Minerals

There are 26 entries matching this topic. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

Anhydrite: The name anhydrite comes from two Greek words meaning "without water." In fact, anhydrite is very "dry" and it easily takes up water. When it absorbs water it changes to gypsum, a much more common mineral in Ohio. . . .
Barite: The name barite comes from a Greek word meaning heavy. This refers to its relatively high specific gravity (see below), a characteristic that helps in distinguishing barite from other similar minerals such as calcite, fluorite and celestite. . . .
Calcite (Calcium Carbonate): The name calcite comes from a Greek word meaning lime. This comes from its chemical component, Calcium Carbonate, which sometimes is mistakenly known as "lime." Calcite is known in more than 300 forms of crystals. . . .
Celestite (Strontium Sulfate): The name celestite comes from a Latin word meaning "heaven." This refers to the sky-blue, "celestial" color often seen in this mineral. Since celestite is the most common mineral that contains the metal strontium, it is the predominate ore for that element. Compounds of strontium color a flame red, and they sometimes are used in the manufacture of fireworks. . . .
Chalcedony: Chalcedony is a transparent to translucent form of quartz. Its name comes from the Greek name of an ancient town in Asia Minor. . . .
Chalcopyrite: The name chalcoperite comes from two Greek roots: a word meaning copper, and a word that refers to the yellow color of the mineral. images/naturalHistory/mineralspyrite is a common mineral, widely spread, and often it is found in large quantities. . . .
Chemical Characteristics of Ohio Minerals: The chemical components of minerals are elements and elemental groups. An "element" is a distinct variety of matter, which by itself or in combination with other elements, make up substances of many kinds. . . .
Chert: Chert is an impure form of flint. Some people believe the opposite --- that flint is a variety of chert. In either case both minerals are varieties of quartz. . . .
Diamond (Carbon): The word diamond comes from the Greek name for this mineral. For many centuries now, people have admired, pursued and wanted diamonds for their rarity as well as for their beauty. However, diamonds have other very important qualities that make them very useful. . . .
Flint: Flint, a variety of quartz, is a hard and durable mineral. This was known to William Shakespeare when he wrote Romeo and Juliet, and it was known to Native American Indians who were making tools from flint at the same time. Flint can be worked into a variety of forms, and its surfaces will take a high polish. . . .
Fluorite (Calcium Floride): The name fluorite comes from the Latin word for flux, which refers to a substance that promotes flowing and combining of other materials, especially minerals and metals. And in fact the mineral fluorite is used as a flux in making steel and other metals that require the removal of impurities. . . .
Galena: Galena is the most important ore for the metal lead. Processing the ore is simple, and people have produced lead from galena since ancient times. In fact, the name galena comes from the Latin word for lead ore. . . .
Gold: The English word gold comes from a series of ancient words that refer to the color yellow. Its rarity, beauty and ability to be shaped by man have made it a highly desired precious metal throughout the history of mankind. "Gold fever" has been a frequently recurring affliction for humans. . . .
Gypsum (Hydrous Calcium Sulfate): The name gypsum comes from a Greek work meaning calcined or burned. Selenite, a variety of gypsum with colorless, clear crystals, gets its name from a Greek word for moon. This is because the pear-like luster of selenite gypsum resembles moonlight. . . .
Halite: Salt, the mineral halite (sodium chloride), was Ohio’s first commercially exploited mineral resource when salt springs were placed under control of the state soon after Ohio entered the Union. Salt was produced at these operations by evaporating salty water (brine) that naturally came to the surface and evaporated so the salt could be obtained. . . .
Halotrichite-Pickeringite: The name halotrichite comes from the Latin meaning "hairy salt," hence the German common name of Haarsalz. Pickeringite was name after J. Pickering (1777 - 1846). Although they contain varying amounts of iron and magnesium, members of the halotrichite-pickeringite series have similar physical properties. . . .
Hematite (Iron Oxide): Hematite gets its name from a Greek word meaning "blood-like." This refers to the red color of the powdered mineral. This mineral is the primary ore from which iron is produced. Most of the iron that is mined in the United States comes from hematite. . . .
Hexahydrite: The name of this mineral comes from the Greek language and refers to the six (hexa-) elemental groups of water (hydrite) (H2O) with each elemental group of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4). . . .
Marcasite (Iron Sulfide): The name marcasite comes from a French word whose origin is unclear. This mineral has the same chemical makeup as pyrite but its crystal structure is different. The term marcasite sometimes is used for small pieces of polished and faceted pieces of jewelry, which actually are made of pyrite. Marcasite itself is not used as a gem. . . .
Melanterite (Hydrous Iron Sulfate): The name of this mineral comes from a Greek word meaning "copper water," which refers to a process of extracting metallic copper using copper-bearing water and iron. Because melanterite has the same chemical makeup as the waste from that process, the mineral sometimes is called "copperas." . . .
Minerals of Ohio: Minerals are naturally occurring elements or compounds that are the constituents of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock. In unusual circumstances, minerals may grow into typical crystal forms that make them desirable to collectors. . . .
Pyrite (Iron Sulfide): The name of this mineral comes from an ancient Greek word for fire. Because of the bright yellow color of many examples of pyrite it sometimes is called "fool’s gold." Pyrite is very common in the earth’s crust. It has been used as an ore for sulfur, and sometimes as a source of iron. . . .
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide): In addition to flint, quartz occurs as small crystals in association with dolomites in western Ohio. The flint beds at Flint Ridge commonly have small vugs lined with quartz crystals. . . .
Sphalerite (Zinc Sulfide): Generally found as small, brown to reddish-brown crystals in Silurian dolomites in southern Ohio in the Serpent Mound zinc district. This mineral is also found in concretions in the Devonian-age Ohio Shale. . . .
Strontianite (Strontium Carbonate): The name strontianite comes from a famous location for the mineral, Strontian, Scotland. This ore is one of the few sources for the element strontium. Its uses include the refining of sugar and the production of fireworks. . . .
Sulfur: The word sulfur comes from the Latin name for this important chemical element. Since much of the earth’s sulfur has been formed from gasses emitted by volcanoes, many mining operations throughout the world are found near extinct volcanoes. . . .