Glossary of Terms - The Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom

Glossary of Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ALL

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Abrasive	Effervescent	Magma	Rare earth elements
Absolute hardness	Effloresce	Magmatic	REE
Absorption spectra	Efflorescence	Magmatite	Reflection
Absorption spectrum	Efflorescent	Magmatite rock	Reflective
Accessory mineral	Eightling	Magnesia	Refract
Acicular	Elastic	Magnet	Refraction
Acid	Electric	Magnetic	Refractive index
Acid test	Electrical	Magnetic field	Refractive indices
Activator	Electricity	Magnetism	Refractometer
Adamantine	Electromagnetic radiation	Malleability	Relative density
Adularescence	Electrometallurgy	Malleable	Reniform
Adularescent	Electron	Mammilary	Repeated twinning
Aggregate	Element	Mantle	Repeated twins
Alkali	Elements	Marble	Replace
Alkali Feldspar	Elongated	Marquise	Replaced
Alkaline	Embedded crystal	Massive	Replacement
Alloy	Emerald	Matrix	Replacing
Alloyed	Emerald cut	Melee	Resinlike luster
Alloying	Empirical formula	Melting point	Resinous
Alluvial	Enaniotropic	Mesothermal vein	Resinous luster
Alluvial deposit	Encrust	Metal	Resistance
Alluvion	Encrustation	Metallic	Resistant
Alluvium	Encrusting	Metallic elements	Reticulated
Alpha rays	End member	Metallic luster	Rhomb
Alpine	Engrave	Metallurgy	Rhomb-scalenohedron
Alpine cavity	Engraving	Metamict	Rhombic
Alter	Environment	Metamiction	Rhombic dodecahedron
Alteration	Epimorph	Metamorphasized	Rhombohedral
Altered	Epitaxial overgrowth	Metamorphic	Rhombohedral cleavage
Amalgam	Epitaxy	Metamorphic rock	Rhombohedron
Amber	Epithermal vein	Metamorphism	Rhyolite
Ammonia	Epsom salts	Metamorphosed	Rift
Ammonium hydroxide	Equant	Metasilicate chains	Ring silicates
Amorphous	Equidimensional	Metasilicate rings	Rock
Amphibole	Eroded	Metasilicates	Rock crystal
Amphibole group	Erosion	Metasomatically	Rock shop
Amygdule	Euhedral	Metasomatism	Rock show
Anhydrous	Evaporate	Metastability	Rock-forming mineral
Anhydrous borates	Evaporation	Metastable	Rosette
Anhydrous sulfates	Evaporite	Meteor	Rough
Anion	Evaporite deposit	Meteoric	Round
Anisotropic	Even	Meteorite	Rust
Anisotropism	Even fracture	Meteoroid	Rusting
Anticline	Exfoliate	Mica	Rutilated
Antimonides	Extract	Mica group	Rutile twin
Apatite group	Extraction	Micaceous	Saccharoidal
Aqua fortis	Extraterrestrial	Microcrystal	Saline
Aqua regia	Extrusive	Microcrystalline	Saline deposit
Aqueous	Face	Micromount	Saline lake
Aragonite group	Facet	Miller Index	Salinity
Arborescent	Faceted	Miller indices	Salt
Argentiferous	Faceting	Mine	Salt dome
Argillacious	Fault	Miner	Salt Lake
Arid	Feldspar	Mineral	Sand
Arsenates	Feldspar group	Mineral group	Sandstone
Arsenide	Feldspathoid	Mineral series	Sassuritization
Arsenides	Feldspathoid group	Mineral show	Scalenohedral
Asbestos	Felsic	Mineralogical	Scalenohedron
Asbestos amphibole	Ferrian	Mineralogically	Scales
Asterism	Ferroginous	Mineralogist	Scaly
Asteroid	Ferromagnetic	Mineralogy	Scepter
Asymmetrical	Ferromagnetism	Mineraloid	Schiller
Atom	Ferrous	Mining	Schist
Atomic	Fiber	Mixed crystal	Sclerometer
Atomic structure	Fibrous	Mohs Hardness scale	Scoria
Atomical	Filiform	Mohs Scale	Secondary
Atomical arrangement	Fire	Molecular	Secondary mineral
Atomically	Fishtail twin	Molecular arrangement	Sectile
Auriferous	Fissile	Molecular structure	Sectility
Autochthonous	Fissility	Molecule	Sediment
Aventurescence	Flaky	Mollusk	Sedimentary
Aventurization	Flame test	Molten	Sedimentary rock
Axes	Flat	Molten rock	Sedimentation process
Axis	Flaw	Molybdates	Selenides
Axis of symmetry	Flawless	Monochromatic	Selvage
Band	Flexibility	Monoclinic	Semi-metal
Banded	Flexible	Monotropic	Semi-metallic
Banding	Flexible and elastic	Mother of pearl luster	Semi-metallic elements
Basal	Flexible but inelastic	Mother rock	Semi-precious
Basal cleavage	Floater	Mother-of-pearl	Semi-precious gemstone
Basal pinacoid	Floater crystal	Mottled	Series
Basalt	Flow banding	Multicolored	Setting
Base	Flowstone	Multiple oxides	Shaft
Basic	Fluoresce	Mylonite	Shale
Batholith	Fluorescence	Nacre	Sheaflike
Bead test	Fluorescent	Nacreous	Sheet silicates
Bed	Fluorescent lamp	Native	Shelly fracture
Bedding	Fluorite twin	Native elements	Shortwave
Bedrock	Fluvial	Natural glass	Silica
Belemnite	Fluvial deposit	Nepheline syenite	Silica gel
Beta rays	Flux	Nesosilicates	Silica group
Bipyramid	Fold	Neutron	Silicafied
Bipyramidal	Foliated	Nitrate	Silicate
Bipyramidal hexagon	Form	Nitrates	Silicates
Bipyramidal hexagonal	Formula	Nitrates Group	Siliceous
Bipyramidal hexagonal prism	Fossil	Nitric acid	Silky
Birefringence	Fossiliferous	Nodular	Silky luster
Birthstone	Fossilization	Nodule	Sill
Bitumen	Fossilize	Non-crystalline	Silt
Bituminous	Fossilized	Non-metallic	Simple oxides
Bladed	Fourling	Non-metallic elements	Simple sulfides
Blowpipe test	Fracture	Nonbrittle	Sinter
Boiling point	Framework silicates	Nonmetal	Sixling
Bond	Freezing point	Nuclei	Skarn
Borate	Friable	Nucleus	Skeletal
Borates	Fulgurite	Nugget	Slab
Borax	Fumarole	Obsidian	Slag
Botryoid	Fusion	Occurrence	Slate
Botryoidal	Gabbro	Ochre	Smelt
Boule	Gamma rays	Octacube	Smooth fracture
Brass	Gangue	Octagon	Snakehead
Breccia	Gangue material	Octahedra	Soil
Brecciated	Garnet Group	Octahedral	Solid solution
Brilliant cut	Garnet paper	Octahedral cleavage	Solidify
Brilliant luster	Geiger counter	Octahedral cube	Solubility
Brine	Gem	Octahedron	Soluble
Brittle	Gemminess	Oil of vitriol	Solution
Bronze	Gemmy	Oiling	Solvent
Brownspar	Gemological	Oily luster	Sorosilicates
Bullion	Gemologist	Oolite	Spar
Cabochon	Gemology	Oolitic	Specific gravity
Calcareous	Gemstone	Opalesce	Specimen
Calcic	Geode	Opalescence	Spectra
Calcite group	Geologic	Opalescent	Spectral
Cameo	Geological	Opalization	Spectrograph
Capillary	Geologist	Opalize	Spectrometer
Carat	Geology	Opaque	Spectrophotometer
Carbonate	GIA	Open Pit	Spectroscope
Carbonates	Gilson Process	Optical	Spectroscopy
carbonatite	Girdle	Optical properties	Spectrum
Carlsbad twin	Glass	Optics	Sphenoidal
Carved	Glassy luster	Ore	Spherical
Carving	Glauber's salt	Organic	Spherulite
Cassiterite twin	Globular	Orthorhombic	Spherulitic
Cast	Gneiss	Orthosilicates	Spinel twin
Casting	Goniometer	Outcrop	Spinel-law twin
Cat's eye	Gossan	Oval	Splendent luster
Cat's eye effect	Grain	Overtone	Splinter
Cation	Grainy	Oxidation	Splintery
Catseye	Gram	Oxidation minerals	Splintery fracture
Cave	Granite	Oxidation zone	Square
Cavern	Granitic	Oxide	Stable
Cavities	Granular	Oxides	Stalactite
Cavity	Gravel	Oxidize	Stalactitic
Cementation zone	Gravity	Oxidized	Stalactitically
Center of symmetry	Greasy	Oxidized zone	Stalagmite
Chain silicates	Greasy luster	Paleontologist	Stalagmitic
Chalk	Greenschist	Paleontology	Staurolite twin
Chatoyancy	Greenstone	Pallasite	Stellate
Chatoyant	Group	Panning	Stock
Chemical	Grouping	Paragenesis	Stone
Chemical bond	Guano	Paramagnetic	Strahler
Chemical composition	Gwindel	Paramagnetism	Strata
Chemical formula	Habit	Paramorph	Stratification
Chemical structure	Hackly	Parting	Stratum
Chemist	Halides	Patina	Streak
Chemistry	Halogen	Pear	Streak plate
Chert	Hard water	Pearl	Striated
Chondrite	Hardness	Pearly	Striations
Chondrules	Hardness testing kit	Pearly luster	Structural
Chromates	HCl	Pegmatite	Structure
Chrysoberyl twin	Heart	Pendant	Stubby
Clast	Heat treated	Penetration	Stud
Clay	Heat treating	Penetration twin	Sub-metallic
Cleavable	Heat treatment	Penetration twinning	Subconchoidal
Cleavage	Hemimorphic	Pentagonal dodecahedron	Subconchoidal fracture
Cleavage angle	Hemispherical	Percussion figure	Subgroup
Cleavage face	Hexagon	Peridotite	Sublimate
Cleavage fragment	Hexagonal	Periodic table	Sublimation
Cleavage surface	Hexagonal bipyramid	Perky box	Submetallic
Cleave	Hexagonal bipyramidal	Petrifaction	Sulfate
Cleaved	Hexagonal shape	Petrification	Sulfates
Cleaved surface	Hexoctahedral	Petrified	Sulfide
Cleaving	Hexoctahedron	Petrified wood	Sulfides
Clinopinacoid	Hopper	Petrographer	Sulfosalt
Clinopinacoidal	Hornfels	Petrographic microscope	Sulfosalts
Cluster	Host mineral	Petrography	Sulfuric acid
Coal	Hot spring	Petroleum	Surrounding rock
Coating	Humite group	Petrologist	SW
Cockscomb	Hydrate	Petrology	Swallowtail twin
Color	Hydrated	pH	Syenite
Columnar	Hydration	Phantom	Symmetrical
Composition	Hydrocarbons	Phantom growth	Symmetry
Compound	Hydrochloric acid	Phenocryst	Synthesized
Concentric	Hydrofluoric acid	Phosphate	Synthetic
Conchoidal	Hydrometallurgy	Phosphates	Synthetic gem
Concretion	Hydrothermal	Phosphoresce	Tabular
Concretionary	Hydrothermal Method	Phosphorescence	Tarnish
Conductivity	Hydrothermal Vein	Phosphorescent	Tectosilicates
Conductor	Hydrous	Photochromism	Tellurides
Conglomerate	Hydrous borates	Phyllosilicates	Tenacity
Contact metamorphism	Hydrous sulfates	Physicist	Tenebrescence
Contact twinning	Hydroxides	Physics	Tenebrescent
Coprolite	Hydroxyl	Piezoelectric	Terminated
Coral	Hygroscopic	Piezoelectricity	Termination
Core	Hygroscopy	Pinacoid	Tetragonal
Coxcomb	Hypothermal vein	Pinacoidal	Tetragonal trisoctahedron
Crater	Icosahedra	Pinacoidal cleavage	Tetrahedral
Crazing	Icosahedral	Pipe	Tetrahedron
Crumbly	Icosahedron	Pisolite	Texture
Crust	Icosi-tetrahedron	Pisolitic	Thermal
Crusty	Idiochromatic	Pit	Thermoluminescence
Cryptocrystalline	Igneous	Pitchlike luster	Thermoluminescent
Crystal	Igneous rock	Pitchy	Thumbnail
Crystal aggregate	IMA	Placer	Tourmaline group
Crystal angle	Impure	Placer deposit	Transformation
Crystal class	Impurities	Plagioclase twin	Translucency
Crystal face	Impurity	Plane	Translucent
Crystal group	In Situ	Plane of symmetry	Transparency
Crystal habit	Included	Planetoid	Transparent
Crystal lattice	Inclusion	Plate	Trap rock
Crystal structure	Incrust	Plate-like	Trapezohedra
Crystal symmetry	Incrustation	Plated	Trapezohedral
Crystal system	Incrusting	Platy	Trapezohedron
Crystalline	Index of refraction	Playa	Trapiche
Crystallization	Indiscernible	Pleochroic	Traprock
Crystallize	Inelastic	Pleochroism	Triboluminescence
Crystallized	Infiltration	Plug	Triboluminescent
Crystallographer	Ingot	Plumose	Trichroic
Crystallographically	Inorganic	Plutonic	Trichroism
Crystallography	Inosilicates	Plutonic rock	Triclinic
ct	Insoluble	Pocket	Trigonal
Cube	Intaglio	Point	Trilling
Cubic	Intermediary	Polished	Trillion
Cubic cleavage	Intermediary Member	Polishing	Triplet
Cubic octahedron	Intrusion	Polychromatic	Trisoctahedral
Cubic system	Intrusive	Polyhedron	Trisoctahedron
Cuboctahedral	Intrusive rock	Polymerization	True phosphates
Culet	Ion	Polymorph	Trunk
Cut	Iridesce	Polymorphism	Tube test
Cyclosilicates	Iridescence	Polymorphous	Tuberose
Cymophane effect	Iridescent	Polysynthetic twinning	Tufa
Decomposition	Irradiate	Polysynthetic twins	Tufacious spring
Decrepitation	Irradiated	Polytype	Tuff
Dehydration	Irradiating	Porcelaneous	Tumbled
Deliquesce	Irradiation	Porous	Tumbler
Deliquescent	Isometric	Porphry	Tumbling
Dendrite	Isomorph	Porphyritic	Tungstates
Dendritic	Isomorphism	Porphyry	Tungstates and Molybdates
Density	Isomorphous	Potash	Tungstens
Deposit	Isotropic	Potash feldspar	Twin
Detrital	Isotropization	Potassium feldspar group	Twinned
Detritus	Isotype	Potspar	Twinned crystal
Devitrification	Isotypism	Precious gemstone	Twinning
Devitrify	Isotypous	Precious metal	Type locality
Diabase	Ivory	Precious stone	Ultrabasic
Diagenesis	Jagged	Precipitating	Ultramafic
Diamagnetic	Japan Law Twin	Precipitation	Ultraviolet
Diamagnetism	Japanese law twin	Primary	Ultraviolet lamp
Diamondlike luster	Japanese twin	Primary mineral	Ultraviolet light
Diaphaneity	Jet	Princess	Uneven
Diaphanous	Jewel	Prism	Uneven fracture
Diapir	Jeweler	Prismatic	Unstable
Dichroic	Jewelry	Prismatic cleavage	UV
Dichroism	K	Prospect	UV lamp
Diffract	K-spar	Prospecting	Vanadates
Diffraction	Karat	Prospector	Variable formula
Diffused	Karst	Proton	Variety
Diffusion treatment	Kimberlite	Ps.	Vein
Dike	Kt	Pseudo	Vent
Dimorph	Lab	Pseudo-octahedral	Venting
Dimorphous	Laboratory	Pseudo-octahedron	Vermeil
Diorite	Labradoresce	Pseudocube	Verneuil process
Dipyramid	Labradorescence	Pseudocubic	Vesicle
Dipyramidal	Labradorescent	Pseudohexagon	Vitreous
Disilicates	Laccolith	Pseudohexagonal	Vitreous luster
Dispersing	Lamellar	Pseudomorph	Vitriol
Dispersion	Laminated rock	Pseudomorphed	Volatilize
Dodecahedral	Lanthanides	Pseudomorphism	Volcanic
Dodecahedron	Lapidaries	Pt	Volcanic rock
Dollar	Lapidary	Pure	Volcanism
Dolomite	Lattice	Pyncnometer	Volcano
Dolostone	Lava	Pyramidal	Vug
Double refraction	Lenticular	Pyritohedral	Vulcanism
Doublet	Light	Pyritohedron	Waterworn
Doubly terminated	Light reflection	Pyroelectric	Waxlike luster
Druse	Light refraction	Pyroelectricity	Waxy
Drusy	Limestone	Pyrometallurgy	Waxy luster
Druzy	Litmus paper	Pyrosilicates	Weathered
Dry lake	Locality	Pyroxene	Weathering
Dry lake deposit	Lode	Pyroxene group	Wheat sheaf
Ductile	Longwave	Quarried	Wheat sheaves
Ductilibility	Loupe	Quarries	White light
Ductility	Lubricant	Quarry	Widmanstatten lines
Dull	Luminesce	Quartz group	Widmanstatten pattern
Dull luster	Luminescence	Quartzite	Wires
Dump	Luminescent	Radial	Wiry
Dusting	Luster	Radiating	Wolframates
Earth science	Lustrous	Radiation	X-ray
Earthy	LW	Radical	Xenolith
Earthy luster	Macle	Radioactive	Zeolite
Eclogite	Macrocrystalline	Radioactivity	Zeolite group
Effervesce	Mafic	Rare earth	Zoning
Effervescence

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