Rocks, Minerals, and Precious Stones

Dustin Lemick

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Dustin Lemick

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Kids can explore the exciting science of geology to learn about the Earth’s structure and which factors have shaped the globe. Anyone who likes minerals, rocks, and precious stones will love studying geology. Geology is a popular subject since so many people like examining beautiful rocks.

Rocks

Rocks of diverse forms, sizes, and colors are all around us. We can learn about the history of the Earth by studying rock formations. Examining layers of rocks and thinking about their location gives clues to how the Earth was formed in that area. Rocks can let us know if there was a volcanic explosion thousands of years ago, whether an area was underwater, and even if a glacier covered it. Collecting rocks is a lot of fun, and you might make exciting discoveries. Split open a rock, and you might find a shiny quartz or an ancient fossil.

Rocks are divided into three groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. They occur in a variety of sizes, hues, and shapes. When magma, or molten rock, cools and solidifies, igneous rocks are created. Common igneous rocks contain granite, basalt, and pumice are examples of. When sediment, such as sand, silt, and clay, is compressed and cemented together, sedimentary rocks are created. Shale, limestone, and sandstone are a few examples of sedimentary rocks. Metamorphic rocks form after getting exposed to intense heat and pressure. Some common metamorphic rocks include gneiss, slate, and marble.

Minerals

Since minerals are the fundamental components of rocks and found everywhere, they’re an important part of geology. They can appear in vibrant hues and interesting shapes, almost like they are the constituent parts of the Earth’s crust. Many minerals are used to make incredible jewelry. These include priceless gems like rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. 

Did you know that there are lots of different minerals in the world? Some are super sparkly and valuable, but others are used to make everyday things! Quartz and mica are used to make electronics because it’s super clear and hard. Feldspar is used to make things like glass and ceramics. You can find calcite used in construction and even in fertilizers for plants. Even though they might not be as fancy as diamonds and rubies, these everyday minerals are still super cool and useful.

Precious Stones

Precious stones are some of the world’s most beautiful and valuable objects. They come in all different colors and can be sparkly and shiny. Some of the most famous precious stones are diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Diamonds are super hard and clear and often used in jewelry like engagement rings. You might know that rubies are red and emeralds are green. 

 People have used precious stones as currency for thousands of years. Kings and queens would wear huge necklaces and crowns covered in precious stones to show off their wealth and power. Even today, people still use precious stones as a way to show off their status. So while they might be pretty, precious stones are also important in history and culture.

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Dustin Lemick

Author

Dustin Lemick

Dustin Lemick is the Founder and CEO of BriteCo and a third-generation jeweler with over thirteen years of retail jewelry experience. He holds a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and has in-depth knowledge and expertise in appraisal systems, diamond and gemstone markets, retail pricing models, insurance replacement models, and jewelry quotation pricing systems.