Aquamarine is the blue to blue-green variety of the mineral beryl and one of the world's most popular gemstones. Its...

Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz and one of the world's most popular gemstones. Its striking violet color,...

Topaz is one of the world's most popular gemstones and is valued for its clarity, durability, and wide range of...

Transparency is an important optical property used in mineral identification. It describes how much light can pass...

Some minerals feel surprisingly heavy, while others seem unusually light for their size. This difference is related to...

When minerals break, they do not all break in the same way. Some minerals split along smooth, flat surfaces, while...