Articles by Neill Ridgley50

Platinum is a commercially valuable metallic native element, prized for its physical resistance to chemical and temperature assault, its ductility and malleability, and its utility in enabling catalytic reactions. It is also a precious metal and in the natural form also a rare collecting asset.

Cinnabar is bright red mercury sulfide, which is a main ore of mercury and used to be a source of red pigments for milleniums. Cinnabar (and mercury) had been a key to mining precious metals until beginning of the 20th century and also saved a millions of teeth.

Elemental mercury occurs in the rare natural form as a silver liquid globules. Mercury has extreme physical properties combined with very high toxicity, which makes it a very unusual collectors specimen.

Magnesite is not the most popular mineral for collectors but it can form outstanding specimens and crystals. However, its principal use is as a magnesium ore and a special refractory - a material where resistance to extreme temperatures is fundamental to an industrial process.

Olivine is the most common mineral on Earth and very important rock forming mineral. The common term olivine refers to olivine group minerals and to IMA valid mineral forsterite. This article will focus on forsterite, which is very popular gem and forms crystals popular among collectors.

Anatase is rare and highly aesthetic form of titanium oxide, which occurs almost exclusively in Alpine environment. It's great combinations with adularia and quartz are very popular among collectors. But it also has some unique physical properties, which are used in hi-tech applications.

Anhydrite is a common mineral, widely found in desert environments. It is also found on the tops of salt domes piercing the younger sediments in oil-rich compressional mountain belts and in evaporite deposits.

The story of the settlement of Australia is the story of a remote penal colony unexpectedly turning into a cauldron of repeated mass migrations driven by the discovery of rich gold deposits. The gold discoveries were simply unbelievable, including the biggest nugget ever found!