June 2017

Giant Dinosaur ‘Fossil Wall’ Discovered in China

A researcher cleans a dinosaur bone at the ‘fossil wall’ in Puan Township. Photo: Xinhua Scientists have unearthed …

Veszelyite Crystals

Veszelyite is rare secondary copper and zinc phosphate mineral occurring in the oxidised zones of base metal deposits. Cont…

Origins of Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing and W-bearing Granites

Minerals in Granite The Nanling Range of South China is world famous for its widely developed multiple-aged granitic …

Tanzanite Pleochroism: Color Change

Tanzanite is a blue-violet variety of the mineral zoisite (a calcium aluminum hydroxyl sorosilicate), caused by small amount…

Astrophyllite: Properties, Mineral Information

Astrophyllite is a rare mineral. Its crystal structure can be described as small blades extruding in a radiating pattern fro…

The World's Largest Aquamarine Gem

The Dom Pedro is the largest cut and polished aquamarine in the world, weighing a whopping 10,363 carats (over 4.6 pounds!).…

Flirtatious 100-Million-Year-Old Damselflies Found Frozen in Amber

The poor damsel fly was trapped while getting his groove on over 100m years ago CREDIT: DARAN ZHENG It was all going s…

De Beers: A New Ship to Explore for Seafloor Diamonds

The mv SS Nujoma The diamond hunter sets sail: World's largest gem finding vessel  De Beers has officially laun…

Volcanic Eruptions Triggered Dawn of the Dinosaurs

The argon-argon dating method can provide more precise absolute dates for many geologic events, ranging from volcanic eru…

Splendid Olivenite Crystals

Splendid Olivenite Crystals. Photo Tóth László   Olivenite is a copper arsenate mineral, formula Cu 2 AsO 4 OH. It crys…

Fabulous Azurite with Malachite

Fabulous Azurite with Malachite From France. Photo: Chollet Pascal Azurite often occurs with green Malachite, which ma…

Gorgeous Rhodochrosite

Gorgeous Rhodochrosite Crystals  From: N'Chwaning I mine, South Africa Photo Credit: László Tóth Rhodochrosite is…

The Largest Meteorite Ever Found in the United States

The Willamette Meteorite is the largest meteorite found in North America and the sixth largest in the world. The Willamette …

What is Aura Rainbow Quartz and How Is It Made?

What Is Rainbow Aura Quartz? Aura quartz is a type of quartz that has been enhanced with a combination of titanium and niob…

Ancient Magma Crystals Could Help Us Predict Eruptions

Zirkon Kristalle in Matrix. Credit: crystal-treasure Volcanologists are gaining a new understanding of what’s going …

Rare Huge Green-blue Opal Found in Nevada

The Roebling Opal is an extraordinary piece of opal rough, weighing a remarkable 2,585 carats. It is the largest unpolished …