#mineraloid

[blondebrainpowered]

Black Boulder Opal from Jundah-Opalville mine in Queensland, Australia.

Video by opalminded1989

[hasellia]

Man imagine science finally finds a way to fossilise a human over millennia. Everything going well until some extra water seeps in and you opalize. Sure, you're pretty now, gorgeous even. But you're not a crystal. You're not a mineral. Some might even say you're not even sedimentary rock anymore. You're a mineraloid. Pethetic.

SCIENCE SATURDAY:OPALIZATION

This is a really simple process. Opalization occurs when silica-rich water gets into cavities. These cavities can simply be holes in rocks or could be pores in bones or wood. Then the water evaporates and leaves behind the silica minerals. Repeatedly. Voila! Opalization.

[my-chemical-rocks]

party poison as opal (which can't be classified as a mineral due to its lack of a crystalline structure so is instead classified as a mineraloid :3)

[geologyin-blog]

Rocks are naturally occurring solid aggregates of minerals or mineraloids. They are classified into three main types based on their formation processes: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

[grapeagata]

I love mineraloids, they're Almost minerals, If only they composition was a little more defined, or they had a proper structure, they're so close to being minerals!!!

[moon--meeks]

hello i have the geology flavor of autism an am so so normal about honkai star rail an have not stoped thinking about the myriad celestia trailer so im going to make a thread of fun facts about the gems/minerals each of the stone hearts are named after topaz: ❥ topaz is naturally colorless but gets its color from elemental impurites ❥ the word topaz comes from the greek word Τοπαζος (topazos) ❥topaz is most commonly used in jewelry ❥ its the state gemstone of Utah! Aventurine: ❥ Aventurine is a form of quartzite ❥ the word Aventurine comes from the italian word a ventura meaning by chance ❥ its a mineral! not a gem! ❥ green aventurine is the most common Jade: ❥ Jade is actually the common term two diffrent minerals, nephrite an jadeite. ❥ nephrite is usually darker than jadeite due to it haveing more amphibole an jadeite having more pyroxene ❥ the word jade comes from the french l'ejade meaning kidney area Sugilite: ❥ imma be honest i havent heard of this mineral before the trailer droped an thats probably because its very new as it was discovered in 1944! ❥ sugilite was discovered by Kenichi Sugi who it was named after ❥ most sugilite is purple or pink Agate: ❥ Agate is the common term for the banded variety of chalcedony ❥ the word comes from the ancient greek word for the dirllo river, Achates where it is said to first be discovered ❥ Agate is formed from lava an volcanic rocks Pearl: ❥Pearl is not a mineral as it comes from living creatures making it an organic material ❥ pearls are made of the same thing shells (an tums!), calcium carbonate ❥ natural pearls were most commonly found in the persian gulf Sapphire: ❥ Sapphire is the blue variety of corundum, the second hardest mineral on the mohs hardness scale ❥ the word comes from the greek word σάπφειρος (sappheiros) but back then was talking about lapis lazuli ❥ Sapphire is one of the minerals used on sand paper! Amber: ❥ not a mineral, it is fossilized tree resin so it is organic material ❥ 90% of the worlds Amber is located in Lithuania ❥ the word comes from the arabic word anbar Opal: ❥ Opal is a mineraloid because its naturally occuring but doesnt have the crystaline structure of other minerals ❥ the word opal comes from the sanskirt word upala meaning jewel ❥ Opal is the national gemstone of australia Obsidian: ❥ Obsidian is classified as a rock since it is formed rapidly cooling lava ❥ this baby is VERY sharp it was used in paleolithic times to make cutting an hunting blades and was used as surgical tools ❥ the word comes from the latin lapis obsidianus

[genshin-hsr-rambles]

do you think the gems they’re named after can spoil stuff about the stone hearts?

I wouldn’t say spoil per se, but it certainly gives some insight into their character due to it being the whole basis of their concept. Allow me to elaborate.

Topaz is generally associated with wealth, a perfect concept to introduce the audience to the IPC through. It is believed to heal and promote strength/vitality, tying into Topaz’s lore regarding her planet’s deterioration with the IPC restoring its ‘health’ and the strength of the people in turn. Also tying into her planet’s lore is the fact that in its natural state, common topaz is traditionally colourless. It is the heat or radiation treatment that gives it its colour, reflecting how the IPC’s grooming of Topaz and her entire planet’s citizens into IPC employees largely shaped who she is today. In Feng Shui, topaz is viewed as a stone of nobility, love, passion and purpose. These aspects reflect in Topaz’s personality, with her love of animals and passionate drive for work and customer satisfaction.

Aventurine primarily symbolises good fortune, again tying in with the core concept of the IPC. Green aventurine in particular is said to be a stone of opportunity and good luck, linking with Aventurine’s infallible luck and subsequent (self-destructive) gambling tendencies. More blatantly, it is known as the ‘gambler’s stone’ since it is believed to bring fortune in games of chance. Interestingly enough, aventurine is associated with the planet Mercury, named after the Roman god of wealth, good fortune, commerce, fertility, and thievery. These aspects tie into Aventurine’s ethnicity as an Avgin, the poor reputation of his people and their mother goddess’ blessing. Cruelly ironic, some believe it to represent self-love, and it is cheaper than most gemstones.

Jade holds symbolism of purity, harmony and protection, referencing Jade’s false guise of sincerity to seal her deals. It is a very valuable and sought-after gem, translating into Jade’s status. East Asia covet jade for its cultural and spiritual affiliations, serving as a metaphor for virtue, wisdom, truth, and Heaven and Earth. This is most likely where Jade Lilith/Eve dual symbolism was derived from. Jade is actually an umbrella term for two silicate minerals, nephrite and jadeite. Again, this seems to be inspiration for her two-faced nature. As of the time of this post, we do not know much about her past and as such it cannot be determined how interlinked it is with her stone.

From the three playable Stonehearts (as of the time of this post), we can clearly see that their lore is deeply interwoven with the symbolism of their gems. They are, in a sense, the embodiment of their Stoneheart namesake. So can it spoil the next Stonehearts? Without context, probably not. But we can still speculate, right?

Obsidian is heavily associated with blocking, absorbing and/or transforming negative energy. It isn’t actually a mineral, rather volcanic glass, typically classified as igneous rock or a mineraloid. For a long time, obsidian was primarily used in the creation of weapons, not jewellery. Referred to as the stone of clarity, it is beloved to release spiritual blockages and draw out stress and tension. Obsidian is naturally quite sharp, and as such some consider it to be capable of piercing into darkness to reveal the truth itself. Like her namesake, Obsidian could be one to cut through false pleasantries in favour of the raw truth, no matter how violent or unpleasant. She certainly seemed quite eager for a bloodbath in the Stoneheart trailer, perhaps due to having an affinity for the true nature of people being revealed and to tie into the primary purpose of obsidian being weaponry. The transformation and absorption of negative energy aspect could potentially relate to the vampire symbolism she seems to has.

Agate generally symbolises strength, protection and courage. It is believed to protect people from negative energy and enhance communication. Ironic, considering Agate is the only Stoneheart who doesn’t communicate at all in the Stoneheart trailer. In Greek mythology, it is linked to the earth mother, Gaia, and symbolises strength and stability. Interestingly, agate is formed within lava and is primarily found in areas with high volcanic activity. Its colour is dependent on the presence of other surrounding minerals. This is interesting because it seems that Agate and Obsidian share some common ground in terms of creation. Perhaps the characters will share similar views or characteristics too, explaining why Obsidian was allowed to vote on Agate’s behalf. The mineral agate being dependent on other minerals seems to further strengthen the idea of Agate possessing some form connections with another Stoneheart (seemingly Obsidian from the little information we have, but could be anyone).

Pearl signifies innocence and faith. It is believed to enhance personal integrity, inhibits immodest behaviour and bring truth forward. Pearl is often used in bridal jewellery as it can symbolise beauty and new beginnings. The gem is of organic origin but is not organic material, perhaps inspiring her existence as an Intellitron, alive but not technically living. We do seem to have enough information on Pearl to link her to her gemstone, another aspect being she seems to hold justice as a primary value. This seems to lie in the pearl’s symbolism of truth and integrity. Perhaps Pearl still believes in an inherent good in the world too, tying into the gemstone representing purity and innocence.

Sapphire is considered to be a stone of wisdom, royalty, prophecy and divine favour. It is a symbol of power and strength, often connected to religious symbolism. From what we’ve seen of Sapphire, this seems to check out. They value oaths above all else and exude an air of righteousness. Much like Pearl, they seem to have a strong set of morals. It is worth noting that sapphire is the second hardest natural mineral, second only to diamonds. So Sapphire has the potential to be one of the strongest Stonehearts in terms of raw power.

Amber is rather obviously associated with natural warmth, but also cleansing and renewal. As far as I have researched, its symbolism seems to revolve around protection and positivity. Consisting of fossilised tree resin, amber is classified as an organic gemstone and isn’t technically a gemstone at all (potentially similar to yet opposite of Pearl?). It was historically believed to bring good luck to warriors in battle and could be used to assist in creating balanced decision-making. The latest aspect may possibly have influenced Amber’s seeming neutrality in the Stonehearts trailer. Bringing good luck to warriors in battle could translate to avoiding conflict altogether, so all parties involved will not lose any prospects. Judging by the gem’s symbolism, Amber seems to be a bit of an outlier amongst the Stonehearts and perhaps that’s why she has yet to show her face.

Sugilite is a stone that drains unwanted connections and evil thoughts. Thought to be a nurturing gemstone, it promotes positive emotions and installs a deep satisfaction of freedom. In great contrast, Feng Shui depicts sugilite as possessing high Yang energy. It is full of emotion, passion and action. This could potentially reflect Sugilite’s personality, driven by passionate desires behind a mask of apathy. Regarding the satisfaction aspect, perhaps Sugilite lives in chase of fulfilment, hence the feast imagery in the Stonehearts trailer.

Opal is considered to be a symbol of hope, purity and truth. Since opal possesses most colours of other gems, the Romans believed it was the most precious and powerful of all gemstones. Indigenous Australians believed it to symbolise a bridge between the earthly and the divine. This seems to align with what we know of Opal so far. I’d wager he’s a little full of himself, tying in with the Roman view of his namesake. Opal also appears to be something akin to the right hand of Diamond, essentially the bridge between the emanator and the other Stonehearts.

Diamond symbolises strength, love and health. They are often worn by leaders and people in power to represent invincibility. The diamond is also considered a symbol of light and brilliance; unconquerable; treasures, riches and intellectual knowledge. We know very little about Diamond, but this all does seem to align with the idea of the leader of the IPC’s Strategic Investment Department. A powerful, untouchable figure, seemingly benevolent and caring but really only in it for the money.

Of course, I’m no expert on gemstones and so this information should be taken with a grain of salt. But that is my take on what I believe we can learn about the non-playable Stonehearts (as of the time of this post, have faith guys) from their gems.

TL;DR: No, information about the Stonehearts can’t be spoiled by their namesake gems. It can be speculated though.

[aphmexphil]

Babies with their ✨protective bracelets✨

What I find really sweet is that all three have their own bracelets that are worn to protect against the evil eye. It's called 'ojo' or 'mal del ojo' in Spanish and 'usog' or 'buyag' in the Philippines. They're mostly worn by children but I've seen adults occasionally wear them.

Some info on the bracelets, and a disclaimer: these are only one of the varieties as I'm sure that there are other variations, traditions or beliefs associated with these types of protective amulets. Though I'm focusing on these varieties for now.

For MX's his bracelet has a central charm consisting of Ojo de venado, which translates as "Deer's eye" and refers to the seed of mucuna mutisiana. The bracelet can be made of cord or beads but they say that once the seed cracks then that means it has successfully absorbed a curse meant for the wearer.

For CB's the central charm Azabache (Jet) is used instead for protection. It's a gemstone mineraloid that's created from wood under extreme pressure and is the lowest rank of coal. The bracelet itself can be made of gold, beads or cord!

For PH's I had the help of @sweaty-clouds who was incredibly kind to share with me some of the bracelets, and meaning behind them ;v;. PH's bracelet is made of coral beads (though recently plastic as well) with red being the most popular color. They also usually come with a lubigan/habak pouch filled with paper inscribed with tiny prayers inside that's pinned to the shirt, but sadly that's not visible in this doodle.

[reddpenn]

What makes a rock a rock and not a crystal?

Ok SO

A mineral is a naturally occurring non-organic solid with a defined chemical composition and an orderly molecular structure. This means the molecules throughout the entire structure will be exactly the same, and be arranged in a symmetrical, geometric, repeating pattern called a crystal lattice.

Quartz is a mineral. Its chemical formula is silicon dioxide, and its crystal lattice forms a repeating tetrahedron.

Ice is also a mineral. Its chemical formula is dihydrogen monoxide, and its crystal lattice forms a repeating hexagon.

Obsidian is not a mineral. It is a mineraloid, a mineral-like substance. Its chemical composition can vary wildly, and instead of a crystal lattice, its molecules are jumbled up in an amorphous solid, meaning there’s no nice repeating pattern to them.

A crystal is any solid material with a crystal lattice.

All minerals, by definition, have a crystal lattice. So all minerals are crystals! Some things that are NOT minerals are also crystals!

Sugar is a crystal. It has a crystal lattice made from molecules of sucrose. But it is not a mineral because it is organic.

Often, these repeating geometric patterns in the crystal lattice cause the substance to naturally form big geometric structures with distinct faces - such as the points formed by quartz. These larger structures are colloquially also called crystals, and their shape (called a crystal habit) is determined by the shape of the crystal lattice. The same crystal lattice can produce multiple different crystal habits, and it’s all very cool and complicated but I won’t go off on a tangent about it right now.

A substance does not have to form big structures like this to be scientifically considered a crystal. It just needs a crystal lattice!

A rock is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids. It can be made of a single mineral, or a bunch of different minerals. But when made from a single mineral, it will not be one solid block of that mineral with an unbroken crystal lattice. Because it is an aggregate, it will be a bunch of micro- to macroscopic grains of that mineral all compacted together, each with their own individual crystal lattices.

Granite is a rock. It is made of grains of minerals such as quartz and feldspar.

Limestone is a rock. It is mostly made of grains of calcite.

So rocks can be made of crystals, but rocks are not crystals - in the same way that a house can be made of bricks, but a house is not a brick!

And this is just a very quick overview of these terms, because the scientific definitions can get increasingly pedantic and there are tons of weird exceptions! It is all very fascinating.

But of course, the word rock also has a colloquial definition, which is just… a chunk of that hard stuff the planet is made of! A mineral, a crystal, a fossil or a bio-organic solid… whatever! This is a rock collection and these are my rocks!

[rock-swag-tournament]

Mineral Swag Semifinals: Labradorite vs. Opal

Labradorite (Ca,Na)(Al,Si)4O8): Feldspar mineral. Triclinic crystal system. Color is brown to gray with iridescence typically being green to blue (with rare yellows and pinks). Two strong directions of cleavage. Vitreous luster. White streak. ~6 on Mohs hardness scale. Labradorite's brand of iridescence is known as labradorescence.

Opal (SiO2·nH2O aka hydrated silica): Mineraloid. No crystal system. Typically colorless with iridescence showing many colors. No cleavage. Pearly or waxy luster. White streak. ~6 on Mohs hardness scale. Comes in many varieties.

[meaniezucchini]

Opalization is the alteration of amorphous silica, often as organic remains of siliceous microfossils in lithified sedimentary rocks, into the mineraloid opal.

so i finally got the time to work on my “minecraft needs more gem types idea”, here’s my mc opal concept! i really like the idea of opalized fossils, n since mojang is already exploring the archeology theme i thought this would be fitting. And since skeletons are essentially walking fossils, it would be cool to see a new desert variety of them:)

[witch-of-the-creek]

Without looking up the answer-

I will be posting the technical answer in the comments

Please do not look up the answer or view the comments before selecting an option as that skews the results

[mineralsrocksandfossiltalks]

Wordplay Wednesday: Ending for taxonomic classifications

One Monday, you would have noticed I used several very large, very similar words. Today, I am going discuss and define a few: tyrannosauroidea, tyrannosauridae, tyrannosaurid, tyrannosaurinae, tyrannosaur, Tyrannosaurus. They all look pretty much the same, right? They do all have different meanings and references though.

First, tyrannosauroidea. This refers to the superfamily that encompasses several families including coelurians, proceratosaurids, megaraptorans, and eutyrannosaurs.

The suffix -oidea, means "like" or "resembling" so when combined with "tyrannosaur" it means "like or resembling tyrant lizards". This is tyrannosaurs and all their closest relatives. You may hear this in other contexts such as mineraloids (like minerals),

or metalloids (like metals).

Tyrannosauridae is a family within the superfamily tyrannosauroidea. Sometimes, we shorten it to tyrannosaurids. It also means "like or resembling" but in this case it is used to indicate a taxonomic family.

A British entomologist named William Kirby introduced the suffix as a way to standardize naming (which is extra important for someone who studies insects and other really small critters).

The suffix -inae is used to denote a subfamily. So, Tyrannosaurinae is a subfamily within the family Tyrannosauridae within the superfamily Tyrannosauroidea. Clear as mud, right?

Tyrannosaur is another short for so we don't have to right all these long words. Not that tyrannosaur is a short word but it is shorter than the other ones.

Finally, Tyrannosaurus is a genus within the subfamily tyrannosaurinae within the family tyrannosauridae within the superfamily tyrannosauroidea.

Oh, did I mention tyrannosaurini? Nope? Well, that is a tribe within the subfamily tyrannosaurinae. That tribe only includes Tarbosaurus (Tyrannosaurus) bataar, Tyrannosaurus rex and Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis.

So, in review:

Tune in tomorrow to learn about the man who named Tyrannosaurus rex. Fossilize you later!

[diegosouzalions]

How are mineraloids made in your AU? Considering that stones such as Amber, Coal, Bone, Fossil, Petrified Wood, Nacre (Mother of Pearl) require organic material just to be produced.

I can imagine them being polished and using only essences to create them, just like Pebbles. Sometimes it seems like a more "peaceful" way to create Gems, but it isn't.

[geologyin-blog]

Mineraloid is a naturally occurring substance that resembles a mineral but lacks a crystalline structure. Unlike minerals, which have a specific chemical composition and a crystalline internal structure, Read more here:

[sunsolii]

Napoleon's Marshals and their Birthstones FINAL part

This is the third and final part of the birthstone saga where I'll cover the remaining four birthstones and their marshals (plus two other non-marshals but I wanted to include anyway). I can't believe I spent half of my winter break researching shiny rocks XD

Part 1 and Part 2 are avaliable here

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*Mineraloid: A mineral-like object that does NOT contain a crystalline structure.

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Sapphire (September)

Marshals- N/A (Honorable mentions: Eugène de Beauharnais & Jean-Andoche Junot)

Type: Mineral

Group: Oxide (Al₂O₃)

Color: Blue, yellow, green, purple

Cleavage: Poor

Fracture: Conchoidal to splintery

Mohs Scale: 9

Luster: Vitreous

Streak: Colorless

Fun Facts: Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum and usually comes in the color blue, but it can also come in colors such as yellow, green, and even purple. Its blue hue is due to traces of iron and titanium in its crystal structure. Sapphires, along with the other cardinal gemstones, have a rich history and cultural significance. In ancient Persia and Greece, it was believed that sapphires possessed divine powers and were used in crowns and jewelry of kings and queens. In today’s age, sapphires are used in different objects such as luxury watches, LED lights, and infrared sensor windows used in military aircraft because of their durability (having a hardness of 9, making it the second hardest mineral other than a diamond) and a high melting point of about 3704°F or 2040 °C.

Opal (October)

Marshals- Augereau, Lefebvre, and Grouchy

Type: Mineraloid*

Group: (Hydrated) Silica (SiO₂·nH₂O)

Color: Colorless, white, yellow, blue, green, black, brow, pink

Cleavage: None

Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven

Mohs Scale: 5.5-6

Luster: Waxy

Streak: White

Fun Fact: Opals are formed when water carries pieces of silica inside an open rock or sediment, often found near volcanoes or groundwater. As time passes, the water inside the rock will evaporate, leaving the silica to solidify inside the host rock, which, under specific temperatures and pressure, will begin to form the opal. There are four types of opals: precious, common, matrix, and synthetic opals. Precious opals exhibit what is known as “opalescence,” which happens due to the arrangement of silica inside the opal, creating an array of colorful hues when put under light. Common opals do not possess opalescence; they are either opaque or translucent with one main color present. Matrix opals are opals embedded in their host rock during their formation, and synthetic opals are lab-grown opals that imitate the colorful look of natural opals.

Topaz (November)

Marshals- Berthier and Macdonald

Type: Mineral

Group: Silicate (Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂)

Color: Colorless, blue, brown, yellow if impurities are present

Cleavage: Basal (perfect)

Fracture: Subconchoidal to uneven

Mohs Scale: 8

Luster: Vitreous or adamantine

Streak: White

Fun Fact: Topaz gets its name from the Greek word topazion, which refers to the Zabargad Island near the Red Sea, where peridot is also found. Topaz comes in different colors, but the most popular color is blue, the most common color found in jewelry stores [1]. Natural blue topaz is very rare, so to get the color blue, a colorless or pale yellow topaz is heated or irradiated using gamma radiation. Subatomic particles are shot through the topaz at high speeds, which knocks some of the electrons out of orbit, causing the light that travels through the crystal to change and the amount of light absorbed. Due to the color wavelength changing, the human eye perceived the topaz as blue [2]. 

Turquoise (December)

Marshals- Perrin and Sérurier

Type: Mineral

Group: Phospate (CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O)

Color: Turquoise, blue, blue-green

Cleavage: Perfect but rarely seen

Fracture: Conchoidal

Mohs Scale: 5-6

Luster: Waxy or dull

Streak: Blue or white

Fun Fact: Turquoise is another mineral that contains water in its structure; this comes in the form of a hydrated phosphate of either copper or aluminum. Turquoise was one of the first gemstones to be mined, with some jewelry dating back to around 5000 BCE. Even though it has been used in jewelry for thousands of years, its value has decreased due to the treatments and synthetic turquoise appearing more often in the market. Even though they are minerals, well-formed crystals are rarely found on their own, with most turquoise growing closely packed around another mineral, causing it to have a higher durability [3]. Due to its lower hardness level, caring for any turquoise jewelry is important, and it is recommended not to use it while doing any sort of manual labor as the gemstone can be easily damaged. Jewelry designers place a durable bezel around the gem to prevent scratches and protect it. However, the bezel can only protect the gemstone to a limited degree since it is still exposed to open air. It is also recommended not to get the gemstone wet as it can absorb liquids due to its low porosity, which can alter its color [4].

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Sources:

Sapphire: MAT, M. (2023, April 24). Sapphire: Properties, formation, occurrence " Geology science. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/sapphire/?amp

Opal: MAT, M. (2023, September 29). Opal : Properties, formation, uses and deposits " geology science. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/opal/?amp

Topaz: [1] King, H. M. (n.d.). Blue topaz. Geology. https://geology.com/gemstones/blue-topaz/#treatment

[2] MAT, M. (2023, August 26). Topaz : Gemstone: Properties, formation, occurrence, uses. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/minerals/topaz/?amp

Turquoise: [3] MAT, M. (2023, April 23). Turquoise: Mineral properties, uses and occurrence. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/turquoise/?amp

[4] King, H. M. (n.d.-b). Turquoise. geology. https://geology.com/minerals/turquoise.shtml