Moonstone is a gemstone of the orthoclase feldspar group. It exhibits a unique visual effect known as adularescence, which produces a milky, bluish light inside the stone—hence the name moonstone. Because of its gorgeous glimmer, moonstone is a popular choice for jewelry. Have you ever wondered “can Moonstone go in the water? In this article,…
Blue lace agate is a variety of agate, which is a common rock formation made up of quartz and chalcedony. Agate comes in a wide variety of colors, and its use in jewelry goes back to the 3rd century BC. Have you ever wondered if blue lace agate is safe to put into water? In…
Angelite is a kind of anhydrite or anhydrous calcium sulfate (CaSO4). It is a semi-transparent bluish-grey mineral that was first discovered in Peru during the late 20th century. The mineral’s name comes from the term “anhydrous”, meaning “without water”, referring to the fact that anhydrite is gypsum without water. In this article, we are going…
Labradorite is a feldspar mineral that exhibits a beautiful schiller effect. It is mainly found in mafic igneous rocks like basalt, gabbro, and norite. Labradorite gets its name from the place where it was first discovered, Labrador (Canada), and it is also found in areas like Russia and Finland. Because of its beauty, Labradorite is…
You see a unique and beautiful jewel at the jeweler, and you pop in. The jeweler informs you that it is a Mookaite crystal. You see other beautiful pendants, earrings, and rings made from Mookaite. You are attracted to a stunning ring but decide to inquire further before buying it. Your first question is, can…
A crystal is a solid material whose constituents (atoms, molecules, etc.) are arranged in an extremely well-organized manner, forming a crystal lattice. When we hear the term “crystal”, we usually only think of minerals like diamonds. But in reality, crystals include a wide variety of things such as graphite, table salt, and even snowflakes! In…
Gold is one of the most valuable metals people have used for a long time. Some have used it to make jewelry and others as a currency. You most likely own a few pieces of gold jewelry. But you sometimes question whether your gold would catch fire in case your house caught fire, is gold…
Lepidolite is a member of the mica group of minerals that is rich in lithium. It is also a source of rare alkali metals such as caesium and rubidium. It comes in unique colors ranging from pink to purple and with a beautiful luster. In this article, we are going to discuss whether it’s safe…
Amazonite, also known as Amazon Stone, is a beautiful bluish-green mineral belonging to a potassium feldspar category called Microline. Its name comes from the Amazon River, from which the stones are believed to have been formerly obtained. In this article, we are going to discuss whether you should put Amazonite in water or not. As…
Seawater refers to the water that constitutes the oceans and seas, covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. It is a complex mixture containing 96.5% water, 2.5% salts, and a small percentage of other substances (dissolved organic and inorganic materials, atmospheric gases, etc.). Have you ever wondered if seawater is a mineral? In this…
Sunstone is a beautiful gemstone of the plagioclase feldspar group of minerals. It comes in several colors like yellow, red, and colorless, and it has a gorgeous spangled appearance because of an optical effect called aventurescence. In this article, we will look at sunstone’s interaction with water. We will talk about the gemstone’s properties and…
Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate material that is usually of rose-red or pink color. It is usually found as a hydrothermal vein mineral in low-temperature ore deposits such as in the silver mines in Romania. In this article, we are going to look at Rhodochrosite’s interaction with water and the best way of cleaning this…
Take a look around the home. Have you ever thought about what unites that cutlery you are eating with or the sterling stud you are wearing? They are all composed of metal or metal alloys and they play a BIG PART in our everyday life. This article is all about the common metals we interact…
Mica, which is essentially a compound of silicate minerals, is comprised of closely related materials that have perfect basal cleavage. They are monoclinic with a tendency of pseudohexagonal crystals, having similar chemical composition. They belong to the category of principal rock-forming minerals and are found in various categories like sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. How is…
As many would say, geodes are beautiful rocks with some wonderful crystal surprise waiting inside of it. Exciting, is it not? These are not just enjoyed by the geologists but common men too, love them! The reason behind it is really very simple. It amazes people that how a very simple looking rock could be…