2+ week, 1+ day ago   (459+ words) Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz (SiO) formed through a combination of silica-rich fluids, slow crystal growth in open cavities, trace iron incorporation, and prolonged exposure to natural radiation. Its formation is well documented by mineralogical, geochemical, and crystallographic…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago   (571+ words) Spheroidal weathering is a chemical weathering process in which angular blocks of rock gradually become rounded as chemical alteration proceeds inward from joints, edges, and corners. The defining control on spheroidal weathering is geometry. Chemical reactions act more rapidly where…...

1+ mon, 6+ day ago   (228+ words) Formation Processes in Detail Although chemically identical, velvet malachite stands out from common malachite due to its unique crystal habit. The differences arise entirely from variations in growth conditions within the supergene environment. Texture:Velvet malachite displays a dense, micro-fibrous…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago   (727+ words) Hard Pure Gold" (Chinese: ", y'ng z" j'n) is a newly standardized category of high-purity gold jewelry established in China in May 2025. It represents a major technological breakthrough in manufacturing nearly pure (24K) gold that is significantly harder and more durable than…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago   (1219+ words) Paleontologists in Argentina have uncovered an extraordinary 70-million-year-old dinosaur egg in near-perfect condition " a discovery that offers new insight into reproductive biology, preservation environments, and late Cretaceous ecosystems. The fossil, found in Patagonia's Neuqu'n Basin, represents one of the most…...

2+ mon, 4+ week ago   (801+ words) Geologically, shungite formed about 2.0 billion years ago during the Paleoproterozoic Era. It originated from organic-rich sediments that accumulated in a shallow marine basin and were later subjected to metamorphism'heat, pressure, and fluid alteration'transforming the organic matter into a unique, non-crystalline…...

3+ mon, 2+ day ago   (650+ words) When you find an unusual or eye-catching rock and wonder if it might be valuable, the first step is careful observation and testing. Many valuable finds fall into four main categories'gold, gemstones, fossils, and meteorites'each with diagnostic features that distinguish…...

3+ mon, 1+ week ago   (387+ words) Geologically, Welo opal forms in silica-rich volcanic rocks, especially rhyolitic tuffs and nodules within basaltic flows. This volcanic origin distinguishes it from Australia's sedimentary opals. The porous nature of the host rock contributes to Welo opal's unique water-absorbing properties. Gemologically,…...

3+ mon, 2+ week ago   (485+ words) Despite its variety, quartz can be recognized by a set of reliable diagnostic traits. If most of these traits fit your specimen, it is very likely quartz. Quartz is most often recognized by its glassy, translucent to transparent appearance. Well-formed…...

3+ mon, 4+ week ago   (664+ words) These traits create striking contrasts, often enhanced by staining from salts, iron oxides, or biological growth, observable in sites like Petra, Jordan. Tafoni in sandstone form through a combination of physical, chemical, and biological processes rather than a single cause....