Mineralogy Glossary

Essential terms and definitions for mineralogy and mineral collecting.

History and Classification

A gemstone traditionally associated with each month of the year. The modern birthstone list was …

A form of relief carving in a layered stone (typically onyx, sardonyx, or shell) where …

A mineral name that has been officially rejected by the IMA because it was found …

The single physical specimen designated as the name-bearing type of a mineral species at the …

The formal recognition of a new mineral species by the International Mineralogical Association's Commission on …

The opposite of cameo: a carving technique in which the design is incised below the …

The art and practice of cutting, shaping, and polishing gemstones and ornamental stones. A lapidary …

A specimen selected from the original material examined by the author of a mineral species …

The emission of light by a mineral by any means other than incandescence (heat). Types …

The generation of electric charge by mechanical deformation of certain crystals, discovered in quartz by …

The generation of a temporary electric potential in certain crystals when heated or cooled, due …

The mineralogical classification system devised by Karl Hugo Strunz in 1941, organizing minerals into ten …

The emission of light from a mineral when heated, caused by the release of electrons …

A specific physical specimen held in a museum collection that serves as the definitive reference …

A named subdivision of a mineral species distinguished by color, habit, or minor compositional variation, …