The Gem and Mineral Collector's Information and Photo Gallery

Minerals are the materials of which the earth's crust is built and are therefore among the most common objects of daily observation. Interesting forms of minerals have long been an object of man's fascination. Since the earliest days he has collected and studied them - they are a form of natural art. This set of pages is intended to provide some basic information on minerals which have been used as gems, are of industrial importance as ores or for having special interest to collectors. There are many lists like this one on the internet, but this one has the distinct advantage of colorful photos and a detailed description of the origins and nature of the individual minerals beyond just their physical properties. Many of the minerals have multiple spectacular photographs, most taken at museums or the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.

A mineral may be defined as a naturally occurring substance having a definite and uniform chemical composition with corresponding characteristic physical properties. This eliminates all artificial products of the laboratory which may conform to the last part of the definition. It also eliminates all natural products of organic agencies, since they will not show the uniform chemical and physical characters demanded of a mineral. In spite of this I have included a few items which are of interest, but do not strictly qualify as minerals. In the form of rocks, minerals make up the solid matter of the earth's crust. But in the great majority of cases a rock is not made up of a single mineral, but is a more or less heterogeneous aggregate of several different species. A few rocks, like limestone and quartzite, consist of but one mineral in a more or less pure state. In addition to occurring as essential and integral parts of rocks, minerals are found distributed through them in a scattered way, or in veins and cavities.

Below is a collection of over 150 minerals with beautiful photos and detailed species information:

 


The Gem and Mineral Collector's Gallery:

 

Acanthite
Actinolite
Adamite
Alunite
Angelesite
Amber
Ammolite
Amphiboles
Andalusite
Apatite
Apophyllite
Aragonite

Arsenopyrite
Asbestos: Chrysotile
Asbestos: Amphibole
Aurichalcite
Autunite
Axinite
Azurite
Barite
Bastnaesite
Bauxite
Benitoite
Beryl: Aquamarine
Beryl: Emerald
Beryl: Heliodor
Beryl: Morganite
Beryl: Red Beryl
Bindheimite
Borax
Bornite
Brazilianite
Brucite
Calaverite
Calcite
Carnotite
Cassiterite
Celestite
Cerrusite
Cerargyrite

Chalcopyrite
Chalcosiderite
Chalcosite
Chlorite
Chrysoberyl
Chrysocolla
Chrysotile
Chromite
Cinnabar

Colemanite
Columbite
Copper
Cordierite
Corundum: Ruby
Corundum: Sapphire     

Covellite
Crocoite

Cuprite
Danburite
Diamond
Diaspore
Diopside
Dioptase
Dolomite

Dumorterite
Electrum
Epidote

Feldspar: Albite
Feldspar: Anorthite
Feldspar: Labradorite
Feldspar:
Microcline
Feldspar : Orthoclase

Fluorite
Galena
Garnet: Almandite
Garnet: Andradite
Garnet: Grossularite
Garnet: Pyrope
Garnet: Uvarovite

Garnierite
Gold
Goethite
Graphite
Gypsum
Halite
Hematite
Iron (meteorites)
Lazurite
Limonite
Jade:  Jadeite
Jade:  Nephrite
Kyanite

Magnesite
Magnetite
Malachite
Manganite
Mica: Muscovite
Mica: Biotite

Mica: Lepidolite

Molybdenite
Moldavite
Monazite
Olivine (Peridot)
Opal
Orpiment
Phenacite
Prehnite
Platinum
Polybasite
Proustite
Psilomelane
Pyrite
Pyrolusite
Pyromorphite
Pyragyrite
Pyroxenes
Quartz
Realgar

Rhodochrosite
Rhodonite

Rutile

Scapolite
Sheelite
Siderite
Silver
Smithsonite
Sodalite
Sperrylite
Sphalerite
Sphene
Spodumene: Hiddenite
Spodumene: Kunzite
Spinel
Staurolite
Stephanite
Stibnite
Stilbite
Sulfur
Sylvanite
Tantalite
Tetrahedrite
Thorite
Tobernite
Topaz
Tourmaline

Turquoise

Ulexite
Uraninite
Vanadinite
Variscite
Vesuvianite
Vivianite
Wolframite
Wulfenite
Xenotime
Zeolites

Zircon
Zoisite

 

 

Characters of Minerals.
1. Minerals, as previously stated, have a definite chemical composition. This composition, as determined by chemical analysis, serves to define and distinguish the species, and indicates their profoundest relations. Owing to difference in composition, minerals exhibit great differences when subjected to the action of various chemical reagents, and these peculiarities are a means of determining the kind of mineral under examination in any case. The department of the science treating of the composition of minerals and their chemical reactions is termed Chemical Mineralogy.
2. Each mineral, with few exceptions, has its definite form, by which, when in good specimens, it may be known. These forms are cubes, prisms, pyramids, etc. They are included under plane surfaces arranged in symmetrical order, according to mathematical law. These forms are called crystals. Besides these outward forms there is also a distinctive internal structure for each species. The facts of this branch of the science come under the head of Crystallographic Mineralogy.
3. Minerals differ in hardness, from talc at one end of the scale to the diamond at the other. Minerals differ in specific gravity, and this character, like hardness, is a most important means of distinguishing species. Minerals differ in color, transparency, luster and other optical properties. The facts and principles relating to the above characters and others of a similar nature are included in the department of Physical Mineralogy.
4. The detailed descriptions of individual mineral species, including their chemical, crystallographic and general physical characters, together with their occurrence, associations, uses, etc., are included under the division known as Descriptive Mineralogy.
5. Lastly, the discussion of the methods that are used for identifying minerals forms the division known as Determinative Mineralogy.

Classification of Minerals.
Classification is the grouping of objects or phenomena in such a manner as will bring together those that are related or that are similar in many respects and will separate those that are different. Since minerals are chemical compounds whose properties depend upon their compositions, their most logical classification must be based upon chemical relationships. But their morphological and physical properties are their most noticeable features, and hence these should also be taken into account in any classification that
may be adopted. Probably the most satisfactory method of classifying minerals is to group them, first, in accordance with their chemical relationships and, second, in accordance with their morphological and physical properties. The first division is into the great chemical groups, as, for instance, the elements, the chlorides, the sulphides, etc. The second division is the separation of these great groups into smaller ones comprising minerals possessing the same general morphological features. These smaller groups may contain only a single mineral or they may contain a large number of closely allied ones. If the basis of the subgrouping is manner of crystallization, it follows that the members of subgroups containing more than one member are usually isomorphous compounds. Thus the subdivisions of the great chemical groups are single minerals and small or large isomorphous groups of minerals, arranged in the order in which their metallic elements are usually discussed in treatises on chemistry. For example, the great group of carbonates embraces all minerals that. are salts of carbonic acid (H2CO3). This great group is divided into smaller groups along chemical lines, as for instance, the normal carbonates, the hydrous carbonates, the basic carbonates, etc. These smaller groups are finally divided into subgroups according to their morphological properties the normal salts, for example, being divided into the two isomorphous groups known as the calcite and the aragonite groups, and a third group comprising but a single mineral.

In certain specific cases some other classification than the one outlined above may be desirable. For instance, in books written for mining students it is often found that a classification based upon the nature of the metallic constituent is of more interest than the more strictly scientific one outlined above, because such a classification emphasizes those components of the minerals with which the mining student is most concerned. In books written for the student of rocks, on the other hand, the most important determinative features of minerals are their morphological characters, hence in these the classification may be based primarily on manner of crystallization.

Gem and Mineral sales are big business. This photo at right is Amethyst from the annual February Tucson Gem and Mineral show in Arizona. At the Tucson show, many tens of thousands of gem and mineral collectors fill the city for a couple weeks as miners and mineral dealers come from all over the planet to participate. Just about anything one could imagine from the world of gems and minerals can be found here, from beautiful tourmalines and beryls, to giant gold nuggets to meteorites of all descriptions. It certainly is a site well woprth seeing for anyone interested in mineral collecting.

amethyst crystal specimens, Tucson show

 

.

Nevada Outback Gems

Find out more by checking out All of our links below:

View our Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry - Wearable Artwork! View our Unique Gem Quality Turquoise Cabochons
Premium Jewelry, with Gemstones of all types Top Quality Loose Gemstones - Gemstones of all types
Rare Crystals and Gemstone Rough, all types Our Free Colored Gemstone Information Encyclopedia
Chris' Gold Prospecting Encyclopedia Take a virtual tour of our Nevada Turquoise mines
Miners Reference Pages         More Info about Turquoise, the Beautiful Gem
Basic Placer Mining Nevada Outback Gems Homepage
Build Your Own Mining Equipment Investing in Gold and Precious Metals
Metal Detecting with the MXT Metal Detector More information about us - Nevada Outback Gems
Locations to Prospect for Gold The Rockhound's Corner Nevada Outback Library and Bookstore - Learn more!
  Chris's Prospecting Adventures About Nevada Turquoise More Info about Gem Cutting Tanzanite Jewelry
Nevada Outback Gems Site Map Make Your Own Jewelry Buy Safely on EBay: avoid fraud and scam artists