July 2014

High-Sulphidation Deposits of Gold

High-sulphidation deposits result from fluids (dominantly gases such as SO2, HF, HCl) channeled directly from a hot…

Epithermal Systems: The Association of Gold Mineralization With Volcanic

The association of gold mineralization with volcanic and geothermal hot spring activity has long been recognized by prospec…

Green Balls of Conichalcite With Erythrite, Brown Olivenite

Green balls of conichalcite with erythrite, brown olivenite. Photo & Collection IOB Sylvano Green balls of conichalc…

The Difference Between Rocks and Minerals

A mineral is a solid formation that occurs naturally in the earth while a rock is a solid combination of more than one mi…

Fire Agate

Fire Agate , a variety of chalcedony, is a semi-precious natural gemstone found only in certain areas of northern Mexico an…

Petrophysics: The Study of Physical and Chemical Rock Properties

Petrophysics Is the study of physical and chemical rock properties and their interactions with fluids.A major applicat…

Amazing Rosette Linarite

Amazing Rosette Linarite. Photo Copyright © Czechmin.cz large group of linarite crystals growing in "limonite"…

Normal Faults in Road Cut Near Shoshone - California

Normal Faults in Road Cut Near Shoshone - California Normal, or Dip-slip, faults are inclined fractures where the blocks h…

Hydraulic Fracturing of Oil & Gas Wells Drilled in Shale

What is Hydraulic Fracturing? Hydraulic fracturing is a procedure that can increase the flow of oil or gas from a well.…

East Africa's Great Rift Valley: A Complex Rift System

East Africa's Great Rift Valley: A Complex Rift System The East African Rift System The East African Rift System (…

Native Sulfur atop Aragonite with Aragonite ps after Calcite!

Gemmy crystals of Native Sulfur atop Aragonite with Aragonite ps after Calcite! This is an impressive Sulfur specimen th…

Clinoclase

Clinoclase Crystals. Collection & Photo Matteo Chinellato A group of green dark Spangolite crystals and blue Conne…

The River of Five Colors

Caño Cristales is a Colombian river located in the Serrania de la Macarena province of Meta. The river is commonly called …

Unique Annabergite Crystals

Unique Annabergite Crystals. Photo Credit:  © Jean-Marc Johannet Annabergite Annabergite is an arsenate miner…

Travertine Hot Springs at Pamukkale -Turkey

Pamukkale's terraces natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey are made of travertine, a sedimentary roc…

Amazing Carminite Crystals

Photo Copyright © Christian Rewitzer Carminite | ‪#‎Geology Formula: PbFe 3+ 2 (AsO 4 ) 2 (OH) 2 System: Orthorhombic…

Volcano-powered Electricity, the Future of Alternative Energy

We could exploit energy from deep down in the earth, as a report from a geothermal borehole suggests. The project develope…

Clinoclase Crystals

Clinoclase Crystals. Photo Copyright © Elmar Lackner Clinoclase is a rare secondary copper mineral and forms acicula…

New Theory Suggests Gold Deposits Were Formed as a Result of Earthquakes

A new theory based on a simple but viable geologic model claims that over 80 percent of all commercial gold deposits …

Fossilized Gastropod Replaced by Precious Emerald

Formed from hydrothermal fluids in a shear zone interacting with the rock they passed through, the fossil in the host b…

Mono Lake Tufa

Lake Mono’s Tufas. Photo Credit: Tim Malabuyo The unusual rock formations that grace Mono Lake’s shores are known as tuf…

Largest Active Volcano on Earth shows Signs of Life

Recent swarms of tiny earthquakes inside Hawaii’s Mauna Loa signal that the volcano may be coming back to life. But don’t…

Gemmy Apatite Crystals

Credit: Spiriferminerals.com Cluster of lustrous, gemmy apatite crystals  from a classic locality. Specimen mou…

Quick Mineral Identification

Quick identifying properties of several minerals.

The Significance of Fossils

Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of organisms that lived in the past. They are important because they provide evi…