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sapphire

What is Mineral Pleochroism?

Pleochroism means “more colors.” Pleochroic minerals show two or three colors when viewed from different angles. This property appears…

Impurity Ions and Mineral Colors

I’ve faced many questions about the element chromium (Cr), the red coloration of minerals, and the gemstone red beryl. One of the…

Mineral Optical Properties

We tend to take light for granted. It’s such a common thing we experience every day. Rarely do we think of the scientific definition of light…

A World of Crystals

We live in a world of crystals. You don’t have to dig deep into the Earth to find them. Even the bones in our bodies and the dust in the air contain crystals.…