposes and delighted the views of high society with graceful translucent vases and figurines glowing in the dark, has now found a more applied application in optics, becoming an excellent material for creating lenses.

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‎4. Kemmererite

A very fragile fuchsia-colored stone - kemmererite - is considered a collector's item. To make a piece of jewelry out of it, the master needs to apply all his scrupulousness and precision. ‎For this reason, the cost of the processed mineral is extremely high.‎

exceptionalminerals.com

‎5. Hematite, rutile and feldspar

The ability of the black mineral hematite, when processed, to color water in a blood-red color has caused many ineradicable superstitions regarding this stone. But it is popular not only for this reason - hematite is very common in nature and is used in addition to decorative in many applied areas.

mindat.org

‎6. Thorbernite

As bewitchingly beautiful this mineral is, it is just as deadly. Prisms of torbernite crystals contain uranium and can cause cancer in humans. In addition, when heated, these stones begin to slowly emit the most dangerous gas, radon.‎

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‎7. Clinoclase‎

A rare clinoclase crystal has one small secret - when heated, this exquisitely beautiful mineral emits a garlic smell.‎

mindat.org

‎8. White barite studded with vanadinite crystals ‎

Vanadinite got its name in honor of the Scandinavian goddess of beauty Vanadis. This mineral is one of the heaviest on the planet due to its high lead content. ‎Keep vanadinite crystals away from sunlight, as they tend to darken under their influence.‎

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‎9. Fossil egg? No - opal core geode

In places rich in minerals, you can find geodes - geological formations, which are cavities that conceal various minerals inside. On cuts and chips, geodes can look extremely outlandish and attractive.‎

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‎10. Silver stibnite with barite

Stibnite is an antimony sulfide, but appears to be high grade silver. Thanks to this similarity, one day someone decided to make elite cutlery from this material. And it was a very bad idea… Antimony crystals cause severe poisoning, even after contact with the skin it is necessary to wash it thoroughly with soap.‎

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‎11. chalcanthite

The enchanting beauty of these crystals hides a mortal danger: once in a liquid environment, the copper contained in this mineral begins to rapidly dissolve, threatening all living things that get in its way. Just one small blue pebble is capable of destroying an entire pond with all its flora and fauna, so you should be extremely careful with it.

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‎12. Cacoxenite

Acting as an inclusion, this rare mineral is able to give quartz and amethyst a unique color and higher value. As a representative of needle-like crystals, cacoxenite is incredibly fragile.‎

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‎13. labradorite

Mined in the northern regions, the mineral seems to reflect the sky under which it was found: colored overflows against the background of the darkness of the stone dotted with sparkling stars resemble the northern lights blazing on a long polar night.‎

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‎14. black opal

The most valuable variety of opals. Despite the word "black" in the name, this mineral gets the highest value if it has a multi-colored sparkle against a dark background. ‎The more varied the shades of its radiance, the higher the price.‎

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‎15. Kuprosklodovskite

Needle-like crystals of kuprosklodovskite attract admiring attention with the depth and variety of their green coloring, as well as their interesting shape. However, this mineral is mined in uranium deposits and is highly radioactive and should be kept away not only from living beings, but even from other minerals.‎

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‎16. Blue halite and sylvite

Milky white or whitish sylvite is often found in volcanoes, and blue halite (sodium chloride) is often found in sedimentary rocks.‎

mindat.org

‎17. Bismuth

Artificially grown bismuth crystals have a recognizable iridescent sheen on their dark surface. This effect occurs due to the oxide film covering it. By the way, bismuth oxide-chloride is used in the creation of nail polishes as a means to give them shine. ‎

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‎18. Opal

The noble gemstone opal is demanding on the humidity surrounding it: if it stays in excessively dry conditions for a long time, it can fade and even crack. For this reason, opals should occasionally be "bathed" in clean water, and also worn more often if they are presented in the form of jewelry, so that the stones are saturated with moisture emanating from the human body. ‎

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‎19. Tourmaline

Juicy red and pink colors, smooth transitions of shades with the most unexpected ranges make tourmaline one of the most popular collectible minerals. According to historians, it was these stones that crowned many decorations and accessories of members of royal families and eminent persons: from Catherine II to Tamerlane. ‎

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‎20. Baildonite

The rare baildonite crystal owes its color to the copper contained in its composition, and its brilliance to a high percentage of lead.‎

mindat.org

‎21. Osmium ‎

Having the status of the densest natural substance, osmium is extremely difficult to process. The widespread use of this metal in medicine, manufacturing and the defense industry makes the demand for it incredibly high. And given the rarity of osmium in nature, the cost of one gram of its isotope is currently twenty thousand dollars.

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‎22. Malachite

The whimsical arrangement of copper layers in the voids of karst caves, where malachite is born, determines the future structure of its patterns. They can be represented by concentric circles, star-shaped placers or chaotic ribbon patterns. ‎The age of malachite beads found in the ancient city of Jericho is determined by archaeologists to be 9,000 years old.‎

mindat.org

‎23. Emmonsite

A rather rare mineral emmonsite, presented in the form of small needle-like crystals with a glassy sheen, is found in the mines of North and South America.‎

mindat.org

‎24. Aquamarine on potassium mica

For the similarity of the edges to the purest sea waves, the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder gave this noble stone the name "aquamarine". More blue aquamarines are valued more than greenish ones. This mineral is very popular among designers and jewelry lovers, and its highest strength helps to create jewelry of any configuration.

mindat.org

‎25. meteorite pallasite

In 1777, the German scientist Pallas delivered to the Kunstkamera Museum samples of a rare metal found in Krasnoyarsk at the site of a meteorite fall. Soon, the entire block of extraterrestrial origin weighing 687 kg was transported to St. Petersburg. This material was called "pallas iron" or pallasite. A similar substance from those that are mined on our planet has not been found. According to experts, this meteorite is an iron-nickel base with numerous inclusions of olivine crystals. ‎

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‎26. Sick

Small cubic crystals of blue color - boleites - are especially valued in the countries of South and North America. So far, this rare mineral has not been seen in circulation in Russia.‎

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‎27. Crocoite‎

The name "crocoite" comes from the ancient Greek word meaning "saffron", since the similarity of the crystal surface with this spice is noticeable to the naked eye. The red lead ore, which this mineral is, is of particular value to collectors and connoisseurs.

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Mineralogy has over 6 thousand minerals, and every year at least 10 new ones are added to this amount, which were previously unknown to people. Their beauty can be judged by the fact that at all times there have been connoisseurs and collectors who could without hesitation lay out the cost of a fortune for one similar copy for their collection. The most beautiful of them have always been associated with intrigues, and sometimes with crimes, to which people were driven by greed or that power of precious minerals that has always attracted people to itself.

It got its name from the town of Spessart, located in Bavaria. It was in this area that spessartine was first discovered, which at that time was considered the rarest mineral in the world. Later it was found in many countries of the world on different materials but has not lost its value.

Spessartine belongs to the garnet group, in which it stands out in various shades of orange. Due to the presence of small bubbles of gas or liquid, the material looks especially mysterious.

In jewelry, it is used exclusively as a collection material, so not everyone can afford to have spessartine jewelry. The largest copy is located in the USA, it weighs 109 carats and amazes with the beauty of everyone who sees it.

This mineral from the group of copper arsenates is rare enough to have a high price. It was first discovered in England at the end of the century before last and immediately gained popularity with its exotic appearance. Beautiful rosettes are composed of intergrown small crystals with a mother-of-pearl or glossy sheen, which resemble fantastic blue asters from other planets.

It could be the perfect material for jewelry, if not for one property: when heated, it begins to exude an unpleasant smell, reminiscent of the smell of garlic, so clinoclase is not used in jewelry.

If all other minerals are found in the bowels of the earth, then pearls are born in the water element. This happens after a grain of sand gets inside the soft tissues of the sea mollusk. To get rid of irritation and scratches, the body of the mollusk begins to envelop the grain of sand with mother-of-pearl. The longer this process continues, the larger and more valuable the jewel will be.

The cost of a pearl is determined not only by its size, but also by its shape, color, and radiance. Sea pearls are also expensive because, under their own weight, they fall to the seabed, from where it is very difficult to get them. Those pearls in products that can now be purchased in jewelry stores are of artificial origin: grains of sand are planted in a mollusk with the help of tools. To get a finished pearl, you need to wait a couple of years, after which it will have a decent size.

Black pearls are considered especially expensive, which can only be obtained in Tahiti from certain types of molluscs. However, the most expensive 203-gram pearl was cream-colored, and the price for which it was purchased was $12 million. Her mistress and connoisseur was the magnificent Elizabeth Taylor.

The life of a pearl is not as long as that of other precious items: after 100-150 years, it begins to fade and loses its original beauty.

This gem always takes pride of place at stone exhibitions, since it is simply impossible not to notice rhodochrazite and pass by such beauty. The sonorous name from Greek is translated as a painted rose. It resembles this flower not only in color, but also in an interesting structure.

At one time, rhodochrazite amazed the Incas with its beauty. They saw in him the embodiment of the blood of their ancient rulers, which was frozen in this mineral. In addition, it was actively used for practical magic.

Rhodochrosite has amazing strength, so it cannot be cut. Despite this, jewelry is made from it, just raw elements are placed in them, which often bypass even gold in value.

In order for this gem to form, a temperature above 450 ° C is required, therefore, extensive ruby ​​deposits are located at great depths: more than 10-30 km.

The cost of a ruby ​​depends on the color and inclusions. An ideal stone should not contain such inclusions, since they affect the intensity of the surface luster. In order for a ruby ​​to acquire its beauty, the skill of a jeweler is very important, who can make a beautiful cut, emphasizing the dignity of the extracted material.

This stone has a very rich color and completely retains its color under artificial light sources, that is, it will look equally beautiful both in sunlight and indoors.

Most often, untreated emeralds contain a network of cracks and irregularities on their surface, but after processing, all the flaws disappear without a trace. Those gems that are initially endowed with an impeccable structure are valued very highly - from 8 thousand dollars per 1 carat. It is in this form that these unsurpassed gems go to auctions, where they are bought by collectors and connoisseurs. The most expensive emerald "Theodora" weighing 1.87 carats was purchased for 400 million dollars. Before the discovery was processed, its weight was 28 kg.

In the XIV century, a gem with unique property: it radically changed its color depending on the lighting.

The name alexandrite was given in honor of Tsar Alexander II, since it was he who was presented with such an unusual mineral as a gift on the day of majority of the crowned person.

The hues and colors that the stone can show cover a significant part of the spectrum, from blue-green in sunlight to purple in artificial light. There are very rare specimens with an olive tint.

Scientists explained that the color of alexandrite changes due to the presence of chromium oxide impurities in it, which refract rays differently. Since this beautiful gem is extremely rare in its pure form, it is often sought to be faked, so most of this material is fake.

Jewelry is practically not made from it, since almost all copies are sold out for collections. precious stones. In addition, alexandrite is credited with medicinal properties, such as blood purification and strengthening of blood vessels. It is believed that a sudden change in color can indicate a spike in a person's blood sugar levels.

It is this stone that is most often used for decoration. wedding rings worldwide. Diamond consists of a single element of the periodic system - carbon. Until now, scientists cannot come to a consensus about when and how exactly this mineral was formed, since the formation requires the highest pressure and temperature. These conditions are met at great depths, but the stone is found on the surface. The age of each diamond ranges from 900 million to 2.5 billion years. Their density is so high that a beam of sunlight during the passage of crystals reduces its speed by half.

The diamond is more often stolen than other jewels in all the banks of the world, and the most important thing is connected with it. a large number of crimes. The last high-profile robbery took place in 2007, when a thief entered the trust of bank employees, periodically treating them to chocolate. The value of the diamond he was able to steal from the safe is $28 million.

In addition to the transparent stones that are familiar to us, which do not have color, there are also green, blue, yellow, red and pink diamonds, which are valued even more. The red diamond is considered the most beautiful: a couple of years ago, a copy weighing 0.97 carats was purchased for 1 trillion. dollars.

This is one of the minerals that people mention in their oldest chronicles. Red beryl is found even in the Bible: it was part of the divine stones with which Heavenly Jerusalem was built.

Red beryl gained particular popularity during the Middle Ages, as it was often used for inlaid icons, altars, church items. Jewelers could not ignore the beautiful stone: they made seals for royalty, massive rings, earrings, pendants, etc. from it. The beauty of beryl can fade from frequent exposure to sunlight, so such products were stored in tight boxes, and worn time of the most important events and great holidays.

In the 16th century, a bloody war broke out between the Spaniards and the Indians, during which the Spaniards tried to take possession of the beryl sacred to the Indians. However, the beauty of red beryl is no less appreciated now: the cost of the processed material is from 10 thousand dollars per 1 carat.

The beauty of this gem is not in the way it reflects the rays of light. On the contrary: the fire opal seems to absorb the light. It looks like a fire is burning inside the stone, which gives it a kind of glow.

This property is provided by an interesting structure: the material consists of special balls that are frozen in a strictly defined order. The emergence of fire opal occurs at a rate of 1 mm in 2 thousand years. The structure contains up to 1/3 of the water, so when heated or over time, it may become lighter due to the evaporation of moisture.

The beauty of this gem attracted people to different times: among the Romans it was associated with the tears of happiness of the gods, among the Indians - with placers of the goddess Rainbow, among the Arabs - with fragments of lightning. The demand for fire opals has always been high, so they were hunted, sought after and were ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of possessing these minerals.

One of the most coveted specimens in any private collection is a stone with a huge range of colors and iridescence. This mineral was a favorite among crowned persons, so many representatives of royal regalia from Russian emperors and European rulers to Tamerlane were his fans.

There are single-color or polychrome forms in which different colors are alternately combined, and there may be clots with a colored core. With strong heating, tourmaline becomes even more beautiful: brown specimens turn into rich pinks, and dark green ones acquire a noble emerald color. Tourmaline has interesting feature: when heated or rubbed, it becomes electrified.

This mineral became especially popular thanks to the great jeweler Faberge: during the inlay of his works, he often preferred tourmaline, which can still be seen on most of the jewelry he created.

The name of the mineral was given by the philosopher Pliny the Elder. He believed that aquamarine was beautiful and pure, like sea ​​waters, and it is difficult to disagree with this opinion.

This stone has always been used as a decoration, but some of the aquamarine crystals themselves are the best decoration interior. So, in St. Petersburg, a crystal is stored, which is 125 cm long, and in Brazil, a specimen weighing 110 kg was found on the seabed.

In addition to beauty, aquamarine also has medicinal properties: its action as a biostimulant helps to strengthen the body, save from seasickness, restore vision and improve the condition of a person during allergies.

Aquamarine is not only beautiful, but also a very fragile material, so jewelry with it is not suitable for daily wear: they can simply be crushed by negligence. But during special occasions, it will perfectly emphasize the solemnity of the moment.

The variety of beautiful stones and minerals that the bowels of our planet give us is inexhaustible. Among them you can find bright saturated colors or noble almost transparent specimens. Gems have a strange power of attraction, and one who once saw them can never be indifferent to such beauty.

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