Libyan Desert Glass

If you are tantalized by tantalite, you must have an affinity for large, less than glimmering gems! Most specimens of tantalite that are unearthed are quite large, dull, and are better seen as a fun find than an ornamental adornment. In industrial applications, it is an ore of Tantalum and used for multiple high-tech devices.

The candy-looking stone known as cinnabrite is quite rare, but it makes an interesting material for cut gems, beads, and cabochons. Its name has probably been derived from the similarity of its reddish or pinkish markings to the color of the mineral known as Cinnabarite, although cinnabrite doesn't contain Cinnabarite at all. The pinkish dots are actually the mineral called Thulite.

Pyroxenite is a coarse-grained, light or dark green igneous rock. It can be crafted into jewelry, but its many practical and decorative uses include the building of kitchen countertops, use as a facing stone, construction of buildings and walls, the manufacture of cement, the foundation for roads, and the carving of decorative stones or cemetery markers.

Chalcanthite crystals that are naturally formed are scarce to come by. There are, however, many specimens that have been created in laboratories for collectors to acquire. Be skeptical of any large crystals not labeled as synthetic. Less-attractive formations of chalcanthite are used to create a cleaning agent for sewage systems.

Ironstone Concretion are rounded mineral formations found in sedimentary rock layers, primarily composed of iron compounds. Formed under specific chemical conditions, they accumulate around a nucleus like a leaf or bone. Often rusty-brown or reddish, these dense formations can range from small nodules to large boulders. They might resemble fossils externally and can even encase real fossils internally. Found globally in rocks like sandstones and shales, they intrigue rock collectors and can be used decoratively when polished.

Grape Agate is not actually an agate at all. Grape Agate is a type of quartz that forms in clusters of light and dark purple spheres, resembling grapes. Its name has been enhanced for marketing purposes.

The primary interest in goethite is as an ore of iron; it is otherwise not very attractive as a mineral specimen. High concentrations of goethite have been found in the United States; other, less significant finds have been spotted in Mexico and Canada.

Orthoclase is a feldspar mineral and one of the most common rock-forming materials in Earth's crust. It is usually encountered within different types of granite, where it is responsible for the pinkish or lighter flecks in that rock. The iridescent gemstone known as moonstone is also a variant of orthoclase.