Our Mineral Community

Fluorite, topaz, and amethyst are some of the minerals that can all get lighter over time if exposed to sunlight for prolonged periods. This can even happen in a case behind glass, so consider where you display your minerals carefully!

Wash your hands after handling your minerals! A few minerals such as orpiment, stibnite, and galena, contain elements such as arsenic, antimony, and lead. While in crystal form the elements are quite stable and not likely to cause harm, but broken crystals should be cleaned up carefully. Also – don’t lick your rocks. This keeps you and your rock happy!

Crystals most commonly form in holes in the earth known as “vugs,” a geological term for an open space formed during earthquakes, cooling of magma, or other geological processes. The larger the vug, the bigger the crystals can get!

When ultraviolet (UV) light is directed at certain minerals containing some specific elements, it excites the element and causes an electron that’s orbiting the center to jump up to the next highest level of orbit. When the UV light is taken away, the electron falls back down to its original orbit, which releases energy. This energy is seen in the form of light, fluorescence!

Rocks and minerals have been used for centuries to make pigments for paints, inks, and makeup. Many ancient texts were illuminated (illustrated) by various minerals, some of which change color over time. Many cave painters used iron-rich, oxidized, ground-up minerals which not only lasted for millennia, but still show a deep, vibrant red.

Microchips are commonly made from silica, which is the main component in quartz crystals and conducts electricity well. Copper and gold conduct electricity extremely well, so wires or contacts made of those elements are also very common in computers.