Minerals & Gemstones

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

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

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

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

The 27 official gemstones of 35 states.

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

Mineral names and their corresponding gemstone names.

Minerals meet four criteria, more or less strict.

First steps in learning to identify minerals.

Sometimes there really is treasure in the back yard.

Some natural minerals have a special role in this industry.

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

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

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

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.

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