Culinary salt is actually the mineral halite, and vermillion pigment is made from powdered cinnabar, a mineral whose name originates from the Persian term for "dragon's blood". If you want to know more about rocks and minerals in nature, then Nature Guide: Rocks and Minerals can help you.

Nature Guide: Rocks and Minerals uncovers the remarkable mineral treasures that shape our planet and are utilized in a wide range of applications today, spanning from cosmetics and cuisine to agriculture and advanced technology. It serves as an indispensable companion for collectors, featuring detailed descriptions of numerous minerals, gems, and rocks, encompassing a vast spectrum from actinium to zirconium. Its captivating assortment includes not only inorganic minerals like gold but also organic minerals such as pearls and corals.

Read Nature Guide: Rocks and Minerals carefully, you will explore the pages to discover exquisite gems like opals or pyropes, a deep-red garnet as large as a hen's egg. It unveils the distinctive characteristics of each mineral, elucidating their formation process, initial identification, practical uses, and chemical composition. Whether you are a geology student or embarking on your own collection, this information-rich book offers an engrossing read and serves as an indispensable guide for identification.

Table Of Contents

  • What is a Mineral? 8
  • Mineral Groups and Associations 10
  • Classifying Minerals 12
  • Identifying Minerals 14
  • What are Crystals? 18
  • Crystal Habits 20
  • Crystal Systems 22
  • Gems 24
  • What is a Rock? 26
  • Collecting Rocks and Minerals 28
  • Equipment 30
  • Organization, Storage and Cleaning 32
  • Native Elements 36
  • Sulfides 48
  • Sulfosalts 65
  • Oxides 74
  • Hydroxides 100
  • Halides 106
  • Carbonates 113
  • Borates 126
  • Sulfates, Molybdates, Chromates and Tungstates 131
  • Phosphates, Vanadates, and Arsenates 147
  • Silicates 166
  • Organics 246
  • Igneous Rocks 256
  • Metamorphic Rocks 286
  • Sedimentary Rocks 304
  • Meteorites 334

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