Mineral Collection (#87)

Lapis lazuli. Cross section through a specimen of lapis lazuli. This complex mineral contains a mixture of blue lazurite, white calcite and pyrite

Blue lace agate. Cut and polished specimens are at top left, polished specimens are at right and a specimen in its natural state is at bottom left

Cut and polished jasper in various shapes. Jasper is an opaque variety of quartz (silicon dioxide)

Azurite crystals. The specimen at top right is polished, the specimen at bottom is in its natural state. Azurite is a hydrated copper carbonate mineral. Its name refers to its colour, azure

Salt, conceptual image

Quartz vein in granite. Close-up of a quartz vein (white) running through a granite rock face with multiple faults (cracks)

Sedimentary rocks with intrusions of quartz and iron

Sample of galena
MODEL RELEASED. Sample of galena, held in a hand. Galena (lead sulphide, PbS) is a mineral ore that is a major source of lead, a metal with many applications in industry and manufacturing

Ensisheim meteorite fragment. Piece of the Ensisheim meteorite that fell on 7th November 1492. This was the earliest recorded European meteorite

Extracting sulphur, artwork
Extracting sulphur. 19th Century artwork of workers shovelling sulphur ore into kilns. Heating the ore melts the sulphur, which is collected in pools

Sulphur ore deposits, artwork
Sulphur ore deposits. 19th Century artwork of workers breaking up sulphur ore. Image from La Science Illustree Louis Figuier (1895)

Sulphur mine, artwork
Sulphur mine. 19th Century artwork of worker around the entrance of a sulphur mine. Image from La Science Illustree Louis Figuier (1895)

Stone meteorite fragment. Close-up of a fragment of meteorite NWA 5429, a breccia stone Type L3-9 meteorite found in the Sahara Desert, Northwest Africa, in 2001

Iron meteorite fragment. Fragment of an iron meteorite, a type of meteorite that originates from the core of protoplanets that were created and destroyed in the early history of the solar system

Canyon Diablo meteorite fragment
Meteorite of Canyon Diablo Crater, Coconino Country, Arizona near Winslow on Rote 66. Classification: Iron Octahedrite, coarse (1AB). Total weight was more than 30 tons, found in 1891

Campo del Cielo meteorite fragment. This is a fragment of an iron meteorite, a type of meteorite that originates from the core of protoplanets that were created

Petrified Tree trunk, Libya
Petrified wood (from Greek root petro meaning " rock" or " stone" ; literally " wood turned into stone" ) in the Libyan desert

Concretions in shale, Canadian Arctic
Concretions occurring along clearly defined strata in shale. Photographed on Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian arctic

Ripple marks in submerged sediments of the river Rhine, Switzerland

Stones and fine sediment in a creek, Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian Arctic

Iron pyrite
Nugget of iron pyrite

Collection of semiprecious gemstones

Silver Nitrate, light micrograph
Composite crystals of Silver Nitrate, polarised light micrograph

Lunar meteorite on a display stand. This 6-centimetre-long fragment of rock was originally part of a meteor that burnt up in the Earths atmosphere, with the surviving fragments known as meteorites

Radiolarian skeleton, artwork
Radiolarian skeleton. Computer artwork of the skeleton (test) of a radiolarian. Radiolaria are single-celled protozoans that are found in marine plankton

Sample of clay. Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained minerals (phyllosilicate minerals)

Coral uplifted by volcanic activity
Coral that has been uplifted above sea level by volcanic activity. The coral is long-dead, but the mineral structure remains, composed mostly of calcium minerals

Marine protozoa shells, SEM
Marine protozoa shells, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The shells (tests) seen here include those of foraminifera, as well as coral spicules, radiolarian tests and cocccoliths

Sample of granite. Granite is a crystalline intrusive igneous rock consisting of potassium feldspar and quartz with hornblende and mica as common accessory minerals

Sample of basalt. Basalt is an extrusive (volcanic) igneous rock composed of calcic plagioclase feldspar, pyroxine, and occasionally olivine. Accessory minerals are sometimes visible

Underwater volcanic vents, artwork
Underwater volcanic vents. Artwork showing black and white smokers on the seabed above a volcanic fissure. Black smokers are geologically active seabed vents where magma (molten rock)

Azurite mineral sample. This mineral is a hydrated copper carbonate, with the chemical formula Cu3. (CO3)2.(OH)2. The minerals name refers to its colour, and is related to the word azure

Hydrothermal vents, artwork
Hydrothermal vents, computer artwork. These type of vents are found on the seabed at faults in the tectonic plates that form the Earths crust

Coloured coastal rock. These colourful streaks result from the deposition and compression of coloured sediment during the rock formation. Photographed in Polzeath, Cornwall, UK

Jarosite on rock
Jarosite is seen here at the eastern end of St Oswalds Bay in Dorset, United Kingdom. This example has formed on the surface of pyritic sand and clay containing plant remains

Cut and polished diamond. Diamond, the hardest known mineral, is a naturally occurring form of carbon that has crystallised under great pressure

Salt in a teaspoon

Low-sodium salt, SEM
Low-sodium salt. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of low sodium salt. Pure table salt is primarily sodium chloride (NaCl)

Molecular model of quartz
Quartz. Molecular model of quartz, one of the most abundant minerals in the Earths crust. Quartz is a crystalline form of silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2)

Diamond structure. Molecular model of diamond, a form of the element carbon (C). Carbon atoms are shown as spheres (black) linked by covalent bonds (grey)

Calcium phosphate crystal, SEM
Calcium phosphate crystal, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Crystalline materials have their atoms placed in regular lattices that can form geometric shapes like this

Evaporation residues from distilled water (left) and hard water (right). Distilled water has had all its ions removed. Hard water contains dissolved mineral salts

Artificial crystals research, 1976
Artificial crystals researcher holding a sample of fianit, a type of artificial crystal, in the laboratory where it was first successfully produced

Spinel crystal structure, molecular model. Spinel is the name for the mineral magnesium aluminium oxide (MgAl2O4). The unit cell (repeating crystal region)

Cristobalite crystal structure
Cristobalite crystal, molecular model. Cristobalite is a form of quartz (silicon dioxide) that forms at high temperatures

Corundum crystal structure, molecular model. Corundum (aluminium oxide, Al2O3) is the compound that forms rubies (when red) and sapphires (when blue or any other colour)

Leaf chlorophyll deficiency. Healthy leaf (left) and a leaf suffering from chlorosis (right). This is a condition where lack of chlorophyll (a green pigment found in leaves)

Magnetite. Magnetite, also known as lodestone, is a name given to either iron (III) oxide or iron (II) oxide. It is a naturally magnetic mineral

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"Unearthing the Beauty: Exploring the World of Minerals" Step into a world where nature's treasures shine bright. From the depths of Cornwall, England, to the coal mines of the 1850s and beyond, minerals have captivated humanity for centuries. In Carnon Stream Works, Perranarworthal, Cornwall, England, gold gleams in its purest form. Its allure has sparked dreams and ambitions throughout history – just like during the Australian Gold Rush in the 1850s when prospectors flocked to unearth their fortunes. Harold Harvey's masterpiece "The Clay Pit" transports us back to a time when coal mining shaped communities in England during the 19th century. The grit and determination of those miners echo through time as they delved deep into darkness to fuel industrial progress. Polkanuggo Quarry in Stithians witnessed an era of extraction that left lasting imprints on both land and culture. Harold Harvey captures this momentous period with his skilled brush strokes – from copper and magnesium sulphate discoveries to calcareous phytoplankton fossils preserved for eternity. Leswidden's China Clay Pit reveals another facet exploration; here lies a delicate balance between human intervention and natural beauty. Harold Harvey once again immortalizes this scene with his artistic prowess. As we delve deeper into our planet's geological cross-section through Earth's crust, we uncover secrets hidden beneath our feet. Picture No. 10984558 serves as a window into these mysteries waiting to be unraveled by curious minds. Aquamarine crystals glisten like drops from Poseidon himself – enchanting all who lay eyes upon them with their ethereal hues reminiscent of tranquil waters, and are not mere commodities; they represent stories etched within Earth itself – tales told through layers upon layers over millions of years. They remind us that even amidst chaos and change, there is enduring beauty waiting patiently to be discovered.