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Amazing mineral Chalcedony (5 photos). Minerals: names
The depths of our planet conceal countless treasures - minerals. Their indescribable diversity and beauty have always conquered human hearts. We invite you to admire a selection of these beautiful examples of frozen natural harmony.
1. Petrified wood with opal veins
Under certain conditions, fragments of a fallen tree do not decay, but mineralize, turning into real stones of bizarre shape. This requires hundreds of years and no access of air to the material, resulting in a unique mineral that resembles fragments of icy wood, speckled with sparkling inclusions of opal or chalcedony.
2. Uvarovit
A stone related to garnets, discovered in the 19th century in Siberia, was popularly nicknamed the “Ural emerald.” Chromium gives the mineral its mesmerizing green color. In nature, it is extremely rare, and the few finds are of very modest size. By the way, it was this mineral that Alexander Kuprin meant in his work Garnet Bracelet.
3. Fluorite
This mineral, which has long been used for decorative purposes and delighted the eyes of high society with graceful translucent vases and figurines that glow in the dark, has now found more practical applications in optics, becoming an excellent material for creating lenses.
4. Kemmererite
A very fragile fuchsia-colored stone - kemmererite - is considered a collector's item. To make a piece of jewelry out of it, the craftsman needs to apply all his scrupulousness and precision. For this reason, the cost of the processed mineral is extremely high.
5. Hematite, rutile and feldspar
The ability of the black mineral hematite, when processed, to color water in a blood-red color has become the reason for many ineradicable superstitions regarding this stone. But this is not the only reason why it is popular - hematite is very common in nature and is used in addition to decorative materials in many applied areas.
6. Torburnite
As bewitchingly beautiful as this mineral is, it is just as deadly. Prisms of torbernite crystals contain uranium and can cause cancer in humans. In addition, when heated, these stones begin to slowly emit radon gas, which is extremely dangerous to health.
7. Bladeclase
The rare clinoclase crystal has one little secret - when heated, this exquisitely beautiful mineral emits a garlicky smell.
8. White barite strewn with vanadinite crystals
Vanadinite received its name in honor of the Scandinavian goddess of beauty Vanadis. This mineral is one of the heaviest on the planet because it has a high lead content. Vanadinite crystals should be stored away from sunlight, as they tend to darken under their influence.
9. Fossil egg? No – geode with opal core
In places rich in minerals, you can find geodes - geological formations, which are cavities containing various minerals inside. When cut or chipped, geodes can look extremely outlandish and attractive.
10. Silver stibnite with barite
Stibnite is a sulfide of antimony, but it appears to be composed of high-grade silver. Thanks to this similarity, one day someone decided to make luxury cutlery from this material. And this was a very bad idea... Antimony crystals cause severe poisoning, even after contact with skin it is necessary to wash it thoroughly with soap.
11. Chalcanthite
The enchanting beauty of these crystals hides a mortal danger: once in a liquid environment, the copper contained in this mineral begins to rapidly dissolve, threatening all living things that stand in its way. Just one small blue pebble can destroy an entire pond with all its flora and fauna, so you should treat it with extreme caution.
12. Cacoxenite
Acting as an inclusion, this rare mineral is capable of giving quartz and amethyst a unique color and higher value. As a representative of needle-shaped crystals, cacoxenite is incredibly fragile.
13. Labradorite
Mined in the northern regions, the mineral’s appearance seems to reflect the sky under which it was found: the color tints against the background of the darkness of the stone speckled with sparkling stars are reminiscent of the northern lights blazing on a long polar night.
14. Black opal
The most valuable type of opal. Despite the word “black” in the name, this mineral gets the highest value if it has multi-colored sparkle against a dark background. The more varied the shades of its radiance, the higher the price.
15. Kuprosklodovskite
Needle-shaped crystals of kuprosklodovskite attract admiring attention with the depth and variety of their green colors, as well as their interesting shape. However, this mineral is mined in uranium deposits and is highly radioactive and should be kept away not only from living beings, but even from other minerals.
16. Blue halite and sylvite
Milky white or whitish sylvite is often found in volcanoes, and blue halite (sodium chloride) is often found in sedimentary rocks.
17. Bismuth
Artificially grown crystals have a recognizable iridescent shine on their dark surface. This effect occurs due to the oxide film covering it. By the way, bismuth oxide chloride is used in the creation of nail polishes as a means to give them shine.
18. Opal
The noble opal gemstone is picky about the humidity around it: if it stays in excessively dry conditions for a long time, it can fade and even crack. For this reason, opals should be occasionally “bathed” in clean water, and also worn more often if they are presented in the form of jewelry, so that the stones are saturated with moisture coming from the human body.
19. Tourmaline
Rich red and pink colors, smooth transitions of shades with the most unexpected ranges make tourmaline one of the most popular collectible minerals. According to historians, it was these stones that crowned many of the jewelry and accessories of members of royal families and eminent persons: from Catherine the Second to Tamerlane.
20. Baildonite
The rare baildonite crystal owes its color to the copper it contains, and its brilliance to a high percentage of lead.
21. Osmium
Having the status of the densest natural substance, osmium is extremely difficult to process in any way. The widespread use of this metal in medicine, manufacturing and defense makes its demand incredibly high. And given the rarity of osmium in nature, the cost of one gram of its isotope is currently equal to twenty thousand dollars.
22. Malachite
The bizarre arrangement of copper layers in the voids of karst caves, where malachite originates, determines the future structure of its patterns. They can be represented by concentric circles, star-shaped scatterings or chaotic ribbon patterns. Archaeologists estimate the age of malachite beads found in the ancient city of Jericho to be 9 thousand years.
23. Emmonsite
A rather rare mineral emmonsite, presented in the form of small needle-shaped crystals with a glassy luster, is found in the mines of North and South America.
24. Aquamarine on potassium mica
For the similarity of its edges to the purest waves of the sea, the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder gave this noble stone the name “aquamarine”. Bluer aquamarines are more valuable than greenish ones. This mineral is very popular among designers and jewelry lovers, and its highest strength helps to create jewelry of any configuration.
25. Pallasite meteorite
In 1777, the German scientist Pallas delivered to the Kunstkamera museum samples of a rare metal discovered in Krasnoyarsk at the site of a meteorite fall. Soon the entire block of extraterrestrial origin weighing 687 kg was transported to St. Petersburg. This material was called “pallas iron” or pallasite. No substance similar to it has been found from those mined on our planet. According to experts, this meteorite is an iron-nickel base with numerous inclusions of olivine crystals.
26. Sick
Small cubic crystals of blue color - boleites - are especially valued in the countries of South and North America. This rare mineral has not yet been seen in use in Russia.
27. Crocoite
The name “crocoite” comes from the ancient Greek word meaning “saffron”, since the similarity of the crystal surface with this spice is noticeable to the naked eye. Red lead ore, which is this mineral, is of particular value to collectors and connoisseurs.
This mineral carries an amazing story. Rob Lavinsky of Arkenstone brought this unique mineral to market and wanted to sell it for $5,000. The sample that Lavinsky decided to sell, in his words, is Chalcedony from chrysocolla stalactites, measuring 9 x 7 x 6 cm. This mineral was originally found by Frank Valenzuela back in the 1960s in a mine in Arizona. 
This mineral is a rock of quartz covered with chrysocolla stalactites. It's amazing because part of it glows when the lights are off, 
A mineral is a naturally occurring substance that is solid and stable at room temperature. Chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline form of silica, consisting of very small aggregates of the minerals quartz and morganite. The standard chemical structure of Calcedonia (based on the chemical structure of quartz) is SiO2 (silicon dioxide). Calcedony has a waxy luster and can be translucent or transparent. It can have a wide range of colors, but most often they are found in white, gray, and blue-gray tones. 
The depths of our planet conceal countless treasures - minerals. Their indescribable diversity and beauty have always captivated human hearts. We invite you to admire a selection of these beautiful examples of frozen natural harmony.
(Total 29 photos)
1. Petrified wood with opal veins
2. Under certain conditions, fragments of a fallen tree do not decay, but mineralize, turning into real stones of bizarre shape. This requires hundreds of years and the absence of air access to the material, resulting in a unique mineral that resembles fragments of icy wood, speckled with sparkling inclusions of opal or chalcedony.
3. Uvarovit
A stone related to garnets, discovered in the 19th century in Siberia, was popularly nicknamed the “Ural emerald.” Chromium gives the mineral its mesmerizing green color. It is extremely rare in nature, and the few finds are of very modest size. By the way, it was this mineral that Alexander Kuprin meant in his work “Garnet Bracelet.”
4. Fluorite
This mineral, which has long been used for decorative purposes and delighted the eyes of high society with graceful translucent vases and figurines that glow in the dark, has now found more practical applications in optics, becoming an excellent material for creating lenses.
5. Kemmererite
A very fragile fuchsia-colored stone - kemmererite - is considered a collector's item. To make a piece of jewelry out of it, the craftsman needs to apply all his meticulousness and precision. For this reason, the cost of the processed mineral is extremely high.
6. Hematite, rutile and feldspar
The ability of the black mineral hematite, when processed, to color water blood red has become the reason for many ineradicable superstitions regarding this stone. But this is not the only reason why it is popular - hematite is very common in nature and is used, in addition to decorative ones, in many applied fields.
7. Torburnite
As bewitchingly beautiful as this mineral is, it is just as deadly. Torbernite crystal prisms contain uranium and can cause cancer in humans. In addition, when heated, these stones begin to slowly emit radon gas, which is extremely dangerous to health.
8. Bladeclase
The rare clinoclase crystal has one little secret - when heated, this exquisitely beautiful mineral emits a garlicky smell.
9. White barite studded with vanadinite crystals
Vanadinite received its name in honor of the Scandinavian goddess of beauty Vanadis. This mineral is one of the heaviest on the planet because it has a high lead content. Vanadinite crystals should be stored away from sunlight, as they tend to darken under their influence.
10. Fossil egg? No - geode with opal core
11. In places rich in minerals, you can find geodes - geological formations, which are cavities containing various minerals inside. When cut or chipped, geodes can look extremely outlandish and attractive.
12. Silver stibnite with barite
Stibnite is a sulfide of antimony, but it appears to be composed of high-grade silver. Thanks to this similarity, one day someone decided to make luxury cutlery from this material. And this was a very bad idea... Antimony crystals cause severe poisoning; even after contact with skin, you must wash it thoroughly with soap.
13. Chalcanthite
The enchanting beauty of these crystals hides a mortal danger: once in a liquid environment, the copper contained in this mineral begins to rapidly dissolve, threatening all living things that get in its way. Just one small blue pebble can destroy an entire pond with all its flora and fauna, so you should treat it with extreme caution.
14. Cacoxenite
Acting as an inclusion, this rare mineral is capable of giving quartz and amethyst a unique color and higher value. As a representative of needle-shaped crystals, cacoxenite is incredibly fragile.
15. Labradorite
Mined in the northern regions, the mineral’s appearance seems to reflect the sky under which it was found: the color tints against the background of the darkness of the stone speckled with sparkling stars are reminiscent of the northern lights blazing on a long polar night.
16. Black opal
The most valuable type of opal. Despite the word “black” in the name, this mineral receives the highest value if it has multi-colored sparkle against a dark background. The more diverse the shades of its radiance, the higher the price.
17. Kuprosklodovskite
Needle-shaped crystals of kuprosklodovskite attract admiring attention with the depth and variety of their green colors, as well as their interesting shape. However, this mineral is mined from uranium deposits and is highly radioactive, and should be kept away not only from living things, but even from other minerals.
18. Blue halite and sylvite
Milky white or whitish sylvite is often found in volcanoes, and blue halite (sodium chloride) is often found in sedimentary rocks.
19. Bismuth
Artificially grown bismuth crystals have a recognizable iridescent sheen on their dark surface. This effect occurs due to the oxide film covering it. By the way, bismuth oxide chloride is used in the creation of nail polishes as a means to give them shine.
The noble opal gemstone is picky about the humidity around it: if it stays in excessively dry conditions for a long time, it can fade and even crack. For this reason, opals should be occasionally “bathed” in clean water, and also worn more often if they are presented in the form of jewelry, so that the stones are saturated with moisture coming from the human body.
21. Tourmaline
Rich red and pink colors, smooth transitions of shades with the most unexpected ranges make tourmaline one of the most popular collectible minerals. According to historians, it was these stones that crowned many of the jewelry and accessories of members of royal families and eminent persons: from Catherine the Second to Tamerlane.
22. Baildonite
The rare baildonite crystal owes its color to the copper it contains, and its shine to the high percentage of lead.
Having the status of the densest natural substance, osmium is extremely difficult to process in any way. The widespread use of this metal in the medical, manufacturing and defense industries makes its demand incredibly high. And given the rarity of osmium in nature, the cost of one gram of its isotope is currently equal to twenty thousand dollars.
24. Malachite
The bizarre arrangement of copper layers in the voids of karst caves, where malachite originates, determines the future structure of its patterns. They can be represented by concentric circles, star-shaped scatterings or chaotic ribbon patterns. Archaeologists estimate the age of malachite beads found in the ancient city of Jericho to be 9 thousand years.
25. Emmonsite
A fairly rare mineral, emmonsite, presented in the form of small needle-shaped crystals with a glassy luster, is found in the mines of North and South America.
26. Aquamarine on potassium mica
For the similarity of its edges to the purest waves of the sea, the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder gave this noble stone the name “aquamarine”. Bluer aquamarines are more valuable than greenish ones. This mineral is very popular among designers and jewelry lovers, and its highest strength helps to create jewelry of any configuration.
27. Pallasite meteorite
In 1777, the German scientist Pallas delivered to the Kunstkamera museum samples of a rare metal discovered in Krasnoyarsk at the site of a meteorite fall. Soon the entire block of extraterrestrial origin weighing 687 kg was transported to St. Petersburg. This material is called “Pallas iron”, or pallasite. No substance similar to it has been found from those mined on our planet. According to experts, this meteorite is an iron-nickel base with numerous inclusions of olivine crystals.
28. Sick
Small cubic crystals of blue color - boleites - are especially valued in the countries of South and North America. This rare mineral has not yet been seen in use in Russia.
29. Crocoite
The name “crocoite” comes from the ancient Greek word meaning “saffron”, since the resemblance of the crystal surface to this spice is noticeable to the naked eye. The red lead ore that this mineral is is of particular value to collectors and connoisseurs.
The depths of our planet conceal countless treasures - minerals. Their indescribable diversity and beauty have always conquered human hearts. We invite you to admire a selection of these beautiful examples of frozen natural harmony.
1. Petrified wood with opal veins
Under certain conditions, fragments of a fallen tree do not decay, but mineralize, turning into real stones of bizarre shape. This requires hundreds of years and no access of air to the material, resulting in a unique mineral that resembles fragments of icy wood, speckled with sparkling inclusions of opal or chalcedony.
etsy.com
2. Uvarovite
A stone related to garnets, discovered in the 19th century in Siberia, was popularly nicknamed the “Ural emerald.” Chromium gives the mineral its mesmerizing green color. In nature, it is extremely rare, and the few finds are of very modest size. By the way, it was this mineral that Alexander Kuprin meant in his work Garnet Bracelet.
flickr.com
3. Fluorite
This mineral, which has long been used for decorative purposes and delighted the eyes of high society with graceful translucent vases and figurines that glow in the dark, has now found more practical applications in optics, becoming an excellent material for creating lenses.
roywmacdonald.com
4. Kemmererite
A very fragile fuchsia-colored stone - kemmererite - is considered a collector's item. To make a piece of jewelry out of it, the craftsman needs to apply all his scrupulousness and precision. For this reason, the cost of the processed mineral is extremely high.
exceptionalminerals.com
5. Hematite, rutile and feldspar
The ability of the black mineral hematite, when processed, to color water in a blood-red color has become the reason for many ineradicable superstitions regarding this stone. But this is not the only reason why it is popular - hematite is very common in nature and is used in addition to decorative materials in many applied areas.
mindat.org
6. Torburnite
As bewitchingly beautiful as this mineral is, it is just as deadly. Prisms of torbernite crystals contain uranium and can cause cancer in humans. In addition, when heated, these stones begin to slowly emit radon gas, which is extremely dangerous to health.
imgur.com
7. Clinoclase
The rare clinoclase crystal has one little secret - when heated, this exquisitely beautiful mineral emits a garlicky smell.
mindat.org
8. White barite studded with vanadinite crystals
Vanadinite received its name in honor of the Scandinavian goddess of beauty Vanadis. This mineral is one of the heaviest on the planet because it has a high lead content. Vanadinite crystals should be stored away from sunlight, as they tend to darken under their influence.
flickr.com
9. Fossil egg? No – geode with opal core
In places rich in minerals, you can find geodes - geological formations, which are cavities containing various minerals inside. When cut or chipped, geodes can look extremely outlandish and attractive.
reddit.com
10. Silver stibnite with barite
Stibnite is a sulfide of antimony, but it appears to be composed of high-grade silver. Thanks to this similarity, one day someone decided to make luxury cutlery from this material. And this was a very bad idea... Antimony crystals cause severe poisoning, even after contact with skin it is necessary to wash it thoroughly with soap.
wikimedia.org
11. Chalcanthite
The enchanting beauty of these crystals hides a mortal danger: once in a liquid environment, the copper contained in this mineral begins to rapidly dissolve, threatening all living things that stand in its way. Just one small blue pebble can destroy an entire pond with all its flora and fauna, so you should treat it with extreme caution.
tumblr.com
12. Cacoxenite
Acting as an inclusion, this rare mineral is capable of giving quartz and amethyst a unique color and higher value. As a representative of needle-shaped crystals, cacoxenite is incredibly fragile.
scientificcomputing.com
13. Labradorite
Mined in the northern regions, the mineral’s appearance seems to reflect the sky under which it was found: the color tints against the background of the darkness of the stone speckled with sparkling stars are reminiscent of the northern lights blazing on a long polar night.
carionmineraux.com
14. Black opal
The most valuable type of opal. Despite the word “black” in the name, this mineral gets the highest value if it has multi-colored sparkle against a dark background. The more varied the shades of its radiance, the higher the price.
reddit.com
15. Kuprosklodovskite
Needle-shaped crystals of kuprosklodovskite attract admiring attention with the depth and variety of their green colors, as well as their interesting shape. However, this mineral is mined in uranium deposits and is highly radioactive and should be kept away not only from living beings, but even from other minerals.
flickr.com
16. Blue halite and sylvite
Milky white or whitish sylvite is often found in volcanoes, and blue halite (sodium chloride) is often found in sedimentary rocks.
mindat.org
17. Bismuth
Artificially grown bismuth crystals have a recognizable iridescent sheen on their dark surface. This effect occurs due to the oxide film covering it. By the way, bismuth oxide chloride is used in the creation of nail polishes as a means to give them shine.
periodictable.com
18. Opal
The noble opal gemstone is picky about the humidity around it: if it stays in excessively dry conditions for a long time, it can fade and even crack. For this reason, opals should be occasionally “bathed” in clean water, and also worn more often if they are presented in the form of jewelry, so that the stones are saturated with moisture coming from the human body.
reddit.com
19. Tourmaline
Rich red and pink colors, smooth transitions of shades with the most unexpected ranges make tourmaline one of the most popular collectible minerals. According to historians, it was these stones that crowned many of the jewelry and accessories of members of royal families and eminent persons: from Catherine the Second to Tamerlane.
saphiraminerals.com
20. Baildonite
The rare baildonite crystal owes its color to the copper it contains, and its brilliance to a high percentage of lead.
mindat.org
21. Osmium
Having the status of the densest natural substance, osmium is extremely difficult to process in any way. The widespread use of this metal in medicine, manufacturing and defense makes its demand incredibly high. And given the rarity of osmium in nature, the cost of one gram of its isotope is currently equal to twenty thousand dollars.
wikimedia.org
22. Malachite
The bizarre arrangement of copper layers in the voids of karst caves, where malachite originates, determines the future structure of its patterns. They can be represented by concentric circles, star-shaped scatterings or chaotic ribbon patterns. Archaeologists estimate the age of malachite beads found in the ancient city of Jericho to be 9 thousand years.
mindat.org
23. Emmonsite
A rather rare mineral emmonsite, presented in the form of small needle-shaped crystals with a glassy luster, is found in the mines of North and South America.
mindat.org
24. Aquamarine on potassium mica
For the similarity of its edges to the purest waves of the sea, the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder gave this noble stone the name “aquamarine”. Bluer aquamarines are more valuable than greenish ones. This mineral is very popular among designers and jewelry lovers, and its highest strength helps to create jewelry of any configuration.
mindat.org
25. Meteorite pallasite
In 1777, the German scientist Pallas delivered to the Kunstkamera museum samples of a rare metal discovered in Krasnoyarsk at the site of a meteorite fall. Soon the entire block of extraterrestrial origin weighing 687 kg was transported to St. Petersburg. This material was called “pallas iron” or pallasite. No substance similar to it has been found from those mined on our planet. According to experts, this meteorite is an iron-nickel base with numerous inclusions of olivine crystals.
tumblr.com
26. Sick
Small cubic crystals of blue color - boleites - are especially valued in the countries of South and North America. This rare mineral has not yet been seen in use in Russia.
tumblr.com
27. Crocoite
The name “crocoite” comes from the ancient Greek word meaning “saffron”, since the similarity of the crystal surface with this spice is noticeable to the naked eye. The red lead ore that this mineral is is of particular value to collectors and connoisseurs.
awminerals.com
