Mineral Categories
Native Elements
Native elements are atoms from a single element that make up minerals. Metals like copper, iron, silver, gold, and platinum, as well as nonmetals like sulfur and carbon, are the most prevalent elements. A few others are sporadic and frequently alloy with other native elements.
Halides
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine are the common halogen elements that are combined with a variety of metals to form halides. Simple halides, halide complexes, and oxyhydroxy-halides are the three different types of halides. With the exception of fluorite, all halides are soft, so there aren't many different kinds of gemstones.
Carbonates
A carbon atom at the center of a triangle of oxygen atoms, which creates trigonal symmetry, is a characteristic of a mineral in the carbonate group. Chrysocolla, calcite, smithsonite, and malachite are a few examples of carbonates found in gemstones.
Sulfates
Four oxygen atoms and a sulfur atom form the crystal structure of these minerals, which is then joined by one or more metals or semimetals. Alabaster, celestine, and baryte are a few materials that contain sulfur.
Sulfides
Minerals that contain sulfur combined with one or more metals are known as sulfide minerals. The majority of the sulfides have a high specific gravity and low hardness, and many of them are brilliantly colored. Sulfides have names like pyrite, marcasite, and sphalerite.
Oxides
The oxide group of minerals consists of oxygen atoms bound to a metal or semimetal. Aluminum oxide or corundum—ruby and sapphire—is an illustration of this. Spinel, hematite, and rutile are additional types of gemstones.
Phosphates
These minerals are categorized into different groups based on how similar their crystal structures are. The ratio of phosphorus and oxygen in phosphate minerals is 1:4. Amblygonite, apatite, and turquoise are some examples of phosphates that are found as gemstones.
Silicates
Silicon and oxygen atoms make up all silicates. They are arranged with a central silicon atom at the center and different arrangements of oxygen atoms all around. Silicates are broken down into subgroups based on the various atom structural configurations. Numerous gems, including quartz and tourmaline, are silicates.
