Hematite is a common iron oxide compound, having the formula Fe2O3. It is widely found in rocks and soils, occurring in various colors from black to reddish-brown. There are different varieties of hematite, such as kidney ore, martite, iron rose, and specularite. Have you ever wondered if hematite is magnetic? In this article, we are…
We are all familiar with common gems like quartz and amethyst, which are used in the form of jewelry, ornaments, healing stones, etc. But have you ever wondered which are the rarest gems? In this article, we are going to discuss just that. The rarity of a gem is determined by factors like its availability,…
Goldstone is an artificial glittering glass that contains beautiful and reflective inclusions. It is one of the most popular man-made gems and is usually cut into cabochons, beads, and tumbled stones. Another name for goldstone is aventurine glass; it is based on the original Italian name avventurina ( “adventure” or “chance”), a reference to the…
Chrysocolla is a hydrated copper silicate mineral and mineraloid. Since ancient times, it has been a popular gemstone for carvings and ornamental use. Chrysocolla gets its name from the Greek χρυσός (chrysos) and κολλα (kolla), “gold” and “glue,” a reference to a material used to solder gold. Have you ever wondered if Chrysocolla can go…
Topaz is a silicate mineral made of aluminium and fluorine with the chemical formula of Al2SiO4(F,OH)2. It is one of the most popular coloured stones and is found in places like Brazil, Sri Lanka, Australia, etc. The stone derives its name from the Greek word Τοπάζιος (Topázios), referring to an island that was hard to…
Garnet is a large group of silicate minerals that have the general chemical composition of X3Y2(SiO4)3. Some of the species of garnet are pyrope, almandine, spessartine, etc. Garnet gets its name from the Middle English term gernet meaning “dark red”, which is the most common color of the crystal. Have you ever wondered if garnet…
Tourmaline is a silicate mineral group in which boron is compounded with elements like aluminum, iron, magnesium, etc. It consists of several minerals with similar crystal structures and physical properties, but they vary significantly in chemical composition. Its name is derived from the Sinhalese term tōramalli, which refers to carnelian gemstones. Have you ever wondered…
Larimar is the tradename of a rare blue variety of pectolite. It is an inosilicate mineral having the chemical formula NaCa2Si3O8(OH). The stone gets its name from one of its discoverers, Miguel Méndez. Mendez found the stone on a beach, so he took his daughter’s name “Larissa” and joined it with the Spanish word for…
Shungite is a black, lustrous mineraloid that is made of up to 99% carbon. It was first discovered from a deposit near Shunga Village, in Karelia, Russia, and that’s where the stone gets its name from. Since ancient times, Shungite has been believed to be a purifying stone, and some of these claims have now…
Jasper is a kind of cryptocrystalline quartz. It is an opaque, impure variety of silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2), and is usually red in colour due to iron impurities. It is found all over the world, although certain colors or patterns may be unique to particular locales. Its name comes from the Old French word jaspre,…
Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals (usually hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite and chlorapatite) that have similar chemical and physical properties. It is often mistaken for other minerals like topaz and peridot, which is also the reason behind its name; “apatite” is derived from the Greek term apatáō, which means “to deceive”. Over 75% of apatite reserves…
Moldavite is a natural glass formed by a meteorite impact that occurred in Southern Germany about 15 million years ago. It is usually green, yellowish green, or brownish green in color. Moldavite gets its name from the Moldau (Vltava) river in Bohemia, Czech Republic—the place from where the first specimens were discovered. Have you ever…
Smoky Quartz is a brownish variety of Quartz, made up of silicon dioxide (SiO4). The crystals range from almost completely transparent to opaque brown/black crystals. Smoky Quartz is a relatively inexpensive gem because it is abundantly available, and Brazil is the main source of the crystal. Have you ever wondered if Smoky Quartz can go…
Selenite is a transparent crystal habit variety of the mineral gypsum. Like all kinds of gypsum, it is made up of calcium sulfate dihydrate (having two molecules of water) and has the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. Its name comes from the Greek term selene meaning “moon” because people believed that the crystal waxed and waned like…
Rose quartz refers to the pink specimens of the mineral Quartz (SiO2). The stone gets its distinctive pink colour due to microscopic inclusions of a pink variant of dumortierite. Rose Quartz usually occurs as large, anhedral specimens, and they are found in large quantities all over the world. Have you ever wondered if Rose Quartz…