Mineral Collection (#88)

Hydrothermal vents, artwork
Hydrothermal vents, computer artwork. These type of vents are found on the seabed at faults in the tectonic plates that form the Earths crust

Coloured coastal rock. These colourful streaks result from the deposition and compression of coloured sediment during the rock formation. Photographed in Polzeath, Cornwall, UK

Jarosite on rock
Jarosite is seen here at the eastern end of St Oswalds Bay in Dorset, United Kingdom. This example has formed on the surface of pyritic sand and clay containing plant remains

Cut and polished diamond. Diamond, the hardest known mineral, is a naturally occurring form of carbon that has crystallised under great pressure

Salt in a teaspoon

Low-sodium salt, SEM
Low-sodium salt. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of low sodium salt. Pure table salt is primarily sodium chloride (NaCl)

Molecular model of quartz
Quartz. Molecular model of quartz, one of the most abundant minerals in the Earths crust. Quartz is a crystalline form of silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2)

Diamond structure. Molecular model of diamond, a form of the element carbon (C). Carbon atoms are shown as spheres (black) linked by covalent bonds (grey)

Calcium phosphate crystal, SEM
Calcium phosphate crystal, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Crystalline materials have their atoms placed in regular lattices that can form geometric shapes like this

Evaporation residues from distilled water (left) and hard water (right). Distilled water has had all its ions removed. Hard water contains dissolved mineral salts

Artificial crystals research, 1976
Artificial crystals researcher holding a sample of fianit, a type of artificial crystal, in the laboratory where it was first successfully produced

Spinel crystal structure, molecular model. Spinel is the name for the mineral magnesium aluminium oxide (MgAl2O4). The unit cell (repeating crystal region)

Cristobalite crystal structure
Cristobalite crystal, molecular model. Cristobalite is a form of quartz (silicon dioxide) that forms at high temperatures

Corundum crystal structure, molecular model. Corundum (aluminium oxide, Al2O3) is the compound that forms rubies (when red) and sapphires (when blue or any other colour)

Leaf chlorophyll deficiency. Healthy leaf (left) and a leaf suffering from chlorosis (right). This is a condition where lack of chlorophyll (a green pigment found in leaves)

Magnetite. Magnetite, also known as lodestone, is a name given to either iron (III) oxide or iron (II) oxide. It is a naturally magnetic mineral

Cubic crystal, artwork
Cubic crystal. Molecular model of a crystal lattice. This structure is duplicated in crystals such as sodium chloride (common salt)

Platinum sulphide crystal structure
Platinum sulphide crystal, molecular model. Platinum sulphide (PtS) is found in the mineral cooperite, usually with palladium and nickel ions present as well as platinum

Platinum nugget. Platinum is a rare precious metal, sometimes found in this nugget form in nature. It is used in the chemical industry as a catalyst, and in jewellery

Gold core sample
Drilled gold core sample. This drill sample shows a high concentration of gold ore

Natural nugget of copper metal

Noctis Labyrinthus, Mars. Coloured satellite image of exposed layers on the valley walls of Noctis Labyrinthus on Mars. The white and grey patches (middle right)

Terra Sirenum region, Mars, coloured satellite image. This region, in the southern hemisphere, is heavily cratered. Spectrometer analysis of the rocks show the presence of ancient

Gold in placer. Placer mining is a type of open cast mining in which minerals are extracted from alluvial, rather than from subterranean, deposits

Bismuth crystal. Bismuth is a heavy, brittle, crystalline metal. This rectangular crystal structure only forms when bismuth is slowly cooled in the laboratory, never in nature

Salt grain, SEM
Salt grain, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). A salt (sodium chloride) crystal is composed of a cubic lattice of sodium and chloride ions. Salt is commonly used as seasoning in cooking

Salt grains, SEM
Salt grains, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Each salt (sodium chloride) crystal is composed of a cubic lattice of sodium and chloride ions. Salt is commonly used as seasoning in cooking

Sea salt, SEM
Sea salt. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of sea salt, showing its crystalline structure. Sea salt consists mainly of sodium chloride (NaCl), but unlike pure table salt

Tooth enamel formation, SEM
Tooth enamel formation. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a freeze-fractured section through a tooth, showing the enamel-forming cell layer (blue)

Silver nitrate crystals, LM
Silver nitrate crystals. Polarised light micrograph (LM) of silver nitrate (AgNO3) crystals. Silver nitrate is used in photography and as a test for chloride, bromide and iodide ions

Magnesium chloride crystals, LM
Magnesium chloride. Polarised light micrograph (LM) of crystals of magnesium chloride (MgCl2). Typically, magnesium chloride forms complexes with other molecules; the hygroscopic hexahydrate

Sand, SEM
Sand. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of grains of sand from a beach

false col SEM of amosite fibres
False-colour scanning electron micrograph of fibres of amosite, a type of asbestos. All asbestos varieties are silicates (amphibole minerals), the most common being crocidolite

Wurtzite crystal structure, molecular model. Wurtzite is the name for the mineral form of zinc sulphide (ZnS). The unit cell (repeating crystal region) of the crystal is outlined in red

Tridymite crystal structure, molecular model. Tridymite is a form of quartz (silicon dioxide) that forms at high temperatures

Talc crystal structure, molecular model. Talc is the name for the mineral hydrated magnesium silicate (Mg3Si4O10(OH)2). Silicate ions comprise a central silicon ion (pink)

Magnesium sulphate crystals, LM
Magnesium sulphate. Polarised light micrograph of crystals of magnesium sulphate (MgSO4), a chemical used medicinally and in the textile industry

Zeolite crystals, light micrograph
Zeolite crystals. Polarised light micrograph of crystals of zeolite from the Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland. Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicate minerals and have a micro-porous structure

ZAMBIA: COPPER MINE. Mine workers drilling charge holes for blasting in the Roan Antelope Copper Mine in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), 1955

Crystallized minerals at the Artemesia Geyser Pool, Yellowstone National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wyoming, United States of America, North America

BUSN2A-00222
Nevada silver miners changing the shift, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

BUSN2A-00078
Coal miners tamping an explosive charge in a tunnel, 1860s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

BUSN2A-00180
Coal miners emerging from the shaft after their nine hours of toil are ended, early 1900s. Hand-colored halftone of a photograph

BUSN2A-00071
Women screening coal coming out of a mine in England, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EVNT2A-00220
Gold Rush prospectors washing sediments from a stream to find nuggets in California. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Prospector trespassing on the Ute Reservation, 1870s
White miner caught illegally prospecting on the Ute reservation, Colorado, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EVNT2A-00175
Prospectors finding gold in a stream during the California Gold Rush. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EVNT2A-00106
Prospectors panning for gold during the California Gold Rush. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

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"Unearthing the Beauty: Exploring the World of Minerals" Step into a world where nature's treasures shine bright. From the depths of Cornwall, England, to the coal mines of the 1850s and beyond, minerals have captivated humanity for centuries. In Carnon Stream Works, Perranarworthal, Cornwall, England, gold gleams in its purest form. Its allure has sparked dreams and ambitions throughout history – just like during the Australian Gold Rush in the 1850s when prospectors flocked to unearth their fortunes. Harold Harvey's masterpiece "The Clay Pit" transports us back to a time when coal mining shaped communities in England during the 19th century. The grit and determination of those miners echo through time as they delved deep into darkness to fuel industrial progress. Polkanuggo Quarry in Stithians witnessed an era of extraction that left lasting imprints on both land and culture. Harold Harvey captures this momentous period with his skilled brush strokes – from copper and magnesium sulphate discoveries to calcareous phytoplankton fossils preserved for eternity. Leswidden's China Clay Pit reveals another facet exploration; here lies a delicate balance between human intervention and natural beauty. Harold Harvey once again immortalizes this scene with his artistic prowess. As we delve deeper into our planet's geological cross-section through Earth's crust, we uncover secrets hidden beneath our feet. Picture No. 10984558 serves as a window into these mysteries waiting to be unraveled by curious minds. Aquamarine crystals glisten like drops from Poseidon himself – enchanting all who lay eyes upon them with their ethereal hues reminiscent of tranquil waters, and are not mere commodities; they represent stories etched within Earth itself – tales told through layers upon layers over millions of years. They remind us that even amidst chaos and change, there is enduring beauty waiting patiently to be discovered.