Stibnite is a soft mineral form of antimony trisulfide (Sb₂S₃). Stibnite appears as needle-like crystals with a metallic lead-gray coloring. Stibnite is used to manufacture matches, fireworks, and percussion caps for…

Gold in its natural metallic form on a quartz matrix. While the chemical formula for gold is Au, native gold can also have impurities of silver and copper. In its pure form, gold is dense, soft, malleable, and colored…

This specimen contains indicolite tourmaline and lepidolite on an albite matrix. It was discovered in 2018 in the Galconda Mine in Brazil. The bright blue of the tourmaline is attributed to the presence of copper and…

Erythrite is a secondary mineral composed of hydrated cobalt arsenate, with the chemical formula Co₃(AsO₄)₂•8H₂O. It typically forms as a bright pink to crimson or purplish-red crystalline coating or radiating fibrous…

Galena is a natural mineral form of lead sulfide and has the chemical formula PbS. Galena's crystals commonly form in cubes, octahedrons, and their combinations. Less commonly, it can have dodecahedron crystal shapes.
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Kunzite (LiAlSi₂O₆) is one of the most well-known varieties of spodumene, a lithium aluminum silicate. Its coloring can range in hues of violet and pink, due to trace amounts of manganese. The coloring of the gemstone…

Kunzite (LiAlSi₂O₆) is one of the most well-known varieties of Spodumene, a lithium aluminum silicate. Its coloring can range in hues of violet and pink, due to trace amounts of manganese. The color of the gemstone can…

Aquamarine (Be₃Al₂(SiO₃)₆ or (Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈) is a variety of the beryl family and ranges from a pale blue to a light green. Aquamarine can appear greener depending on trace amounts of iron found in the crystal structure.…

Apatite is a translucent gemstone that comes in an array of colors. This light pink apatite formed on Muscovite, an aluminum potassium mineral. Apatite has the chemical formula Ca₅(PO₄)₃(F, Cl, OH).

Muscovite is the…

Lepidolite is a lilac-gray or rose-colored member of the mica group of minerals, with the chemical formula K(Li,Al)₃(Al,Si)₄O₁₀(F,OH)₂. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral and is a secondary source of this…

Rubies in marble, also referred to as marble-hosted rubies, are considered higher quality compared to rubies formed in basaltic rocks. This is because the low iron content in marble allows rubies to develop a more…

Pyrite, often referred to as "Fool's Gold," is a common iron sulfide mineral, with the chemical formula FeS₂. Pyrite belongs to the isometric (cubic) crystal system, which means its crystals naturally grow in…

Fluorite is a calcium fluoride with the chemical formula CaF₂ and crystallizes in the cubic system. Fluorite is allochromatic, meaning that it can be tinted with elemental impurities. It comes in a wide range of colors…

Powellite is a calcium molybdate mineral with the chemical formula CaMoO₄. It occurs naturally in hydrothermal ore deposits and has a tetragonal crystal structure. Powellite fluoresces a bright yellow under short-wave…

The Muonionalusta meteorite is a meteorite classified as fine octahedrite, type IVA, which impacted Scandinavia about one million years ago. The meteorite was first discovered in 1906 in Sweden. It is thought to be the…

Cinnabar is a form of mercury sulfide and has the chemical formula HgS. It commonly occurs as a vein-filling mineral and can be found with pyrite, marcasite, and stibnite. Cinnabar comes in a range of red shades, from…

Afghanite is a hydrous sodium, calcium, potassium, sulfate, chloride, carbonate, alumino-silicate mineral. Its chemical formula is written as (Na, K)₂₂Ca₁₀(SO₂₄)₆Cl₆. It is a feldspathoid of the cancrinite group and…

Native silver is a soft, white-grey transition metal with the chemical formula Ag. Silver has many uses, from material objects such as jewelry, silverware, and currency, to industrial applications such as solar panels,…

Azurite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral renowned for its striking deep blue color and historical use in pigment production. It is produced by weathering of copper ore deposits, and its chemical formula is…

Tourmaline is a semi-precious stone that can be found in a variety of colors based on the presence of iron, magnesium, or lithium. This tri-colored tourmaline is a result of impurity atoms that were incorporated while…

Rutilated smoky quartz is a brownish-grey, semi-translucent variety of quartz. This quartz specimen contains needle-like inclusions of rutile. The dark color of smoky quartz is a result of natural radiation reacting…

Amber is fossilized tree resin that has hardened over millions of years through a process known as polymerization. Resin is a sticky substance secreted by plants to protect and heal surface wounds. Due to its texture…

Cobaltite is a sulfide mineral compound of cobalt, arsenic, and sulfur, Its chemical formula is CoAsS. It contains up to 10% iron and variable amounts of nickel. Structurally, it resembles pyrite (FeS₂), with one of the…