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Rocks and minerals are integral parts of the earth's crust, yet they are fundamentally different from each other. Rocks are aggregates of one or more minerals and do not have a specific chemical composition. Minerals, on the other hand, are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a definite chemical structure and composition. While rocks are classified into igneous, … [Read more...] about Rocks vs. Minerals: Unraveling the Mysteries of Earth’s Components

Luster is an important diagnostic property of minerals that describes the way light reflects off their surfaces. It is one of the easiest mineral properties to observe, yet categorizing luster can be nuanced. The main luster types are metallic and non-metallic, but non-metallic luster has many sub-categories. The luster of a mineral depends on factors like its chemical … [Read more...] about The Magic of Luster: Unveiling the Shimmering Beauty of Minerals

Chert is a hard, fine-grained sedimentary rock that has been used for centuries as a tool for cutting and shaping other materials. Composed primarily of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz, chert displays an array of colors from white to black, with gray, brown, green, and red being the most common. The various hues seen in chert samples come from trace elements like … [Read more...] about Chert Chronicles: Tracing the Formation and Significance of this Stone

Gypsum is a remarkably versatile mineral that has been used by humankind for thousands of years. This soft sulfate mineral is composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate and has the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. Gypsum can be found in crystalline form or in massive beds called gypsum rock, and it forms in lagoons as ocean waters high in calcium and sulfate evaporate and are … [Read more...] about Crystalline Beauty: Exploring the Versatility of Gypsum

Variscite is a rare and beautiful green mineral composed of hydrated aluminum phosphate. Its captivating green hues are often confused with the more common turquoise, but variscite tends to be greener due to the presence of trivalent chromium. The range of green shades, from bluish-green to yellowish-green, make variscite a prized material for lapidarists and jewelry … [Read more...] about Variscite Revealed: From Rough Stone to Polished Gem in Lapidary