Minerals

The brilliance of minerals makes them cherished components of many collectors' caches. Many collectors are also fascinated by the wonder of their natural occurrence. The study and appreciation of minerals, along with their use in precious jewelry, has encouraged further collection of minerals while also advancing understanding of the dynamism of geologic history.

Great writers of the ancient world from China to Greece spoke of the brilliance and diversity of minerals and gemstones. These early innovators laid the groundwork for classification and crystallography, but it was not until the 16th century that the science of mineralogy was codified. This development was thanks to German scientist Georg Bauer who used the growing practice of mining in his native region to begin identifying different types and characteristics of minerals.

New minerals emerged over the subsequent generations. American mineralogist James Dwight Dana's pivotal 19th century text on minerals and their properties revolutionized mineralogy around the globe. Today, scientists continue to study minerals for both their properties and potential, while collectors clamor for brilliant specimens of the planet's most beautiful products.

Quick Facts

• More than 3,000 types of minerals have been identified so far on planet Earth
• The planet's most prevalent mineral is quartz. Painite, a borate mineral named for discoverer Arthur Pain, is considered the rarest
• Minerals are identifiable by their crystalline structure. Though all minerals are inorganic, these crystals are equivalent to DNA