List of mineral jewelry and precious stones

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following list of mineral gemstones is intended to provide an overview of the composition and some properties of important gemstones . The adjacent picture examples serve to clarify color variations and possible risk of confusion.

Colorless to white gemstones

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system image
Albite Feldspar 6 to 6.5 2.60 to 2.65 triclinic

  • colorless

  • White

Rock crystal quartz 7th 2.65 trigonal

  • colorless to white

  • "Herkimer Diamond"

  • Bowl

Beryllonite Sodium Beryllium Phosphate 5.5 to 6 2.80 to 2.87 monoclinic

  • colorless

  • White

diamond carbon 10 3.52 cubic

  • colorless, differently shaped rough stones

  • Teardrop, faceted

  • Octagon, faceted

Goshenite beryl 7.5 to 8 2.63 to 2.97 hexagonal

  • colorless crystal in white albite

  • Teardrop, faceted

Hambergite Beryllium borate 7.5 2.35 to 2.37 orthorhombic

  • colorless

  • White

Leucite Potash Alumina Silicate, White Garnet 5.5 to 6 2.45 to 2.50 cubic / tetragonal

  • White

Petalite Lithium aluminum silicate 6 to 6.5 2.4 monoclinic

  • colorless

  • White

  • light pink (rare)

Phenacite Beryllium silicate 7.5 to 8 2.93 to 3 trigonal

  • colorless

  • slightly champagne colored

  • brown (rare)

Pink to red gemstones

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system image
Hackmannite Sodalite 5.5 to 6 2.14 to 2.40 cubic

  • red-violet

  • light pink and purple cabochon

Morganite beryl 7.5 to 8 2.63 to 2.97 hexagonal

  • light pink

  • dark pink

  • Teardrop, faceted

Piedmont Calcium-Manganese-Aluminum-Silicate 6 to 6.5 3.46 to 3.54 monoclinic

  • light pink

  • rose red

Rhodochrosite Manganese carbonate 3.5 to 4.5 3.3 to 3.6 trigonal
Rhodonite Manganese silicate 5.5 to 6.5 3.57 to 3.76 triclinic

  • light pink

  • rose red

  • marbled by matrix, rough stone and egg shape ( smooth cut )

  • Cabochon and various table cuts

Pink quartz , rose quartz quartz 7th 2.65 trigonal

  • light pink rose quartz (transparent, macrocrystalline)

  • dark pink rose quartz

  • Rose quartz (opaque, coarse)

  • Free form, faceted

  • Tumbled stones

Red beryl beryl 7.5 to 8 2.63 to 2.97 hexagonal

  • red

  • red-violet

ruby corundum 9 3.97 to 4.05 trigonal

  • dark red rough stone

  • Oval, faceted

Thulite Zoisite 6 to 7 3.15 to 3.36 orthorhombic

  • rose red

Tugtupit Sodium Beryllium Aluminum Silicate 4 or 5 to 6 2.36 tetragonal

  • pink

Yellow to orange gemstones

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system image
Amber fossil resin 2 to 2.5 1.05 to 1.096 amorphous

  • yellow to orange rough stones

  • Tumbled stone chains

  • Heart and cabochon with inclusions

Citrine quartz 7th 2.65 trigonal

  • yellow rough stone

  • Oval, faceted

Fire opal opal 5.5 to 6.5 2.0 to 2.2 X-ray amorphous / light crystalline

  • light yellow to almost colorless

  • orange

  • Oval, faceted

Golden beryl , heliodor beryl 7.5 to 8 2.63 to 2.97 hexagonal

  • pale yellow

  • Honey yellow

  • Oval, faceted

Pyrite (often incorrectly referred to as marcasite ) Iron sulfide 6 to 6.5 4.95 to 5.2 cubic

  • Smooth cubes

  • "Pyrite Sun"

  • Pendant made of unprocessed, striped pyrite

  • Various "marcasite" jewelry

Green to blue-green gemstones

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system image
Amazonite Microclinic 6 to 6.5 2.56 to 2.58 triclinic

  • blue green

  • Sea green, striped

  • Green grass

  • Different table cuts

Aventurine quartz quartz 7th 2.6 trigonal

  • light green, rough stone

  • raw, tumbled stone, cabochon

  • Tumbled stones

Brazilianite Sodium aluminum phosphate 5.5 2.98 monoclinic

  • dark green

  • light green

  • greenish yellow

Chrysocolla Copper silicate 2 to 4 1.93 to 2.4 orthorhombic

  • greenish

  • blue green

  • Spheroidal chrysocolla with malachite

Chrysoprase Chalcedony , quartz 6.5 to 7 2.58 to 2.64 trigonal

  • light green

  • dark green

  • marbled by matrix, tumbled stone

  • Jewelry box

Dioptase Copper silicate 5 3.28 to 3.35 trigonal

  • blue green

  • light green

  • dark green

  • Octagon, faceted

Jadeite / jade Sodium aluminum silicate 6 to 6.5 3.2 to 3.4 monoclinic

  • pale green

  • mottled light and dark green

  • a necklace

malachite Copper carbonate 3.5 to 4 3.6 to 4.05 monoclinic

  • nierig-bulbous

  • fibrous

  • cut and polished tuber

  • vase

Peridot (also chrysolite ) Oliving group 6.5 to 7 3.2 to 4.4 orthorhombic

  • light green

  • dark green

  • Octagon, faceted

  • Oval and teardrop, faceted

emerald beryl 7.5 to 8 2.63 to 2.97 hexagonal

  • light green

  • dark green

  • Trapiche emerald

  • Emerald cut

turquoise Copper-aluminum-phosphate 5 to 6 2.6 to 2.9 triclinic

  • blue-green rough stone

  • various rough stones and cabochons

  • Different chains in green to blue-green

Zoisite Calcium aluminum silicate 6 to 7 3.15 to 3.36 orthorhombic

  • blue green

  • light green

Blue to purple gemstones

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system image
Azurite Copper carbonate 3.5 to 4 3.7 to 3.9 monoclinic

  • translucent blue

  • opaque blue

  • banded with malachite

  • Free grinding, smooth

Aquamarine beryl 7.5 to 8 2.63 to 2.97 hexagonal

  • Light Blue

  • greenish blue

  • dark blue

  • Teardrop, faceted

  • Octagon, faceted

amethyst quartz 7th 2.65 trigonal

  • light purple

  • dark purple

  • Scissor sharpening

  • Antique cut

Angelit Anhydrite 3 to 3.5 2.95 to 2.98 orthorhombic

  • gray-blue cloudy angelite rough stone

  • Angelite tumbled stone

Benitoite Barium titanium silicate 6 to 6.5 3.65 hexagonal

  • Light Blue

  • deep blue

  • black blue

Cordierite Magnesium aluminum silicate 7 to 7.5 2.60 to 2.66 orthorhombic

  • blue

  • Iolite (with reddish hematite or goethite inclusions)

  • Cordierite / Iolite in brilliant cut

  • Oval, faceted with striking pleochroism

Dumortierite Aluminum borosilicate 7 to 8.5 3.21 to 3.41 orthorhombic

  • blue

  • violet

Haüyn Sodium-calcium aluminosilicate 5.5 to 6 2.44 to 2.50 cubic

  • Rough stone

  • Brilliant cut

Lapis lazuli Mineral mixture (mainly lazurite , pyrite and calcite ) 5 to 6 2.50 to 3.0 -

  • Rough stone

  • Cabochon

  • Giuseppe Cesari Perseus saves Andromeda ; Oil on lapis lazuli

Sodalite Sodium-Chlor-Aluminum-Silicate 5.5 to 6 2.14 to 2.40 cubic

  • Rough stones

  • faceted

  • hippopotamus

Tanzanite Zoisite 6 to 7 3.15 to 3.36 orthorhombic

  • colorless to light purple

  • dark purple to blue due to pleochroism

  • oval faceted

Brown and gray to black gemstones

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system image
Andalusite Aluminum silicate 6.5 to 7.5 3.13 to 3.16 orthorhombic

  • brownish rough stone

  • Chiastolite

  • Chrysanthemum stone

  • Gemstone collection in brilliant cut

Axinite Calcium iron / magnesium // manganese silicates 6 to 7 3.26 to 3.36 triclinic

  • dark brown

  • red-brown

  • pale brown

Gagat ( jet ) bituminous, polishable coal 2.5 to 4 1.19 to 1.35 -

  • dark gray

  • black

  • Brooch with cameo and cabochons

Hematite Iron oxide 5.5 to 6.5 5.12 to 5.3 trigonal

  • dark gray, silvery shiny crystal

  • dark gray, kidney aggregate

  • stylized bear

Obsidian volcanic rock glass 5 to 5.5 2.35 to 2.60 amorphous

  • black

  • "Mahogany obsidian" (brown with black or black with brown spots)

  • "Rainbow Obsidian" (black with colored reflex zones)

  • with embedded cristobalite ("snowflake obsidian")

  • stylized domestic pig made of "snowflake obsidian"

Smoky quartz quartz 7th 2.65 trigonal

  • light gray-brown

  • Morion (black)

  • Octagonal, faceted (emerald cut)

Multi-colored gemstones

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system image
Anyolite Mineral mixture of zoisite (green), ruby (red) and partly amphibole (black) - - -

  • Anyolite without amphibole

  • Anyolite with amphibole

Chalcedony , agate quartz 7th 2.6 to 2.8 trigonal

  • White chalcedony

  • Blue-gray chalcedony

  • Ribbon agate (multicolored)

  • Carnelian (red-white to orange-white)

  • Onyx / Sardonyx (brown-white to black-white)

  • Moss agate

Chrysoberyl Beryllium aluminum oxide 8.5 3.70 to 3.78 orthorhombic

  • yellow

  • yellow, oval faceted

  • green

  • green, oval faceted

  • brownish

  • colorless

Celestine Strontium sulfate 3 to 3.5 3.9 orthorhombic

  • colorless

  • pink

  • blue

Danburite Calcium boron silicate 7 to 7.25 2.93 to 3.02 orthorhombic

  • colorless

  • amber yellow, raw and faceted

  • blue

  • iridescent

Datolith Calcium boron silicate 5 to 5.5 2.96 to 3.00 monoclinic

  • colorless

  • pink

  • green

  • blue

Colored  diamond
"Fancy Diamonds"		 carbon 10 3.52 cubic
Precious coral Calcium carbonate 3 to 4 2.60 to 2.70 trigonal

  • red

  • White

  • red coral necklace

Euclas Beryllium aluminum silicate 7.5 2.99 to 3.1 monoclinic

  • colorless

  • White

  • light green and light blue

  • dark blue

grenade various silicates 6.5 to 7.5 3.5 to 4.3 cubic

  • Almandine (melanite), black

  • Andradite, brown

  • Almandine, dark red

  • Grossular, red

  • Grossular, pink

  • Grossular, pink

  • Grossular, orange

  • Andradite, yellow

  • Andradite, light green to yellow green

  • Andradite, light green

  • Grossular, dark green

  • red garnet, faceted in different cuts

  • Pink pyrope, antique cut

jasper quartz 6.5 to 7 2.58 to 2.91 trigonal

  • Colorful striped jasper

  • Red jasper with veins of quartz

  • Spheroid green jasper

  • Dalmatian stone in egg shape ( smooth cut )

sapphire corundum 9 3.9 to 4.1 trigonal

  • Leuco sapphire (colorless)

  • pink

  • Padparadscha (orange)

  • green and light yellow

  • dark yellow

  • blue

Spinel Magnesium aluminate 7.5 to 8 3.6 to 4.1 cubic

  • red

  • pink

  • green, faceted

  • sky blue

  • dark blue

  • violet

  • black

Spodumene Lithium aluminum silicate 6.5 to 7 3.03 to 3.23 monoclinic
topaz Aluminum silicate 8th 3.5 to 3.6 orthorhombic

  • colorless

  • yellow

  • rose red

  • champagne colored

  • amber

  • golden brown

  • light green

  • blue

  • colorless, faceted heart drop

  • blue, brilliant cut

  • "Imperial Topas" (orange-red), oval faceted

Tourmaline group silicate 7 to 7.5 3 to 3.2 trigonal

  • colorless ( achroit , elbaite)

  • pink to red ( rubellite , elbaite)

  • yellowish brown (dravite)

  • Verdelite ( Elbaite , green)

  • blue ( indigolite , elbaite)

  • dark brown to black brown (Buergerit)

  • black (Schörl)

  • Different colored tourmalines in cabochon cut

Vesuvianite complex silicate compound 6 to 7 3.32 to 3.47 tetragonal

  • light green

  • dark green

  • pink

  • red

  • brownish yellow

  • green tumbled stone

Zircon Zirconium silicate 6.5 to 7.5 4.6 to 4.7 tetragonal

  • gray-white

  • red ( hyacinth )

  • red-brown ( hyacinth )

  • light yellow ( jargon )

  • greenish yellow

  • brown, antique cut

  • different colors (light red, yellow, light blue, pink, pale yellow, dark red, 2 × colorless), brilliant cut

Zultanite (trade name) Diaspore 6.5 to 7 3.3 to 3.5 orthorhombic

  • colorless

  • golden yellow

  • pink square, faceted

  • Oval, faceted with a color change from wine yellow to green

Gemstones with optical effects

Asterism

The so-called asterism , also star luster or star effect, occurs with gemstones in which fine crystal needles aligned with the respective crystal structure are embedded.

Chatoyance

Chatoyance or the cat's eye effect can be seen in various gemstones that consist of parallel aligned crystal fibers or have embedded them. In the cabochon cut, they show a bright streak of light on the silk-gloss surface, which wanders over the stone when moved. For all gemstones with a cat's eye effect, except for chrysoberyl , the respective mineral type must be put in front.

Other gemstones that can have the cat's eye effect include ulexite , falcon's and tiger's eyes .

Other

Surname Mineral type / variety of Mohs hardness Density (g / cm³) Crystal system Optical effect image
alexandrite Chrysoberyl 8.5 3.70 to 3.78 orthorhombic Shimmering , alexandrite effect
  • Alexandrite 26.75cts.jpg
Hawk's eye / tiger's eye Quartz and crocidolite 6 to 7 2.64 to 2.71 trigonal Shimmering surfaces, strong silk sheen

  • Hawk's eye, rough stone

  • Hawk's eye, various tumbled stones

  • Tiger eye, rough stone

  • Tiger's eye, various tumbled stones

Fire agate agate 7th 2.6 to 2.8 trigonal opalescence
  • Agate-156125.jpg
  • Agate-180670.jpg
Labradorite / Spectrolite Plagioclase 6 to 6.5 2.8 triclinic Labradorescence ( Labradorise ), iridescent play of colors in a metallic sheen
  • Labradoryt, Madagascar.JPG

  • Spectrolite

  • Cabochon

Moonstone ( adulara ) Orthoclase 6 to 6.5 2.56 to 2.59 monoclinic Adularescence

  • different rough stones

  • Cabochon

opal Silicon dioxide 5.5 to 6.5 2.0 to 2.2 X-ray amorphous / light crystalline opalescence

  • Light opal

  • Dark opal

  • Boulder opal

  • White opal, cabochon

  • Black opal, cabochon

Sunstone ( aventurine feldspar ) Oligoclase 6 to 6.5 2.6 triclinic red, metallic glitter ( aventurization )

  • Tumbled stone

  • Cabochon

literature

  • Cally Hall: Gemstones: more than 130 types from around the world . Dorling Kindersley, Starnberg 2006, ISBN 978-3-8310-0891-9 (English: DK Handbooks: Gemstones . Translated by Eva Dempewolf, Nature Library).
  • Walter Schumann: Precious stones and gemstones. All species and varieties in the world. 1600 unique pieces . 13th revised and expanded edition. BLV Verlags-GmbH., Munich et al. 2002, ISBN 3-405-16332-3 .

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