Mineral Picture Index

Master guide to pictures of (1) rock-forming, (2) accessory, and (3) rare or notable minerals, followed by the chemistry-based mineral groups and some special galleries. Use the A-to-Z mineral list for more direct access.

ROCK-FORMING MINERALS: Abundant and widespread minerals. (Picture Gallery)

Amphiboles (Picture Gallery)

Actinolite—The green to white amphibole of metamorphic rocks.

Glaucophane—The showy blue amphibole of subducted basalts.

Hornblende—The black amphibole and the most important one.

Biotite—Black mica is a common mineral in igneous rocks.

Calcite—A piece of Iceland spar demonstrates double refraction.

Dolomite—Cousin to calcite, a common carbonate mineral.

Feldspars (Picture Gallery)

Plagioclase—This common mineral can be hard to identify.

Potassium Feldspar—A typical occurrence in "granite."

Muscovite—A specimen of white mica from southern New York.

Olivine—Close-up of a crystal in Hawaiian lava.

Pyroxenes (Picture Gallery)

Aegirine—The dark sodium-iron pyroxene.

Augite—The typical black pyroxene mineral of igneous rocks.

Bronzite—Silky brown variety of the pyroxene mineral enstatite.

Diopside—The light-green calcium-magnesium pyroxene.

Enstatite—The greenish all-magnesium pyroxene.

Jadeite—The famous gemstone is a sodium-aluminum pyroxene.

Omphacite—A green pyroxene of high-grade metamorphics.

Spodumene—The violet-colored lithium pyroxene.

Quartz—Familiar as crystals and noncrystalline chalcedony. (Picture Gallery)

ACCESSORY MINERALS: Minerals that are widespread and significant but rarely abundant.

Andalusite—Makes collectible crossed crystals.

Anhydrite—What gypsum becomes deep underground.

Apatite—The phosphate mineral making up teeth and bones.

Aragonite—Calcite's close mineral cousin.

Barite—A heavy sulfate sometimes found in "roses."

Bornite—"Peacock ore" copper mineral turns a crazy blue-green.

Cassiterite—Ancient and principal ore of tin.

Chalcopyrite—Foremost ore of copper.

Chlorite—The green mineral of many metamorphic rocks.

Corundum—Natural alumina, sometimes known as sapphire and ruby.

Epidote—Metamorphic mineral of a peculiar green color.

Fluorite—Every rockhound has a piece of this soft, colorful mineral.

Galena—A heavy, glittering mineral, principal ore of lead metal.

Garnet (Picture Gallery)

Almandine—The true "garnet-red" garnet mineral.

Andradite—Green crystals from central California.

Grossular—A greenish garnet illustrated by a well-formed crystal.

Pyrope—Wine-colored grains in a California eclogite.

Spessartine—A honey-colored set of crystals from China.

Uvarovite—Emerald-green crystals from Russia.

Goethite—The oxide mineral of soils and iron ore.

Graphite—The stuff of pencils has more rugged uses too.

Gypsum—Shown in its prettiest form, "desert roses."

Halite—Also known as rock salt, this evaporite mineral sits at your table.

Hematite—Iron mineral of many forms including this "kidney ore."

Ilmenite—Black titanium ore lurks in heavy sands.

Kyanite—A sky-blue mineral formed by high-pressure metamorphism.

Lepidolite—Lithium mica mineral with a fine lilac color.

Leucite—Feldspathoid mineral also called white garnet.

Magnetite—Magnetic iron oxide also known as lodestone.

Marcasite—Close crystal cousin of pyrite.

Nepheline—Feldspathoid mineral well known to potters.

Phlogopite—Brown mica mineral closely related to biotite.

Prehnite—Bottle-green mineral of low-grade metamorphic rocks.

Psilomelane—Manganese oxides make up this black crusty mineral.

Pyrite—"Fool's gold" and the most important sulfide mineral.

Pyrolusite—The black manganese mineral of dendrites.

Rutile—Needles of this oxide mineral occur in many rocks.

Serpentine—The group of green minerals that yields asbestos.

Sillimanite—Indicator mineral for high grades of metamorphism.

Sphalerite—The major zinc ore and an interesting mineral.

Spinel—Rugged oxide mineral of metamorphosed limestones.

Staurolite—A typical crossed pair of crystals in a mica-schist matrix.

Talc—The softest mineral of them all.

Tourmaline—The common black variety called schorl.

Zeolites—Group of low-temperature minerals with many industrial uses.

Zircon—Both a gemstone and a precious source of geologic information.

UNCOMMON MINERALS AND VARIETIES: Rare and sometimes valuable minerals.

Amethyst—Brilliant purple form of crystalline quartz.

Axinite—Minor silicate of striking crystal form and color.

Benitoite—Very blue, very rare and weird ring silicate mineral.

Beryl—Gemstone of many names, including emerald.

Borax—This household commonplace is found in desert lakebeds.

Celestine—Pale, sky-blue strontium mineral.

Cerussite—Spiky gray lead carbonate mineral.

Chrysocolla—Bright green-blue mineral found near copper ore.

Cinnabar—Lipstick-red mineral and major ore of mercury.

Copper—Native metal shown in its natural wiry form.

Cuprite—Red copper ore and sometimes spectacular specimen stone.

Diamond—Natural diamond crystal from the Congo.

Dioptase—Bright-green crystalline sign of copper deposits.

Dumortierite—Blue boron mineral of gneisses and schists.

Eudialyte—Striking red vein-maker in nepheline syenites.

Fuchsite—Flashy green mica mineral.

Gold—Shown in an Alaskan nugget.

Hemimorphite—Handsome pale crusts of hydrous zinc silicate.

"Herkimer Diamond" Quartz—Doubly terminated crystals from New York.

Labradorite—The butterfly of the feldspars has dazzling blue schiller.

Lazurite—Ancient mineral source of ultramarine pigment.

Magnesite—Magnesium carbonate ore mineral.

Malachite—Ultra-green copper carbonate, a favorite mineral of carvers.

Molybdenite—Soft metallic mineral and ore of molybdenum.

Opal—Precious silica mineraloid may display a rainbow of colors.

Platinum—Rare crystals of the native metal.

Pyromorphite—Flashy green lead phosphate mineral.

Pyrophyllite—Soft mineral closely resembling talc.

Rhodochrosite—Calcite's manganese cousin with distinctive rosy color.

Ruby—Deep-red variety of corundum.

Scapolite—Streaked clear crystals of metamorphosed limestones.

Siderite—Brown iron carbonate mineral.

Silver—Wiry specimen of the rare native metal.

Smithsonite—Carbonate of zinc appears in many forms.

Sodalite—Deep blue feldspathoid and a rock-carving staple.

Sulfur—Delicate crystals accumulate around a volcanic vent.

Sylvite—Red potassium mineral distinguished by its bitter taste.

Titanite—Collectible brown crystalline mineral once known as sphene.

Topaz—Hardness and good crystals make it a popular mineral.

Turquoise—The most precious phosphate mineral.

Ulexite—One of many borate minerals, ulexite forms the unique "TV rock."

Variscite—This phosphate comes in veins like slabs of green candy.

Willemite—Prized by collectors for its bright fluorescence.

Witherite—Scarce barium carbonate mineral.

CHEMICAL MINERAL CLASSES

Amphiboles

Carbonate Minerals

Elemental Minerals

Evaporite and Halide Minerals

Feldspars

Garnets

Metallic Minerals

Mica Minerals

Oxide Minerals

Phosphate Minerals

Pyroxenes

Quartz

Silicate Minerals

Sulfate Minerals

Sulfide Minerals

Zeolite Minerals

SPECIAL MINERAL GALLERIES

Black Minerals

Blue and Purple Minerals

Brown Minerals

Green Minerals

Red and Pink Minerals

Mineral Habits

Mineral Lusters

Rock-Forming Minerals

U.S. State Gemstones

U.S. State Minerals