Galena Mineral
Galena is relatively easy to identify because of its distinct silver color (metallic luster) and crystal structure. Freshly broken pieces will exhibit a perfect cleavage in three directions intersecting at 90 degrees. If you have a specimen then you’ll need to understand that it will tarnish over time to a dull gray. Whatever you do, […]
Types of Petrified Wood
Petrified is an incredibly unique geological formation that occurs naturally in nature. As a matter of fact, nature works twice to provide these beauties: first by growing the trees and then by turning the tree into stone. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been asked quite a few questions about the different types of […]
Lead Minerals
Lead minerals are highly collectible and some of my favorite specimens to collect are lead-based. All of the specimens you see at rock and mineral shows are commonly found at active lead mines around the world. As you know, Lead is also widely used for car batteries, ammunition, cable sheathing, pigments, weights for lifting, weight […]
Opalized Fossils
Australia is the only place on Earth where Opalized Animal fossils can be found. If you haven’t heard of Opal then you might have been living under a rock. This gemstone is also a key to Australia’s mysterious past because dinosaur fossils and various other creatures that lived over 110 million years ago are buried […]
Chert
You have 99 problems and Chert isn’t one of them. This relatively common rock is found worldwide and it comes in limitless colors and varieties. Despite the stone’s popularity, there are many misconceptions about Chert. Chert is a sedimentary rock comprised of microcrystalline Quartz which makes it fairly hard, 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. […]
Opalized Petrified Wood
Opalized Petrified Wood is also known as Wood Opal or simply Opalized Wood. It’s actually a form of Petrified Wood that’s developed an opalescent sheen, or more rarely, where the wood is entirely replaced by Opal. Often, Opalized Petrified Wood is used as a gemstone. Is Opalized Petrified Wood Valuable? While some folks […]
Red Petrified Wood
Petrified Wood is highly praised and appreciated for its wide range of colors and interesting texture. While many pieces of Petrified Wood are tan, they can also be in several other colors. The primary colors one might find include brown, gray, and red. On some rare occasions, a person might be fortunate enough to find […]
Gemologist Guide To Identifying Emerald
Emeralds are classified as precious gemstones from the Beryl family. These gemstones have a rich, distinct green to blue-green color and are sourced from multiple locations around the world but the most well know and highest-quality stones come from Columbia. Did you know? Emeralds are one of the oldest and most coveted stones. […]
Gemologist Guide To Identifying Beryl
Beryl occurs in a variety of colors and collectors become confused about which ones are Beryl and which ones are named differently. For example, Emerald is the medium-green to blue-green variety of Beryl. Aquamarine is the light to dark blue variety of Beryl and is very well known. Red Beryl is known as Bixbite and […]
Gemologist Guide To Identifying Brazilianite
Brazilianite is a rare Sodium Phosphate mineral that crystallizes in the form of radiating prismatic crystals, elongated rods, and globular droplets. This gemstone is usually found growing off Granite Pegamites rich in Phosphate. Brazilianite is an incredibly eye-catching yellow-green color, with Phosphate impurities depicting the depth of color. This rare gem was first discovered in […]