1. Education

Minerals & Gemstones

All about minerals and their precious cousins, the gemstones.
  1. Minerals & Mineralogy (42)
  2. Gemstone Geology (42)
  3. Mineral Identification (22)

Mineral Picture Index

This page links to pictures of more than 100 different minerals, plus more than 20 special picture galleries.

Mineral Pictures A to Z

A-to-Z list of every mineral shown on this site.

"Learn Your Minerals" Email Course

Let me show you systematically how to study and identify minerals in six weekly installments. Please enter your email address carefully.

Official State Gems of the United States

Thirty-five states have named official gemstones. Here they are, listed by state.

Gallery of the State Gemstones

The 27 official gemstones of 35 states.

Official State Minerals of the United States

Nineteen states have named 17 different official minerals. Here they are.

Gemstones to Minerals, Minerals to Gemstones

Mineral names and their corresponding gemstone names.

What Is a Mineral?

Minerals meet four criteria, more or less strict.

How to Identify Minerals

First steps in learning to identify minerals.

Are My Minerals Valuable?

Sometimes there really is treasure in the back yard.

Abrasive Minerals

Some natural minerals have a special role in this industry.

Gems on the Web

An introduction to the gem world and those who inhabit it.

Geo-Quiz 2: Minerals

Go ahead and attempt this challenging quiz: it demands a crystal clear, many-faceted brain.

Geo-Quiz 15: Ores

What might "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" look like if there were only questions about materials we mine to meet society's needs?

Glossary of Rock, Mineral, and Gemstone Terms

From the Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom, this is much wider-ranging than other mineral lists. But if you can't find something, try my own Glossaries list.

Dietary Minerals and Real Minerals

Why can't we get our dietary minerals from real minerals?

Discuss in my forum

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