LAB 2: MINERAL PROPERTIES, USES, & IDENTIFICATION

MINERAL USES, MINERAL COMMODITIES

U.S. Geological Survey page on Mineral Resources has much information about resources obtained from minerals and rocks.

Mineral Commodity Summaries are provided by the U.S. Geological Survey. Commodities are listed alphabetically.

Gems & Precious Stones has much information about gems and gemstones, as compiled by Jill Banfield.

U.S. Geological Survey, page on minerals has additional information about mineral uses/commodities.

Gemology & Lapidary Pages have good information on gemstone grading, pricing, and investments.

MINERAL PROPERTIES & IDENTIFICATION

Rocks & Minerals is an NAGT/Steven Schimmrich site with many links on minerals, mineral collecting, crystallography, and rocks.

Testing Hardness of a Mineral is a very concise site on this topic.

Minerals Under the Microscope describes how thin-sections of rocks and minerals are made and then viewed with a polarising microscope

Minerals in Thin Section is a University of British Columbia database of photomicrographs and information on how minerals are identified in thin sections when viewed with a petrographic microscope.

Gems & Precious Stones has much information about properties and identification of gems and gemstones, as compiled by Jill Banfield.

Gemology & Lapidary Pages also have good information on gemstone properties and classification.

MINING OF MINERALS

Info-mine has excellent information about mining of mineral resources, mining news and trends, and many other topics related to mining.

Mining News also has excellent news and information about mining of mineral resources and other topics related to mining.

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