It could be said that minerals are salt-of-the-earth, crystals are organized, and gemstones like to show off. Not very scientific, though, so let’s dive into the details. What is a mineral ...

The crystal form of kyawthuite is amazing. According to Caltech’s mineral database, it contains checkerboard layers of octahedral Sb5+O6 along Bi3+ atoms and gives a monoclinic symmetry and ...

This subterranean attraction in Pennsylvania is a gorgeous cave system with plenty of fascinating stalagmites and stalactites to observe. Find out more.

Rare earth metals form from magmatic interactions within the Earth’s crust, so studying certain minerals formed from ancient volcanoes can help us understand where to mine them.

The crystal, made from fused quartz, is one of the most chemically and thermally resilient materials known on Earth, and can endure temperatures as high as 1000°C, resist direct impact forces up ...

“Sulphate minerals exist with different amounts of water in most regions on Mars and allow us to understand how water moved around the planet, which is key to understanding its past habitability ...