Identify Enstatite
Enstatite is a gemstone you don’t hear of very often but you might come across it while collecting gems and minerals in the wild or specimen dealers will have higher quality pieces for sale. You’ll want to be educated on this mineral because Enstatite is not very easy to identify. I’ve put together a comprehensive […]
Identify Cerussite
Cerussite is quite an interesting mineral that forms an array of bizarre twinning habits and fascinating crystal formations. It’s easy to identify by its heavy weight, crystal habits, and brilliant luster. Its low hardness of 3 to 3.5, brittle tenacity, and distinct cleavage make it challenging to cut which means specimen collectors love it. […]
Identify Bytownite
Identifying Bytownite is fairly easy and you’ll be using visual characteristics to do most of the heavy lifting. If you’re a rockhound or gemstone collector then you’ve probably heard of Bytownite. If you haven’t heard of this gemstone then you should have heard of Labradorite or Feldpsar. Bytownite is a variety of Feldspar and is […]
Identify Sapphirine
Sapphirine is incredibly rare and high-quality crystals are even more rare. Despite the stone’s name and well-known color, Sapphirine is a species distinct from Sapphire. Sapphirines can display very strong trichroic colors depending on the viewing angles which helps with identifying this mineral. How to Identify Sapphirine Through Testing There are various ways to […]
Identify Chrysoprase
Chrysoprase is a variety of Chalcedony which is part of the Quartz family but it doesn’t look like your typical Quartz crystal. A higher quality piece of Chrysoprase will have a transparency that ranges from nearly opaque to nearly translucent. Specimens boast colors ranging from apple to olive green hues to almost pure green. Once […]
Identify Titanite
Titanite can be difficult to accurately identify because it looks similar to Spalerite but the chemical composition is slightly different. If you come across a piece of Titanite then you’ll need to do additional testing to confirm it is truly Titanite. How to Identify Titanite Through Testing There are various ways to identify rocks, minerals, […]
Identify Cuprite
Cuprite is such an interesting stone and fairly easy to identify because it has a couple of unique characteristics. I’ll get into the details below but if you have a chance to collect or purchase Cuprite then I highly recommend you do. Occasionally, specimen dealers call Cuprite, red copper ore. It’s a soft, yet heavy, […]
Identify Datolite
Datolite forms in incredibly attractive crystals that are often highly lustrous and sparkly. Some varieties will have frosted crystal faces and this is due to where the mineral is sourced. There is one last crystal formation you can see in Datolite and that is oval-shaped nodules that lack any distinct crystal forms. How to […]
Identify Calcite
Calcite is fairly common and easy to identify when it is in crystal form but don’t worry I will cover the most common types and how to quickly ID them. The reason it is so common, it’s found worldwide in metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks. I’ll be focusing on the higher quality material that is […]
Identify Wulfenite
While Wulfenite crystals are beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, they are often too thin, soft, and sensitive to be cut for jewelry. It is rare to find a faceted piece of Wulfenite but if you’re lucky enough to come across it then you might want to consider buying it because they are highly prized by collectors. […]