Crystals and Minerals and Gemstones - Oh My!

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not always the same thing.

Crystals make up the smallest percentage of the three. They are created by a process called (surprise) "crystallization". Some of the simplest examples of crystals are salt, sugar, and snowflakes.

Minerals also have a crystalline structure and are comprised of one or more elements. Some examples of minerals are gold, silver, calcium and iron.

Gemstones are the most colorful of the three. The most common gemstones include diamonds, rubies, emeralds amd sapphires. There are 3 different types of crystallization: lamellar, which occurs on the surface; spherulite, where molecules become linked in a chain like structure; and precipitation, which occurs when a nucleus forms from two elements in a liquid (water) environment.

In upcoming posts, we will go into the properties of specific crystals and gemstones and their individual characteristics. Stay tuned!

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