What on Earth is Smithsonite?
Smithsonite is a mineral ore of zinc that occurs in a variety of colors, such as brown, bluish-grey, purple, pink, blue, green, yellow, grey, white, and colorless. What sets it apart from other gems is the pearly-to-silky luster that gives it a specific play of light across the stone’s surface. Most notable localities where smithsonite is excavated are France, England, [...]
What on Earth is Snowflake Obsidian?
Snowflake obsidian is a variety of the obsidian stone which is black and includes numerous white spots resembling snowflakes. What produces the blotchy snowflake pattern is the inclusion of small, white spherulites (radially clustered crystals) of cristobalite in the obsidian. The gem can be found in the USA, Canada, Turkey, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, New Zealand, Greece, Chile, Argentina, Peru, [...]
What on Earth is Specular Hematite?
Specularite or specular hematite is a beautiful stone with a silvery and shimmering surface and a black undertone that may come across as navy blue or grey. Sometimes it can occur in dull formations, but it usually has a distinct metallic luster and includes traces of mica. Specularite can be found worldwide, but it is primarily found in England, Italy, [...]
What on Earth is Spessartine Garnet?
Typically occurring in orange to reddish-brown, spessartine garnet is a rare gem that blends with other species of the garnet stone, such as Malaya and Mandarin garnets. Its colors may vary from black, gray, yellow, yellowish-brown, pink, red, dark red, brown, and orange, while some can be multicolored. Spessartine garnet can be found in the USA, Brazil, China, Sri Lanka, [...]
What on Earth Is Rutile?
Rutile might not be a stone one hears about often, but it’s a gorgeous, natural stone with many unique physical and metaphysical properties.The Physical Properties of RutileRutile is one of the five forms of titanium dioxide that are found in nature, and the uniqueness of its appearance can be perfectly described with its alternate name: angel hair. Most often it [...]
What on Earth Is Iceland Spar?
Iceland spar is a fascinating stone that you’ve likely seen on TV if you’ve watched the first episodes of History’s TV show Vikings. In those times, it was called the sunstone, but let’s see what we know about it today!The Physical Properties of Iceland SparIcelandspar is an optically clear variety of calcite, containing mainly carbon, calcium, and oxygen. It's colorless [...]
What on Earth Is Hiddenite?
Hiddenite is an interesting stone. It is a green-colored variety of spodumene that took some time for researchers and gemologists to define and catalog. Let’s have a closer look at this beautiful stone and its properties.The Physical Properties of HiddeniteHiddenite is the mineral variety of spodumene containing aluminum, lithium, oxygen, and silicon. Its striking, emerald-like green color has earned it [...]
What on Earth Is Fire Agate?
Fire agate is a variety of chalcedony which contains inclusions of limonite or goethite, which are responsible for its unique appearance and the fiery iridescent effect that this stone possesses.The Physical Properties of Fire AgateAmong the physical properties of fire agate, the one that is most prone to variations is its color. Since it possesses inclusions of limonite and goethite, [...]
What on Earth Is Nebula Stone?
This stone of a very peculiar name and appearance might not have a long history filled with legends that some precious stones do, but it’s certainly fascinating to study and possess. However, when it comes to nebula stone, it’s important to clear up one thing — “nebula stone” is a name, and not a completely new type of stone. [...]
What on Earth Is Meteorite?
When it comes to gems and precious stones, none is more impressive than meteorite. It’s enough to think of its long celestial journey, age, and the probability of it ending up where it did to start feeling wonderfully small in comparison to the vastness of the universe. Meteorites have a story to tell, and each has been made of [...]
What on Earth Is Kunzite?
Kunzite is a variety of the pyroxene mineral spodumene, which is a lithium aluminum inosilicate. It’s a gorgeous gemstone closely related to the yellow-green spodumene called hiddenite and the yellow-gold spodumene called triphane. Kunzite has a different shade — appearing as a beautiful soft pink or violet pink, caused by traces of manganese.The Physical Properties of KunziteKunzite is a fascinating [...]
What on Earth Is Jet?
The jet gemstone is classified as a mineraloid, and the stone itself is a type of lignite that can be polished to perfection. This stone is actually a variety of coal, and it is formed from carbonized or fossilized wood. Keep reading to learn more about this gorgeous black gemstone:The Physical Properties of JetThe chemical composition of the jet gemstone [...]
What on Earth is Sulfur?
Sulfur is an element of change, so sulfur crystals are considered to be power crystals for transformation. Their yellow color is the result of the presence of sulfur at the formation of these crystals. The color of pure sulfur is bright yellow, which may be altered due to different impurities present – volcanic mixtures, selenium, and clay impurities can [...]
What on Earth is Silver?
Silver is a white and soft metal that occurs in one of four forms – as a native element, a primary constituent in silver minerals, a trace to a minor component in the ores of other minerals, and as a natural alloy with other metals. It is a precious metal with high economic value and attractive luster and color [...]
What on Earth is Rhodonite?
Rhodonite is typically pink to red with some black inclusions of manganese oxide. An uncommon material, rhodonite can only be found in several small deposits across the world, including Russia, Canada, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Sweden, Australia, and India. In the U.S., it has been found in New Jersey, Colorado, North Carolina. Massachusetts named rhodonite as their state gem.The Physical Properties of [...]
What on Earth is Jadeite?
Jadeite and nephrite are the two minerals known as the jade gemstone. The color of jadeite ranges from white to pale green to deep jade green, but it can also be found in blue-green, lavender, pink, and a multitude of other colors. Jadeite varies in translucence and color even within a single specimen. The most common localities where jadeite can [...]
What on Earth Is Prehnite?
Prehnite is typically yellow-green and pale-green, but it can also be colourless, white, grey, yellow, and bottle green. Named after Colonel Hendrik von Prehn (its discoverer), this gemstone is transparent to translucent with a pearly, waxy, or vitreous lustre. It is found in South Africa (central locality), China, Australia, Scotland, and the USA. Prehnite is a collection mineral occasionally used for [...]
What on Earth Is Chlorite?
Chlorite is a family of common sheet silicate minerals found in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. They form during the early stages of metamorphism, and most of them have an oily to soapy feel, foliated appearance, perfect cleavage, and are green in colour. Chlorite can be found in countries rich with clear quartz, such as Brazil, Nepal, and the USA.The Physical [...]
What on Earth Is Beryl?
Beryl is a stone with a transparent, translucent, and vitreous lustre. It consists of beryllium, rings of silicates, and aluminum metals. Beryl can be colourless but also coloured (depending on its impurities). The colours of the stone range in white, yellow, blue, red, and green. In Italian and Sanskrit, the meaning of Beryl is “blue-green from the sea” and “light-green [...]
What on Earth Is Aegirine?
Also known as acmite (green-coloured, fibrous variety), Aegirine may occur in combination with other minerals, such as Tugtupite, Albite, Kakotokite, and Arfvedsonite. The colour of Aegirine stones may look like their black, but they are brownish black or very dark green. Localities, where Aegirine can be found, include Kola Peninsula (Russia), Mont Saint Hilaire (Canada), Narsarssuk (Greenland), Kongsberg (Norway), Scotland, USA, [...]