Mineralogy Flashcards
Examples of precious minerals
Diamond
Rubies and Sapphires (forms of corundum)
Emerald and Aquamarine (forms of beryl)
Examples of precious metals
Gold
Silver
Platinum
Electrum
Examples of Semi-Precious Minerals
Amethyst, Citrine, Tiger’s eye (forms of quartz)
Tanzanite (forms of zoisite)
Peridot (form of olivine)
Examples of precious non-minerals
Amber (fossilised tree sap)
Jet (form of coal)
Pearls (Biomineral)
Lapis lazuli (rock of lazurite, sodalite, calcite minerals)
Cause of colour in gems
Transition metal
Element hanging bonds
Radiation damage
What are the vast majority of rock-forming minerals?
Silicates
What is macrocrystalline silica?
Quartz
Where is quartz found in geology?
Sandstones and other sedimentary rocks
What are quartz the key component of?
Acidic igneous rocks e.g. granite
What is cryptocrystalline silica termed?
Chalcedony
What are names of chalcedony depending on impurity?
Jasper, Onyx, Agate, Flint, Chert
What is opal?
disordered silica, not amorphous
What characteristic trait does opal present?
Opalescence from light scattering
