recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Carrasite jasper

Carrasite Jasper is a nice porcelain gemstone jasper found in the same area in the Owyhee Mountains of Oregon/Idaho as the famous Morrisonite Jasper and it looks very similar to it. Carrasite Jasper was found and therefore named for Charlie Carras who mined the site in the 1970’s!

Color: Pink, Red, Green, Yellow

Name: Carrasite/Carrasite Jasper

Family: Quartz/Jasper

Moh: 7

Occurrence: US (OR & ID)

Mcch: Massive

Rarity: Rare
Ettringite

Discovered by an unknown discoverer Ettringin, Germany, for which it was named in 1874, Ettringite is a rare gemmy aluminum sulfate mineral prized for it’s lemony yellow colors which can be cut into beautiful gemstones. It is rarely cut however, largely due to a low hardness of just 2-2,5 on the mohs scale!

Color: colorless - yellow

Moh: 2-2.5

Family: aluminum sulfates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: germany, poland, france, south africa

Mcch: acicular
Chalcopyrite

Chalcopyrite or as it is more commonly referred to nowadays, rainbow pyrite is a fairly common Iron ore that is seen as one of the most important sources of iron in the modern world! It’s name comes from the greek words ‘’chalkos’’ meaning ‘’copper’’ and ‘’pyrite’’ meaning ‘’striking fire’’. Bronze age civilizations depended on the mineral for copper and iron. And even today, much of our electronics depend on the copper from Chalcopyrite, making it a truly ageless stone!

Name: Chalcopyrite, Bornite, peacock ore

Family: Copper-iron sulfide

MOH: 3.5-4

MCCH: Scalenohedral

Occurrence: Worldwide

Rarity: Uncommon

Color: Many, usually gray
Aurichalcite

Aurichalcite

Discovered in Greece in the 1600s, aurichalciite is a gorgeous electric blue gemstone that is often seen forming alongside other copper carbonate minerals such as malachite, Chrysocolla, and even Azurite! It is fairly rare, and is often reserved as a collectors piece!

Name: Aurichalcite

Family: copper carbonates

MOH: 2

MCCH: Monoclinic

Occurrence: Greece, Namibia, Mexico

Rarity: Rare

Color: Teal
Edenite

A fairly rare mineral, Edenite is an amphibole silicate mineral, prized by collectors for it’s varying colors from yellow, to bluish green, to even pink, as well as it’s often well pronounced crystal structure. It was first discovered in 1835 in the small community of Edenville, New York, and was named for the town shortly after!

Color: yellow- dark green

Moh: 5-6

Family: amphibole silicates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: worldwide

Mcch: monoclinic
Buddstone

Buddstone is a rare variety of mottled green Verdite that was discovered in South Africa in the late 1970’s. It is well known for its use in jewelry in the region, and, despite not being officially regognized as a gemstone, it has been welcomed as one by the rock collecting community!

Name: Buddstone

Family: Verdite

MOH: 2.5-4

MCCH: massive

Occurrence: South Africa

Rarity: rare

Color: evergreen
Lamprophyllite

Prized by rare mineral collectors for it’s unusual pearly yellow to orange luster, Lamprophyllite is a rare aluminum silicate mineral. It often forms in sprays of radial crystals, much like astrophyllite, and clinochlore. It gets it’s name from the Greek word ‘’lampros’’ meaning ‘’shining’’ due to it’s pearly lustre!

Color: yellow-orange

Moh: 2.5

Family: aluminum sillicates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: russia, norway, greenland, US (MT)

Mcch: prismatic
Bird of paradise agate

Widely viewed as the most sought after variety of plume agate out there, Bird of paradise agate, named after the beautiful, exotic feather-like appearence of the beautiful red, gold, silver, and yellow plumes jutting from the agate, is a variety of plume agate found only on one ranch near naica, in Chihuahua, Mexico! It gets a slight metallic appearence due to the presence of marcasite inclusions, which results in unique golden or silver plumes! It was discovered in the 1970’s, and has since been heavily depleted, making it a true collectors agate!

Color: red, yellow, orange, gold, silver

Name: bird of paradise agate

Family: agate/quartz

M.o.h:  7

Occurrence: Mexico

Mcch: seam

Rarity: very rare
Krohnkite

Admired by collectors for it’s unique crystal formations, Khronkite is a rare sulfate mineral which, when cut, looks nearly identical to amazonite. It was discovered in 1876 at a remote mine in Chile, and was named after Bertram Krohnke, who first collected specimens at the mine after it’s discovery!

Color: bluish green

Moh: 2.5-3

Family: sulfates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: Austria, Chile, US (AZ)

Mcch: octahedral
Crayola jasper

A rare variety of jasper from the high desert of Nevada, Crayola jasper is named for its appearance to a pile of melted crayons! Coming in shades of yellow, blue, red, and green. It was discovered in Nevada in the late 1970’s, and is prized for it’s blotchy color patterns. As of 2022, it has been largely mined out.

Color: red, clay, yellow, green

Name: Crayola jasper

Family: jasper

M.o.h:  7

Occurrence: US (NV)

Mcch: massive

Rarity: very rare
Ametrine

AMETRINE

Legend has it that a Spanish conquistador discovered the original mine of this beautiful stone in the 1600’s, and presented it to his queen. The mine was given to him as a gift for his discovery, and then… It was lost. It was not until the 1960’s over 300 years later that the abandoned mine was rediscovered, and put into operation. The mine still operates today, and is the only place that natural ametrine is found!

Color: purple, golden yellow

Name: Ametrine

Family: quartz

M.o.h: 7.5

Occurrence: Bolivia

Mcch: massive

Rarity: rare

FACTOIDS

National  - Bolivia

*R* - Bolivia

Q

hS
Chrysoprase

Often called the stone of venus, Chrysoprase is the rarest and most valuable green member of the chalceony family! It was used by the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians in many chalices, jewelry, and ornamental artworks, sometimes being mistaken for emerald due to its similar coloring from chromium. Alexander the great had a chrysoprase amulet that he reportedly lost in the battle of Athens in 1500 BC! It is still a very popular gem today!

Color: aqua green-deep green

Name: chrysoprase

Family: quartz/chalcedony

Moh: 7.5

Occurrence: australia,china, africa

Mcch: veinular

Rarity: uncommon
Artinite

Artinite

Artinite is a fairly rare carbonate mineral which was discovered in 1902 in Italy, and was named after Italian minerologist Ettore Artini. Like many softer gemstones, it is very hard to produce a gemstone due to low hardness of just 2.5! Therefore, it is quite rare to find in personal collections.

Color: colorless

Moh: 2.5

Family: carbonates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: worldwide

Mcch: needles
Ajo Calcite

Ajo Calcite

Calcite is one of the most diverse gems on earth, even rivaling quartz in terms of Diversity! Blue, or ajo, calcite is just one of them! This beautiful sky blue calcite is found primarily in central mexico, although in recent times, new deposits have been discovered in Iceland, as well as madagascar! (of course)

Name: Ajo calcite, Blue calcite

Family: calcite

MOH: 3

MCCH: Rhombohedral

Occurrence: Iceland, Mexico

Rarity: common

Color: light blue
Chalcanthite

Very well known for it’s famous neon blue color, Chalcanthite is a copper sulfate mineral, (the source of it’s dense blue color) and is oftentimes grown artificially, with most natural crystals coming from small deposits worldwide. It’s name comes from the greek word ‘’Chalcantum’’ meaning ‘’flowers of copper’’ they were discovered in 1853 in germany, and are aslo very water soluble, so be careful!

Color: neon blue

Moh: 2.5

Family: sulfates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: worldwide

Mcch: stalactitic
Eudialyte

First discovered in 1819 in Greenland, eudialyte is an uncommon compound mineral consisting of itself, Aegirine, and Elbaite. The vibrant pink of the stone makes it popular in simplistic jewelry, specifically for use as cabochons. The stone can also be radioactive, as some specimens contain small traces of the mineral Cerium.

Color:white, gray, pink

Name: Eudialyte

Family: Eudialyte

Moh: 5-5.5

Occurrence: most of the old world

Mcch: prismatic

Rarity: uncommon-rare
Anhydrite

Anhydrite

Anhydrite is a calcium sulfate mineral discovered in 1704 in brazil. It is the same family of angelite. The name Anhydrite was given by AG Werner in 1804, due to its lack of water in terms of crystallization. It is most commonly found in South America, specifically, Peru.

Color: purple, light blue

Name: Anhydrite, Anhydrine

Family: Calcium Sulfates

MOH: 3.5

Occurrence: mostly South america

MCCH: Orthorombic

Rarity: rare
Larimar

Larimar is a rare form of pectolite, which was discovered in the 1970's and is only found in the Dominican Republic.  It has an extraordinary blue appearance similar to the color of the ocean in tropical areas. It was named after it’s discoverers daughter, Larissa, and ‘’mar’’ the spanish word for ‘’sea’’. The stone is often also called dolphin stone, and is thought by natives to have originated in Atlantis! It is one of the most popular gems in the modern collecting community, and will be for a long time.

Color: aqua green-sky blue

Name: Larimar

Family: pectolite

M.o.h: 5-7

Occurrence: Dominican republic

Mcch: veinular

Rarity: rare
Cotton candy agate

One of Mexico’s more unique agate varieties, cotton candy agate is composed of tasty looking pink or peach jasper, which has been breccicated over time, the cracks filled in with light pink or cream colored chalcedony. The breccia can appear cloud-like, which is what led to its savory name. It is also one of the most recently discovered Mexican agates, first popularized by the 2018 Kino rock and gem show!

Color: pink, lavender, cream, white

Name: cotton candy agate

Family: quartz/agate

M.o.h: 7

Occurrence: Mexico

Mcch: breccia

Rarity: very rare
Emerald

One of the ‘’big four’’ precious gemstones, Emerald is a vibrant, seawater green variety of beryl. First used by humans around 2500 BC, Cleopatra was obsessed with emeralds, decorating much of her kingdom with the beautiful gemstone. They were also highly prized by the Aztecs, and when the Aztec civilization collapsed, much of the kingdom's emeralds were lost in the jungle, being discovered by English settlers centuries later! Most recently, in 2017, a shipwreck off the coast of Cyprus was found containing two massive emerald crystals collectively worth 1.2 Billion dollars! Emerald is the birthstone of may, as well as the national gem of Columbia.

Color: green

Name: Emerald

Family: Beryl

Moh: 7.5-8

Occurrence: columbia, africa, NC, russia,

Mcch: prismatic

Rarity: rare
Kainosite

A fairly unkown and rare gem, Kainosite is a rare cyclosilicate mineral discovered in Germany in 1886 and named after the greek word ‘’Kainos’’ meaning ‘’uncommon’’ referring to it’s unusual chemical construct. The most prized specimens are famed for their rich chestnut yellow color, which can be cut into beautiful gemstones!

Color: chestnut, yellow, colorless

Moh: 5-6

Family: cyclosilicates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: germany, Austria, Malawi, Italy, US (NC,WA)

Mcch: tabular
Chohua jasper

Discovered in china in the late 1990’s, Chohua jasper, or Coffee bean jasper, is a somewhat rare splotchy brown and cream jasper that is charecterized by gorgeous black trees of iron and manganese dendrites trapped within the jasper, giving it a very refined, artsy, Ornamental look which has made it become a very popular carving stone!

Name: Chohua Jasper

Family: quartz, jasper

MOH: 7

MCCH: Massive

Occurrence: China, Mongolia

Rarity: Uncommon

Color: Brown, Beige, Black
Chromite

Despite it’s silver color, which would suggest it is metallic in nature, Chromite is actually a variety of Spinel! It gets it’s sheen from chromium, an extremely important mineral for which it is actually a primary source of! It was discovered in Germany in 1845 and was named for, you guessed it, it’s chrome content!

Color: black-brown

Moh: 5.5

Family: chromium oxides

Rarity: common

Occurrence: worldwide

Mcch: isometric
Crater agate

Discovered in 1997 in a remote area of Patagonia, crater agate, also called red fox agate, is a variety of red and black botroydial agate that is often noted for its brutal appearance. The stone is also very fluorescent due to salt impurities in the stone. It is very hard to find, and remains a prized collectors piece!

Color: black, gray, red

Name: crater agate

Family: quartz/agate

Moh: 7

Occurrence: Argentina

Mcch: nodular

Rarity: rare
Hodgkinsonite

A true collector's gem, and perhaps one of the rarest gemstones period, Hodgkinsonite is an extremely rare gem which was discovered in franklin, new jersey in 1913, and named after local mine director H.H Hodgkinson. The Franklin mine, which is the only known source of the precious gem, was closed after the mineral was entirely mined out in the 1960’s, making it a genuinely scarce, and elusive gemstone!

Color: pink, orange, yellow

Moh: 4.5-5

Family: Zinc Hydroxides

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: US (NJ)

Mcch: euhedral
Flower agate

Flower agate is an uncommon, light pink - gray variety of plume agate discovered in Madagascar in 2011. It is one of the most readily available varieties of the rather rare plume agate, and is famous for it’s unusual pink hue. It has become very popular in the modern gem collecting community, and is quite affordable for such a high quality stone!

Color: light pink-gray

Name: Flower agate

Family: quartz/agate

Moh: 7

Occurrence: Madagascar

Mcch: massive

Rarity: uncommon
King cobra jasper

Discovered in India in the early 2010’s, King cobra jasper is a fairly uncommon variety of orbicular chalcedony and jasper found in the uttar pradesh region of northern India. It very closely resembles ocean jasper, another orbicular jasper that is found in Madagsacar!

Color: shale green, cream, white, red

Name: King cobra Jasper

Family: quartz/Jasper

M.o.h:  7

Occurrence: India

Mcch: Orbicular

Rarity: Uncommon
Amesite

Amesite

Amesite is a fairly rare, Druzy Phyllosillicate mineral that was discovered in none other than the Ural mountains of Russia in 1875 and named in honor of James Tyler Ames, who was an american inventor, as well as well known mineral and gem collector, from Massachussets. It is known for it’s beautiful druzy lavender crystals!

Name: Amesite

Family: Phyllosilicates

MOH: 2.5-3

MCCH: Trigonal

Occurrence: Russia, Germany, Japan, China

Rarity: Rare

Color: Lavender, Magenta, Pink
Diopside

Diopside is a variety of mineral that was first documented around 1800, in italy. It is most often a pale green, and forms in limestone and other soft host rock. It is often used in jewelry, specifically it’s varieties of black star diopside, a metalic, black gem found in India, and chrome diopside, a deep green gem found in siberia russia!

Color:green, black

Name: Diopside

Family: pyroxene

Moh: 5-5.5

Occurrence: most of the old world

Mcch: prismatic

Rarity: uncommon-rare
Oakstone

Oakstone is a very rare, and peculiar variety of orbicular Baryte which was first discovered in Derbyshire, England, in 1870. Named for it’s similar appearance to that of the concentric growth rings in oak wood, it was a very popular local decorative stone for decades, and eventually, it was mined out, making it a rare and unique collectors gemstone!

Color: brown, beige

Moh: 3

Family: Baryte

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: England

Mcch: pseudo-stalactitic
Goshenite

Goshenite is a colorless variety of the mineral beryl, and gets its name from the small town of Goshen, Massachusetts, where it was first discovered. Referred to as the "Mother of Crystals," goshenite is also associated with motherhood. Goshenite was once used for the manufacturing of eyeglasses, because of its excellent transparency. Though the gem value is relatively low, it is most commonly used for gemstone or metaphysical purposes.

Color: clear

Name: Goshenite

Family: Beryl

Moh: 7.5-8

Occurrence: massachusetts, brazil

Mcch: prismatic

Rarity: rare
Keyite

Keyite is a rare alluaudite mineral. The name comes from Charles Locke Key, an American mineral dealer who furnished its first specimens.  Being a very rare cadmium copper arsenate, keyite is only found in Tsumeb, Namibia in the Tsumeb mine, a world-famous copper mine known for its abundance of rare and unusual minerals!

Color: blue

Moh: 3.5-4

Family: alluaudite

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: Greece, Namibia

Mcch: prismatic
Jenakite

A rare variety of blue flash Nuumite discovered in the Sahara desert of the fairly little known country of Mauritania in northern africa in 2009, Jenakite is a very high grade nuumite, an ancient mineral that a new deposit of had’nt been discovered of until that of Jenakite! The beautiful blue flashes are believed to be caused by Titanium!

Color: black w/blue flashes

Name: Jenakite

Family: Nuumite

M.o.h:  5.5-6

Occurrence: Mauritania

Mcch: Radial

Rarity: Rare
Huntigirite

Huntigirite is an extremely rare variety of Serpentine with pyrite inclusions only found in Khakassia, Russia, at the Teysk ore deposit. The stone was discovered in 1930, and the ore vein in which it is found is in a national wildlife preserve for Siberian tigers, and therefore, the stone will not be mined after 2022 when the area is officially designated for conservation. So get it while you can!

Color: pale green, gold, black

Name: Huntigirite

Family: serpentine/pyrite

M.o.h: 4.5-6

Occurrence: Russia

Mcch: veinular

Rarity: very rare
Milarite

First discovered in the Giuv valley in switzerland in 1870, Milarite is a rare, colorless to rarely canary yellow osumilite gem which had quite the conundrum when it came to naming it, named after what was mistakenly thought to have been it’s locality, Van milar, Switzerland, however, it was actually discovered in the Giuv Valley!

Color: colorless-yellow

Moh: 6

Family: osumillite

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: Europe

Mcch: hexagonal
Gold sheen obsidian

Gold obsidian, or gold sheen obsidian, is an uncommon variety of obsidian with golden schiller at the surface caused by the formation of gas bubbles as the lava cooled into obsidian, resulting in a golden dust like schiller. It is most commonly found in the northwestern US, like many other sheen obsidians, and is very popular in jewelry settings for it’s faux appearance.

Color: black w/gold sheen

Name: gold sheen obsidian

Family: obsidian

Moh: 3.5

Occurrence: northwest US

Mcch: massive

Rarity: uncommon
Lazurite

Used in ancient dyes alongside the infamous azurite and Lapis lazuli, (the latter of which it is a key component of) Lazurite is an azure blue silicate mineral that is only found on one place on earth alongside it’s close cousin, Lapis lazuli, in Afghanistan. Unlike lapis however, it has been known to crystalize in genuine, decent crystals!

Color: Deep Blue

Name: Lazurite

Family: Sillicates

M.o.h:  5-5.5

Occurrence: Afghanistan

Mcch: grainular, rarely prismatic

Rarity: rare
Rainbow jasper

Prized by lapidarists and landscapers for it’s beautiful mauve, red, and yellow coloring, including small speckles of pyrite in between! The cliff dwelling Anasazi Native Americans of Mesa Verde in southwest Colorado formed arrowheads from rainbow jasper! It is only found in the aforementioned US state of Colorado!

Color: mauve, red, yellow

Moh: 7

Family: jasper

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: US (CO)

Mcch: massive
Musgravite

One of the rarest gemstones on Earth, Musgravite was discovered at the base of the musgrave mountains of australia in 1967 during a field expedition. For which it is named. It is also very similar to the also exceedingly rare mineral Taffeite. Since 1967, all specimens have been mined out, and prices can exceed $60K a CARAT!

Color: light pink - greyish lavander

Moh: 8-8.5

Family: oxides

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: antarctica, greenland

Mcch: trigonal
Grossular

Grossular garnets are an orange-red, and occasionally green, variety of garnet most commonly found in russia. Discovered in Russia in the late 1850’s, grossular is famous for its color variation, from light yellows to deep reds. It is still very common in jewelry today, and is a favorite for garnets in the lapidary buisness.

Color: lime green-yellow-orange-red

Name: grossular garnet

Family: garnet

Moh: 7.5-8

Occurrence: russia, brazil, east asia

Mcch: grainular

Rarity: rare
Kauri gum

Kauerilite, or kauri gum, is a rare form of amber which is found exclusively in the mountains of the island country of New Zealand! First carved by the ancient Maori people thousands of years ago into charms and ornaments, kauri gum is also the youngest form of amber by far, at just over 5,000 years old!

Color: yellow, orange, red

Name: Kauerilite, Kauri gum

Family: none (Organic)

M.o.h:   1.5-3

Occurrence: New Zealand

Mcch: None (Organic)

Rarity: Rare
Morganite

Morganite is a rare, pale salmon - pink variety of beryl first discovered in madagascar in the early 1910’s, making it one of the newest beryl species discovered. The stone was named after famous american financier J.P morgan, who himself was a well known gem collector, with his collection displayed at the harvard campus. It is the state gem of New Hampshire, where it was discovered shortly after the original discovery in Madagascar, as well as the national gemstone of madagascar as well. Due to it’s relatively recent discovery, the stone does not have much of a history, but it has quickly become quite popular today.

Color: salmon-light pink

Name: Morganite

Family: Beryl

M.o.h:  7.5-8

Occurrence: madagascar, california, new hampshire, pakistan, brazil

Mcch: tabular/prismatic

Rarity: rare
Painite

Discovered in Myanmar in the 1950’s, Painite was once thought to be the rarest mineral on earth, when a tiny deposit of just 12 specimens were disocvered in Myanmar's alluvial gravel deposits, with the only cut gemstone being in the tower of London's museum! However, a much larger yield was discovered in India in the late 2000’s. Painite is a borate mineral, and is named after british gemologist Arthur Pain, who first noticed the mineral.

Color: red, orange, brown

Moh: 8

Family: borates

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: myanmar, india

Mcch: orthorombic
Cairngorm quartz

A very light brown, to occasionally pale grey variety of smoky quartz, Cairngorm was most likely the first variety of smoky quartz used by modern humans! It was initially discovered a few hundred years ago in rock banks along the ridges of its namesake, Scotland’s Cairngorm mountains! Since then, it has been found in other parts of northern Europe, including England, and Norway!

Color: light brown or grey

Name: cairngorm

Family: quartz

M.o.h: 7

Occurrence: Scotland, England, Norway

Mcch: prismatic

Rarity: uncommon
Phlogopite

Sometimes called fire mica, Phlogopite is a rare variety of Mica which was discovered in 1841 in Edwards, New York. It gets its name from the Greek word ‘’Phlogopos’’ meaning ‘’resembling fire’’ due to it’s flashy, platy crystals colored with a pearly lustre!

Color: yellow, green, red, brown

Name: Phlogopite

Family: Mica

M.o.h:  2.5-3

Occurrence: India, Sri lanka, Myanmar, US (NY,NJ)

Mcch: Platy

Rarity: Rare
Aquamarine

Aquamarine is a very well known gem. It is the birthstone of march, as well as the most common variety of beryl. Aquamarine was first mentioned in a record dating back to 1609, and is a valued gem of ancient heritage. The largest single aquamarine crystal ever found is the Dom Pedro, a 245 pound goliath discovered in Brazil in 1910! Aquamarine also has an abundance of stories and myths surrounding it; the Romans believed that if one were carved into a frog, it would help ensure reconciliation! Another legend suggests that the stone can absorb young love! And the Greeks saw it as the sailor’s stone as it was believed to protect them to the point of near invincibility while on the open sea!

Color: blue, pale green,

Name: Aquamarine

Family: Beryl

M.o.h: 7-8

Occurrence: worldwide

Mcch: hexagonal and prismatic

Rarity: rare

FACTOIDS

USA - Colorado

P

Bs - march

M - 19th
Moldavite

Found only in the rolling hills around the central czech republic, moldavite is a bottle green, natural glass tektite thought to have been formed by a meteor impact over 15 million years ago, caused by a splatter of hot glass from when the meteor touched down! First used in the mid 1800’s in Europe for jewelry, the stone is acclaimed amongst gem collectors, as well as meteorite and space debris enthusiasts. The stone is also said to amongst one of the most powerful stones by metaphysicysts, mostly for it’s age and alien origins.

Color: bottle green

Name: Moldavite

Family: tektite / natural glass

M.o.h:  5.5-7

Occurrence: Czech republic

Mcch: amorphous

Rarity: rare
Pyromorphite

First discovered in Spain in 1813 by an unknown discoverer, Pyromorphite is a vibrant green lead chlorophosphate. It gets its name from the Greek words ‘’pyre’’ meaning fire, and ‘’morfe’’ meaning form, because after being melted down into a globule, the stone will reform with time! It is most commonly found in China, although Arizona also has a fair amount!

Color: yellow, lime green

Name: Pyromorphite

Family: Lead Chlorophosphates

M.o.h:  3.5-4

Occurrence: China, US (AZ, ID), Mexico

Mcch: Acicular

Rarity: Rare
Iolite

Iolite is a variety of the mineral cordeirite. This mineral was named after French geologist cordier. The name iolite comes from ios, the Greek word for violet. iolite is pleochroic- meaning it transmits light differently when viewed from different directions. The Vikings made iolite's pleochroism a virtue by using thin slices of the stone as a light polarizer to navigate their trips. By observing the sky through iolites, the Viking navigators were able to locate the exact position of the sun on overcast days. Iolite does what a Polaroid does- it cancels out haze, mist, and clouds to make things appear clearer. In fact, the stone has been called the "Viking's Compass." Only officially named in 1912, iolite has been used and admired for centuries. It was very popular in jewelry in the 18th Century in Europe but today it is used somewhat infrequently.

Color: deep blue- violet

Name: Iolite

Family: cordierite

M.o.h:  7-7.5

Occurrence: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India

Mcch: prismatic

Rarity: rare
Nenadkevichite

Nenadkevichite is a very rare, Niobium silicate mineral that was first discovered on Russia’s remote Kola peninsula in 1955! It is admired by collectors for it’s rarity, as well as it’s beautiful dipyramidal, rosey pink colored crystals! It gets its name from russian minerologist Konstantin Nenadkevich.

Color: salmon pink-orange

Moh: 5

Family: Niobium Silicates

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: Russia, Greenland, Finland, Norway

Mcch: dipyramidal
Crocoite

Crocoite is a fairly rare Lead chromate mineral famed by mineral collectors for it’s vivid hot orange blades of crystals. First discovered in a hillside in the Ural mountains of Russia in 1766. Since then, Tasmania has become the most prominent source though, producing world quality specimens. In the 1980’s, another deposit was discovered in Arizona as well!

Color: orange - red

Moh: 2.5-3

Family: chromates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: russia, tasmania, brazil, US (AZ)

Mcch: acicular
Gobi agate

A unique form of Botryoidal chalcedony, Gobi agates are somewhat rare, Globular masses of Chalcedony found in streams throughout southeast Asia’s famous Gobi desert! The origin of the peculiar stones is not entirely clear, although they are believed to be about 450-500 million years old. The cause of their shape is also mysterious, but it is believed to be a result of weathering in the constantly changing sands over the course of Millenia!

Color: brown, red, orange, yellow, teal

Name: Gobi agate

Family: Quartz, agate

M.o.h:  7

Occurrence: China

Mcch: Botryoidal

Rarity: Uncommon
Prairie zoisite

A rare variety of zoisite, Prairie Tanzanite, was recently discovered in the Jade fields of Wyoming, USA, which is how it got it’s name. It is a stunning mineral that grows within the Jade, displaying muted pinks, creams, whites and purples. It is opaque like Jade and has a similar soft, gentle feel to it. However, do not be fooled! As Zoisite is part of the Epidote group!

Color: lilac-lavender, white

Name: Prairie tanzanite

Family: Zoisite, Jadeite

M.o.h:  6.5-7

Occurrence: US (WY)

Mcch: Massive

Rarity: Rare
Hyacinth

A rare variety of yellow to deep orange Zircon, In the Middle Ages, this gem was thought to induce sound sleep, drive away evil spirits, and promote riches, honor, and wisdom. Many scholars think the stone’s name comes from the Arabic word zarkun, meaning “cinnabar” or “vermilion.” Others believe the source is the Persian word zargun, or “gold colored!

Color: yellow-red

Moh: 7-7.5

Family: Zircon

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: US (VA,MI) myanmar, china

Mcch: tetragonal
Orpheus agate

Discovered in Bulgaria and seenused in jewelley like talismans, and carvings dating back to the 16th century, The story of the Orpheus stone is shrouded in mystery. According to legend the mythical Thracian Orpheus was wearing a ring of this type of color agate , which was his " secret muse ." When Orpheus' wife, Eurydice, was killed he went to the underworld to bring her back. The power of agate was considered so strong that Orpheus is depicted as carrying agate on his descent into Hades!

Color: green, orange, grey, yellow

Family: Agate/quartz

M.o.h: 7

Occurrence: Bulgaria

Mcch: nodular

Rarity: very rare
Missouri lace agate

Yet another example of some of America's great agates, Missouri lace agate, which, as it’s name suggests, can be found near the small town of Tiff, in Washington county, Missouri. They most commonly form with beautiful red, yellow, orange, and grey banding, which makes them very popular in jewelry.

Color: cream, grey, orange, red, yellow

Name: Missouri lace agate

Family: agate/quartz

M.o.h: 7

Occurrence: US (MO)

Mcch: Veinular

Rarity: Very rare
Palm wood

Discovered in the Philippines in the 1880’s, Palm wood is a petrified form of ancient palm tree wood estimated to be about 88 million years old! It was likely trapped and preserved in bogs following whatever event led to their preservation. They have been found in nearly full trees in part of texas, and louisiana, as of recently!

Color: Brown, beige, black

Name: Palm wood, Palm root

Family: Petrified wood

M.o.h:  6.5-7

Occurrence: Philippines, Indonesia, US (TX) (LA)

Mcch: none (organic)

Rarity: Rare
Petrified wood

Petrified wood is a fossil. It forms when plant material is buried by sediment and protected from decay due to oxygen and organisms. Then,groundwater rich in dissolved solids flows through the sediment, replacing the original plant material with silica, calcite, pyrite, or another inorganic material such as opal. The result is a fossil of the original woody material that often exhibits preserved details of the bark, wood, and cellular structures. It is found worldwide, but is most common in the western U.S.

Color: beige, brown, black, white, tan, orange, red.

Name: Petrified wood

Family: multiple

M.o.h:  7.5

Occurrence: worldwide, mostly western US

Mcch: fossilized, organic

Rarity: uncommon
Libyan desert glass

A rare, pale yellow glass found only in the deserts of the sahara desert, The origin of desert glass is uncertain. Meteoric origins have long been considered possible, and recent research links the glass to impact features, such as zircon-breakdown, vaporized quartz and meteoritic metals, and to animpact crater. Some geologists] associate the glass with radiative melting from meteoric large arial bursts, making it analogous to trinitite created from sand exposed to the thermal radiation of a nuclear explosion. Libyan Desert glass has been dated as having formed about 26 million years ago. Like obsidian, it was knapped, and used to make tools during the pleistocene period. king tut had a headpiece with a desert glass scarab beetle found in his tomb!

Color: pale yellow

Name: libyan desert glass

Family: natural glass

M.o.h:  5.5

Occurrence: sahara desert, libya

Mcch: shardial

Rarity: rare
Picture jasper

Picture this: As far as you can see, the landscape is filled with mountains that rise one beyond the other, like some John Ford western film. Picture jasper is most reminiscent of the dusty Old West's vast sandy expanse with golden brown and red stone "mountains" rising like ancient castles from it. Today it's an ideal gemstone for jewelry with a southwestern look. It is mostly found in Mexico, and the southwestern US.

Color: dusty beige - brown

Name: Picture jasper

Family: jasper/quartz

M.o.h:  7

Occurrence: mexico, southwest US

Mcch: massive

Rarity: uncommon
Kyawthuite

Talk about a mystery, Kyawthuite is perhaps one of the rarest gemstones ever discovered, with even it’s identity as a mineral being entirely unknown as of 2021! It was discovered in a tiny deposit in the famed alluvial gravel bars of southern Myanmar in 2017 by miners who had gone out to look for sapphire. Thinking it to be an orange sapphire, they took it to a jeweler, who sent it to the IGS where it was claimed as a new gemstone entirely!

Color: cinnamon orange

Moh: 5.5

Family: unknown as of 2021

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: Myanmar

Mcch: alluvial
Jacinto quartz

Named after pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela, who carried it from other parts of Spain and used it as a kind of talisman, Jacinto quartz is a rare variety of hematoid quartz that is found exclusively in Spain, and is one of the rarer forms of red quartz!

Color: tomato red

Moh: 7

Family: Quartz

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: spain

Mcch: prismatic
Narsarsukite

Narsarsukite is a very rare sillicate mineral which was first discovered in narssarssuk, greenland, for which it was named, in 1900, although it would not be recognized as an official standalone mineral species until all the way in 1990. Today, it is found mostly near mont-saint hillaire, in Quebec, Canada, although large deposits can still be found in Scandinavian countries like Norway, Greenland, Russia, and finland.

Color: yellow - orange

Family: silicates

M.o.h: 5.5-7

Occurrence: Canada, Norway, Russia, Finland, Greenland

Mcch: tabular

Rarity: very rare
Indicolite

One of the most prized colors of tourmaline, indicolite, first discovered by the east indian trade company way back in the late 1790’s in the gravel beds of sri lanka, it quickly made it’sway to england where it was identified. The rare stone is most commonly found in a few sparse locations across the globe, like brazil, sri lanka, madagascar, pakistan, and california in the US.

Color: light - indigo blue

Name: Indicolite

Family: tourmaline

M.o.h:  7.5-8

Occurrence: brazil, sri lanka, pakistan, US

Mcch: prismatic

Rarity: rare
Moolooite

Moolooite, also sometimes called Kazach turquoise, is a rare oxalate bio-mineral thought to be formed by the interaction between the organic plant lichen with oxidizing copper minerals! It is a truly weird, and poorly understood stone, discovered at mooloo station, Australia, in 1986, for which it is named after.

Color: turquoise

Moh: 2.5-3

Family: Oxalate minerals

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: germany, Kazakhstan, Australia

Mcch: orthorhombic
Outback jasper

Outback jasper is a fairly rare variety of Australian picture jasper Discovered by fossickers in the Midwest region of Western Australia near the small gold mining center of Payne's Find in the late 1970’s. It is most often used as a decorative stone used in beaded jewelry, and sometimes carvings as well!

Color: cream, pink, orange, red

Family: jasper/quartz

M.o.h: 7

Occurrence: Australia

Mcch: massive

Rarity: rare
Mulligan peak agate

Another American agate, Mulligan peak agate, as it’s name suggests, is a variety of nodular purple, pink, and red banded agate which was discovered around 2012 at Mulligan peak in Arizona. It is a very well banded, colorful variety of agate, and is one of Arizona's many gems and minerals!

Color: pink, grey, red, mauve

Name: Mulligan peak agate

Family: Agate/Quartz

M.o.h: 7

Occurrence: US (AZ)

Mcch: Nodular

Rarity: Very Rare
Pistachio calcite

Pistachio Calcite is a beautiful bright lime green to blue-green form of Green Calcite, found in Pakistan. Green-Calcite belongs to the mineral class of carbonate and is formed through sedimentation. The green colour is due to chlorite that got trapped during crystallization. It has a soothing light green shade, and the stone is translucent yet opaque, with banding of yellow, pale and darker greens, as well as pale green-blues!

Color: mint green

Name: Pistachio Calcite

Family: Calcite

M.o.h: 3

Occurrence: Pakistan

Mcch: Orthorhombic

Rarity: uncommon
Hanksite

Hanksite is a fairly rare, grey to olive green crystalline carbonate sulfate mineral that is only found in the salty and arid lake of Searles Lake in southern California, USA. It was named for H.G Hanks, an american Geologist, and the original discoverer of the mineral. It can also be found in other salt flats in California, such as the Salton sea, Soda lake, and Mono lake, all of which are in the infamous Death valley!

Color: grey, olive green

Name: Hanksite

Family: carbonate sulfates

M.o.h: 3-3.5

Occurrence: US (CA)

Mcch: Hexagonal

Rarity: Rare
Prehnite

A unique, actinolite included green gem, Prehnite was named after the Dutchman Colonel H. Von Prehn (1733-1785), who first discovered the stone at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. He then brought and introduced prehnite to Europe. Prehnite is not usually used for jewelry. It is mostly used as ornamental stones or bought by collectors. Prehnite is usually cut into facet cuts or cabochons, some displaying a cat’s-eye effect. Step and baguette cuts are also popular. Most specimens of prehnite are small. Many prehnite specimens, particularly from china, have thin black actinolite needles in the stone!.

Color: pale yellow - lime green

Name: Prehnite

Family: silicate mineral

M.o.h:  6-6.5

Occurrence: china, namibia, south africa, india, mongolia, vietnam

Mcch: massive/ botroydial

Rarity: uncommon
Boracite

Boracite is a fairly rare mineral that was discovered first in Germany back in 1789. It is well known for it’s surprising hardness, as well as beautiful botryoidal crystal habit coming in shades of light blue, teal, green, and yellow! It is rarely cut as a collectors gem as flawless natural crystals are extremely rare!

Name: Boracite

Family: Magnesium Borates

MOH: 7-7.5

MCCH: Orthorhombic

Occurrence: Germany, Canada

Rarity: Rare

Color: white, yellow, green, blue
Grenatite

Grenatite is a recently discovered mineral from the country of Madagascar. It exhibits an exterior full of extremely small micro-Garnets on a Quartz-Feldspar matrix. These abundant silicate minerals make Grenatite extremely dense and noticeably bright under certain light. Due to their recent discovery in 2018, it does not have much history yet! But I'm sure it will soon!

Color: grey/red

Name: Grenatite, wine garnet

Family: garnet

M.o.h: 6.5

Occurrence: Madagascar

Mcch: Grainular

Rarity: Uncommon
Idar oberstein agate

one of the rare and prized agates of europe, in the rivers and creeks near the small german village of idar-oberstein, you may find some colorful red and white agate nodules. they are named after the small village, which sits in a volcanic field, which is where the agate originates, having been washed into view by the running water of creeks!
Keenewa agate

Keenewa agate, also called lake superior agate, is a very interesting variety of agate, as it is believed to be the oldest agate on Earth! Over 1 billion years ago, when the north american plate split apart, lava flows forced trillions of tons of rock and magma to the surface, forming the shores of lake superior! When the water combined with this highly pressurized magma, it created a lake superior agate! Many natives of the area see it as a sacred stone, and it is commonly found in tribal jewelry!

Color: red, brown, orange, white, pink

Name: Keenewa agate, Lake superior agate.

Family: Quartz/Agate

M.o.h:  7

Occurrence: US (MI,WI,MN) Canada

Mcch: grainular

Rarity: Uncommon
Golden healer quartz

Golden quartz, also called golden healer quartz, is a hemitoid quartz colored yellow by iron inclusions. The Hematite in Hematoid was used by the ancient Egyptians as an amulet of protection against madness. It is sometimes called "the lawyer's stone" believed to bring favorable judgments to the wearer involved in a court case. This belief dates to the Babylonian author Azchali as that wrote that the stone would aid in petitions to the King and be victorious in lawsuits. It is very popular in the metaphysical  community, and is only found in brazil!

Color: gold-brown

Name: Golden quartz

Family: quartz

Moh: 7

Occurrence: brazil

Mcch: massive

Rarity: uncommon
Jagate

Jelly opal is the name for varieties of opal that, while very milky and transparent, do not display a play of color. Most commonly found in mexico alongside mexican fire opals, it is also sometimes found in oregon, nevada, utah, and much of australia. It is valuable on it’s own for it’s unique clarity.

Color: multi

Name: jelly opal

Family: opal

M.o.h:  5-6

Occurrence: worldwide

Mcch: veinular

Rarity: uncommon
Dragon scale calcite

Found only in the fairly famous American mine in Missouri known as the Sweetwater mine, Dragon scale calcite is an incredibly rare variety of steel blue-gray dogtooth calcite that has very distinct, jagged crystals, (hence the name) and beautiful inclusions of steel-golden metallic marcasite! It was heavily mined upon discovery in the late 1970’s, and today is one of the most sought after calcites out there!

Color: bluish-gray

Name: Dragon scale calcite

Family: calcite

M.o.h: 3

Occurrence: US (MO)

Mcch: triclinic

Rarity: very rare
Gartrellite

Often forming in very small, Druzy crystals atop other minerals of it’s local mines, Gartrellite is a rare, yellow crystalline variety of Trumscorite which was first discovered in a field outside the small outpost town of Ashburton station, Australia, in 1987. It is named after late minerologist and collector blaire gartrell!

Color: yellow

Moh: 4.5

Family: trumscorite

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: Namibia, Chile, US (NV,MT,UT,AZ), Italy, UK

Mcch: triclinic
Malachite

First discovered as far back as 4000 BC, Probably the most famous of the copper carbonates, malachite is a fibrous, deep green mineral with a lot of history. First used to carve ornaments, as well as make green pigments in the Egyptian period, the stone is famous for its use in decor. It was also carved into pendants and amulets as it was thought to protect children from evil. Later on, in Russia, some of the most vast amounts of malachite veins ever found were discovered in the Ural mountains, and the czars prized them so much that the halls of the st. Isaac's cathedral in st. Petersburg was adorned with pillars and chiseled slabs of the stone!

Color: pale-dark green

Name: Malachite

Family: copper carbonate minerals

M.o.h:  4

Occurrence: southwestern US, russia, the congo, isreal, zambia

Mcch: fibrous

Rarity: uncommon
Mtorolite

A rare variety of chrome chalcedony, colored a gorgeous apple to emerald green color by copious inclusions of chromium, Mtrolite is actually the national gem of Zimbabwe! It was discovered there in the village of mtoroshanga, where it got it’s name, by gem collectors in the late 1950’s. And as I stated before, it was named the national gemstone in 1978!

Color: forest green

Moh: 7

Family: quartz/chalcedony

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: Zimbabwe

Mcch: veinular
Myrickite

A unique combination of opal and cinnabar, myrickite has an equally interesting history. Discovered in 1912 in the californian desert by D.B sterret, who named the stone after miner francis Myrick, rumor has it, sterret discovered the mineral when he asked 2 other miners where he could find silver, whom jokingly responded to him that he should try digging under a tree, where he subsequently discovered the myrickite!

Color: Cream, Red

Name: Myrickite

Family: cinnabar, opal

M.o.h: 6.5-7

Occurrence: US (CA)

Mcch: veinular

Rarity: Very rare
Halite

Halite is a common salt mineral that oftentimes forms in dried up salt flats in arid desert terrain throughout the world. It was one of the first sources for culinary salt, being first mined from Jordan’s Dead sea as far back as 2500 years ago. Since then, it has been found in most salt flats around the world, with notable pink and blue hopper shaped clusters being found in california’s salton sea, and the salt flats of the great salt lake in utah!

Color: colorless, yellow, orange, blue, pink

Name: Halite, Rock salt

Family: Salt

M.o.h:  2-2.5

Occurrence: US (CA), Mexico, Spain, Greece

Mcch: Hopper crystals

Rarity: common-uncommon
Kutnohorite

Kutnohorite is a rare, manganese carbonate gem which was discovered in and named after Kutna hora, Bohemia, Czech republic, where it was unearthed in the early 1900s. It is only found in a few places on earth including the Czech republic, Sweden, and Italy!

Color: pink

Name: Kutnohorite

Family: Manganese carbonates

M.o.h: 3.5-4

Occurrence: Czechia, Italy, Sweden

Mcch: fibrous

Rarity: Rare
Morgan hill jasper

Found only at Morgan hill, California, (hence the name) Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper is a famous, but increasingly rare orbicular jasper with red and yellow dots of "poppy flowers". It is a brecciated jasper, meaning it probably came from sun-dried and oxidized iron-rich clay. The cracks were filled in by other substances!

Color: brown, red, yellow, orange

Moh: 7

Family: jasper

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: US (CA)

Mcch: veinular
Plasma agate

Discovered in the early 1980’s, Plasma agate is a fairly rare material found in the Clear Creek area of Central California. There never was a commercial deposit. Stones were collected by rockhounds and others on public land. The Federal Government closed the area to collecting several years ago. The best of the material is green with perhaps a bit of brown or tan and is highly agatized. The material is characterized by unique and interesting patterns!

Color: Sky blue, green, purple, red

Name: Plasma agate

Family: Agate

M.o.h:  7

Occurrence: California

Mcch: Massive

Rarity: Rare
Rhodizite

Named after the Greek word ‘’Rhodizien’’ meaning ‘’Rose colored’’ due to the stone’s odd ability to turn a hot pink red when applied to a blowtorch flame, rhodizite is a rare borate mineral. It was first discovered in 1834 in Russia’s famously gem rich Ural mountains, and was noted for it’s high hardness of an 8! It is also peisoelectric.

Color: colorless, pale yellow

Moh: 8

Family: borates

Rarity: rare

Occurrence: US (WI), russia, madagascar

Mcch: isometric
Rose quartz

Rose quartz is easily one of the most well known varieties of quartz, especially nowadays. First seen in smal beaded jewelry dating all the way back to 7000BC in ancient messopataimia where it was believed the stone prevented aging , the stone has since exploded in popularity.the most recent popularization of the stone came in 2013 when the american cartoon company Cartoon network released the hit show steven universe, in which a main character is a rose quartz. It is also very popular in the metaphysical community where it is considered a primary healing stone. In the early 2000’s a very rare deposit of crystalized rose quartz was discovered on a river island in Brazil, and remains the only source of crystalline rose quartz to this day in 2022!

Color: pink-lavander

Moh: 7

Family: Quartz

Rarity: common

Occurrence: madagascar, india, new hampshire

Mcch: massive, rarely crystalline
Londonite

A very rare, lemon yellow gem variety of the mineral Rhodizite, Londonite was first discovered in a madagsacan pegmatite in 1999, and was named after the man who first analyzed it, Oklahoma professor of geology, David London. It should be noted that over time, Londonite's color may fade in direct sunlight!

Color: lemon yellow

Moh: 8

Family: Rhodizite

Rarity: very rare

Occurrence: russia, madagascar

Mcch: isometric
Goethite

Goethite has been well known since ancient times for its use as a pigment (brown ochre). Evidence has been found of its use in paint pigment samples taken from the caves of lascaux in France. It was first described in 1806 based on samples found in the Hollertszug Mine in Herdorf, Germany. The mineral was named after the German Polymath and poet Johan Wofegang van goethe. An iron oxidized, iridescent rainbow variety of the stone was recently discovered in georgia!

Color: gray-brown-rainbow

Name: Goethite

Family: iron oxide

Moh: 3.5-4

Occurrence: worldwide

Mcch: massive

Rarity: uncommon