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5 Minerals Unpopular

While there are millions of minerals on Earth, few are used as gemstones due to factors like color, ability to be cut, and changing tastes over time. For example, malachite was highly valued in Imperial Russia and Victorian times due to its brilliant green color and swirling patterns, but is less popular now due to availability and cost compared to gems like emeralds and rubies. Some minerals are too soft to be used as gems, like moonstone, despite their natural beauty.

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Cuek Setia
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132 views1 page

5 Minerals Unpopular

While there are millions of minerals on Earth, few are used as gemstones due to factors like color, ability to be cut, and changing tastes over time. For example, malachite was highly valued in Imperial Russia and Victorian times due to its brilliant green color and swirling patterns, but is less popular now due to availability and cost compared to gems like emeralds and rubies. Some minerals are too soft to be used as gems, like moonstone, despite their natural beauty.

Uploaded by

Cuek Setia
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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5 Why are most minerals not popular as gems?

There are millions of minerals that exist on the earth, but few of them are prized as gems and used for adornment. Many of them arent in colors that are usually highly prized for ewelry. !r theyre not able to be cut and polished to be made wearable as ewelry. !ften its a matter of changing taste and times. "n "mperial #ussia and in the $ictorian era, the mineral malachite and other opa%ue minerals were highly &alued as gemstones ewelry. "t is often a by'product of copper mining, and is distinguished by a brilliant green color, with dar( concentric circles of color swirling through it. "ts not as highly &alued because its easily a&ailable and not as expensi&e as an emerald or ruby. )ut there is an entire room de&oted to malachite in the #ussian museum, the *ermitage, as testament to its desirability among the most pri&ileged class of people. There ha&e been disco&eries that indicate that malachite was mined in +gypt as early as ,,--- )... "ts a soft gem, and easily car&ed and shaped. "t polishes to a beautiful, rich sheen. )ut still is not highly prized in the /.0. as a gemstone. $ery often some minerals simply shouldnt be used as gemstones, but because of their beauty, people wear them as such anyway. 1 moonstone is one such gem. "ts relati&ely soft, with a rating of 2 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness, compared to a diamonds hardness rating of 3-. "ts a type of mineral called orthoclase, but when it exhibits a translucent, mil(y %uality, its then called moonstone. !ther minerals exist, but are simply not prized for gemstones. 1mong the more common minerals, %uartz stands out as one that can be used for ewelry, as well as decorati&e items.

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