Earth Science Stack Exchange
Earth Science Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [mineralogy]

Questions relating to the scientific study and identification of minerals.

Mineralogy studies all aspects of minerals, including:
- their chemical composition
- their crystal structure, i.e. the arrangement of atoms
- their physical properties (density, hardness, etc.)
These characteristics can be investigated using a wide range of analytical methods (microscopy, spectroscopy...), allowing for the identification and classification of mineral species.

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Could this be pyroxene twinning ? (thin section)

I found this beautiful euhedral pyroxene crystal in thin section today. There is one thing that I can´t explain though. In crossed polarizers, the crystal shows two different interference colors, which do not change as I rotate the table (no color…
Petr Hykš
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Identifying metallic element or compound in murine clay

I have been doing a lot of digging in a thick murine clay as part of a construction project. In the course of doing this work, we noticed significant bands and streaks of blue color in the clay, which I know can be sign of silver. Recently, we dug a…
Tyler Durden
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Do Pyroelectric gemstones really exist? Can they be found on web market?

I just got the curiosity today to know whether the gems that produce electricity non stop without an end exist, and I have found this site. But I’m having doubts about it, thinking that it could be fake or true, and I need to know what’s you’re…
Alex A
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Why does Argentobaumhauerite have decimals in its chemical formula?

Argentobaumhauerite's Wikipedia page lists its chemical formula as $\require{mhchem}\ce{Ag_{1.5}Pb_{22}As_{33.5}S_{72}}$. Is there a reason this chemical formula is not represented as whole-number ratios of each element?
imrobert
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How does metamorphism change talc into soapstone?

My understanding is that soapstone is talc (hydrated magnesium silicate) which has been metamorphically transformed. However, it is not clear to me how this transformation affects the talc. What is the difference between talc and soapstone?
Tyler Durden
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Ore Reserve Definition

I've seen many papers on mineral deposits say something along the line of "a 100,000 tonne deposit of Zn, 1% grade." Does this mean there is 1% of 100,000 tonnes which is 1000 tonnes pure zinc, or does it mean there is a total zinc deposit of…
Joeseph123
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Ore Deposit Determination

How are ore body sizes determined? What are the most reliable techniques of determining the size of ore deposits as well as their content?
Youssef
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Name of majorite endmember $\ce{Mg3(FeSi)Si3O12}$

Does the majorite garnet $\ce{Mg3(FeSi)Si3O12}$ have a name?
g.z.
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Where/how people find minerals

Forever I have seen little shops here and there offer minerals like those crystals and neat shaped rocks of different kinds, turquoise and amethyst and many others and such. But I never really thought about it. In looking a bit it doesn't seem there…
Lance
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Why and how do quartz crystals change from cloudy/translucent to clear/transparent?

Two pieces of quartz people have given to me at different times have become gradually clear over the space of a few years. Previously they were very cloudy, translucent without any detail visible through them. Under a 10x hand lens they appeared to…
Smartybartfast
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Does higher hardness means that A cannot scratch B regardless of any other variable?

You have object A of hardness 4 and glass B of hardness 6. Is this information alone enough to determine that, under any circumstances object A will never be able to scratch glass B? For a more practical example, does this mean that it doesn't…
user361323
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mineral prospecting in Iran

I live in Iran and I want to do personal mineral prospecting for natural crystals and gemstones and beautiful minerals. Unfortunately, there are no reliable information available. Anyone can help me where to start and any information about…
Nemat
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What disciplines of science are used in the locating and extraction of mineral resources?

Im trying to do an assessment but I just can answer this question!
matilda
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What are the usable minerals that can be found in our daily life?

Can anyone tell me what are the minerals that can found at home or something that can be seen in yard or in waste/trash bins.
K. Cinches
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What are these rocks

This Crystal has a couple gas bubbles and impurities in the very center of it it breaks only one way it is 4720 carats very beautiful very hard
Rick
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