Interesting facts about minerals Is a great opportunity to learn more about natural solids. Minerals are around us, because our entire planet consists of them. They play an important role in human life, being at the same time objects of active prey.
So, here are the most interesting facts about minerals.
- Translated from Latin, the word "mineral" means - ore.
- As of today, there are approximately 5300 varieties of studied minerals.
- Did you know that jade is almost 2 times more durable than hardened steel?
- For a long time it was believed that the mineral tranquillite - delivered from the surface of the Moon (see interesting facts about the Moon) - does not exist on Earth at all. However, in 2011, scientists managed to find this mineral in Australia.
- Mineralogy is the science that studies minerals.
- Graphite began to be used in the manufacture of pencils by pure chance. The "writing" properties of this mineral were noticed after a graphite shard left a trace on paper.
- Diamond is the hardest on the Mohs scale of reference hardness minerals. Moreover, it is rather fragile: it can be broken with a strong blow of a hammer.
- The softest mineral is talc, which is easily scratched with a fingernail.
- By their composition, ruby and sapphire are one and the same mineral. Their main difference is color.
- An interesting fact is that quartz is considered the most common mineral on the earth's surface. But the most common in the earth's crust is feldspar.
- Certain minerals emit radiation, including chaorite and torbernite.
- Structures made of granite can successfully stand for thousands of years. This is due to the high resistance of this mineral to atmospheric precipitation.
- The only gemstone that contains just one chemical element is diamond.
- It is curious that under the influence of sunlight, topaz begins to fade gradually. However, if it is exposed to weak radioactive radiation, it will become bright again.
- Minerals can be either liquid or gaseous. For this reason, even molten stone will still remain a mineral.
- An interesting fact is that up to 90% of all mined diamonds are used for industrial purposes and only 10% are used for the production of jewelry.
- The ancient Greeks believed that drinking alcoholic beverages from containers made of amethyst would avoid intoxication.
- One of the rarest minerals on earth - red emerald, is mined only in a small American city.
- The most expensive mineral on the planet is still the same red diamond, where the price of 1 carat fluctuates around $ 30,000!
- The rare mineral blue garnet was first found only in 1990.
- Lithium-based batteries are the most popular today. It is noteworthy that its production is mainly carried out on the territory of Afghanistan (see interesting facts about Afghanistan).
- Did you know that oil is also a mineral?
- The densest known mineral is iridium.
