Sphalerite is common, but it does not often show up in casual collections of minerals, despite its occurrence in several different colors. This is perhaps because sphalerite is most commonly found in black or dark gray due to the frequent presence of iron impurities in its makeup.
Baryte is the common mineral and main ore of barium. It is also highly popular as mineral specimen due to its wide variety of aesthetic shapes and colors.
Native copper was discovered through metal smelting in the prehistoric times and still belongs to the keystones of modern civilization. Its is also a very nice and popular mineral that is capable of forming complex and beautiful shapes.
Azurite is a secondary copper mineral, which forms outstanding specimens. It is very popular among mineral collectors because of its beautiful shade of blue and highly sought after dark crystals, often combined with green malachite.
Although most mineral collectors are not attracted by talc, it is still an interesting mineral. It has set of quite unique physical properties, which create endless options for various industrial applications.
Silver is a beautiful mineral and native element. It is known as one of the precious metals, and its history dates back to ancient civilizations, where it was used in many of the ways that it still is today. Sometimes, silver is mined as native silver, but most of the time, it comes from sulfide ores.
Magnetite is an iron rich mineral from the spinel group. It is the most important industrial source of iron and a natural ferromagnetic substance. Magnetite is common, but it is a very nice and interesting mineral.
Graphite is a very important mineral, although it is not much to look at. It has a lot of uses in the world today, and it may be closer to you than you think! It is a direct opposite of its close relative, diamond.
Brilliant green color makes malachite a very popular and widely-recognized stone. Bright color, aesthetic specimens and reasonable price make this interesting mineral very popular among collectors.
Halite may not be very well-known by its official name, but it is more easily recognized as naturally-occurring salt. This common rock salt can form incredible crystals and even huge salt caves in nature.
Agate is a beautiful and very popular gemstone that is widely recognized for its unique and varied colors and banding. It is a type of microcrystalline quartz that is commonly used as an affordable alternative to pricey gemstones in jewelry. It may also be carved into figures or statues, or used in handles for knives.
Chalcopyrite is the most important copper ore, and it is the primary source of many popular secondary copper minerals. It can occur in a variety of environments and forms, from hydrothermal veins to sedimentary layers. Nice chalcopyrite crystals are highly sought after by collectors.
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