Articles by Neill Ridgley50

Ankerite is interesting and surprisingly uncommon carbonate, mostly limited to metasomatic rocks and hydrothermal veins. It can form outstanding crystals and clusters.

Marcasite is very common mineral, but it is often ignored by mineral collectors. Despite its nice crystal forms, it lacks the luster of some other sulfides and its quite brittle. Its infamous instability in just slightly wet air does not help its popularity either.

The blue blades of kyanite are important for metamorphic petrology, but they are also attractive for collectors and rarely occur in gem quality. Big accumulations of kyanite are crucial for ceramics industry.

Sillimanite is a common rock forming aluminosilicate, especially important for metamorphic petrology and ceramics industry. It is usually fibrous but it can form columnar crystals and even rare gemmy specimens.

Arsenic is a semi-metal native element, which is famous for its toxicity. But native arsenic also forms interesting mineral specimens, often associated with silver minerals. And it is also important industrial metal.

Pseudomalachite is a common dark green secondary copper mineral, forming nice botryoidal or drusy specimens. Its popular among mineral collectors and usually occurs together with many other copper minerals.

Anglesite is a secondary lead mineral, very popular because of its nice gemmy crystals with great luster. It forms by oxidation of galena and other lead ores, often accompanied by other interesting secondary minerals.

Atacamite is a rare secondary basic copper chloride, famous for its striking deep green color. It forms highly aesthetic crystals and belongs to popular specimens among secondary minerals collectors.