Why collect mineral specimens and crystals?
Why collect mineral specimens and crystals?
Mineral specimens and crystal have been collected since our ancestors saw them. Several prehistoric burial sites contain various mineral specimens and crystals which were used for religious purposes. Minerals are the wealth of the Earth; each mineral is unique and cannot be imitated by man. During the Victorian age, mineral collecting gained popularity. Kings, Queens, and sovereigns across Europe accumulated minerals at a furious pace, often challenging each other for the premium material specimen available. Every tremendous European city keeps a collection of mineral specimens within a well-built and secure natural history museum. A perfect example is the well-known British writer John Ruskin, who maintained a vast mineral collection. The US also had several 18th and 19th-century collectors. One of the most famous collectible minerals was preserved by Washington Augustus Roebling. His collection was the origin of one of America’s most significant mineral collections, which can be found in the National History at Smithsonian. There are even display shows in Europe and the US. Some famous places are Tucson, Denver, and Munich that show most of the well-known collectibles. Demand for mineral specimens and crystals is increasing due to the wealth being created in Africa and Asia, as well as the opening up of new mining areas located in China, Pakistan, and South America. Mines that vanished for 100 years are now being revived just to extract fine mineral specimens. New regions around the globe are being discovered by mineral dealers with newly discovered specimens and crystals.What is a Mineral Specimen?
I think mineral specimens are the best-kept secret in the rock shop world. An average person has probably never seen, and probably isn’t even aware of, the thousands of beautiful, brightly colored, completely natural mineral specimens for sale to collectors worldwide. Scientifically a mineral specimen is a naturally occurring solid formed through some geological processes with a specific chemical composition, definite physical properties, and a highly ordered atomic structure, which is often expressed in the typical outward growth of crystals. Mineral specimens can have one chemical element or be combined. Some examples are oxides are combined with oxygen, sulfides are combined with sulfur, and silicates are combined with oxygen and silicon. Up until 1995, only inorganic material specimens were considered as minerals. Since then, the definition was modified to include organic substances such as amber or jet. According to the IMA, the organization that is responsible for tracking and naming new mineral specimens, there are currently more than 5,000 known mineral specimens. Only about 160 can be considered common or at least available, and the rest are very rare. In the industry, minerals are used for energy, paint, buildings, and even in manufacturing. Minerals are cut into gemstones: rubies, diamonds, sapphires, etc. There are minerals from which we get metals: including copper, lead, silver, iron, and gold.What is a Crystal?
The majority of mineral specimens develop into crystals. They actually come in various shapes and sizes. There are seven different types of crystal formations. Although nature is not perfect, and there are many varieties of these shapes. A mineral that is not crystals is called amorphous. They usually exhibit what is referred to as “habits.” Which means they tend to grow the same in shape, regardless of where they are from. Some habits are drusy, dendritic, and stalactitic or stalagmitic. Characteristics of Minerals: Minerals are physically occurring matter and can be found in the Earth. They are usually found in dirt, water, and rocks. Some minerals, such as gold or silver, are composed of only one element. While other minerals, such as quartz and calcite, are a combination of two or more components. Minerals always have an identical element makeup. For example, quartz is composed of one part silicon and two parts oxygen. Minerals are typically formed in solid crystals with numerous flat surfaces. For instance, a quartz crystal is in hexagonal shape because of how the atoms of oxygen and silicon have combined together. Usually, oxygen is a component of several minerals. Minerals that compose oxygen make up almost half of the Earth’s crust. Other widespread minerals are feldspar, mica, and hornblende. The most costly and exceptional minerals are known as gems. Diamonds, emeralds, and rubies are perfect examples of such minerals. Gold and silver are also well-known minerals, and these natural substances are utilized to create fine jewelry. So, these are the characteristics of the specimens and crystals and minerals.How are Mineral specimens being recognized?
Minerals are the structural blocks of rocks; there are over 5,000 known mineral species around the world.- You are most probably wondering how experts have identified more than 5,000 mineral specimens.
- Well, minerals have definite features of properties that allow experts to identify them.
- Minerals can be recognized by their cleavage, shade, patina, resistance, streak, specific significance, and even by their element composition.
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