What are minerals?
Minerals are the stuff of which the Earth's rocks are made. A mineral is defined as naturally occurring solid with a specific chemical composition and a distinctive crystal structure. Minerals are usually formed by inorganic processes, although there are organically produced substances, they are also considered minerals.
What is a gemstone?
The definition of a gemstone is broad : the term can be used to describe any mineral that is highly prized for its beauty, durability, and rarity. A gem is a mineral enchanced in some manner by altering its shape, usually by cutting and polishing. Most gems begin as crystals of minerals, or as aggregates of crystals. A limited number of noncrystalline materials of organic origin are also classified as gemstones , and are usually referred to as organic gems.
Note : Synthetic gems that are grown synthetically are not classified as minerals
No comments:
Post a Comment