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Greetings to all my dear hivers, after a time away from the community, I have decided to return to continue sharing experiences of my life as a geologist and researcher. Today I bring you some data on a mineraloid, chalcedony.
I have taken the liberty of taking some photos of our chalcedony collection at the Moa University Geology Museum. I hope you like it, while giving you some relevant information about this interesting mineraloid.
[//]:# (!pinmapple 20.66438 lat -74.95512 long Museo de Geología, Universidad de Moa d3scr)
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The first thing we must understand is that a mineral is a solid, homogeneous, of natural origin, which has a defined chemical formula and an ordered internal structure. The latter implies that minerals are crystals, and as crystals they can only crystallize in 32 possible forms.
It is necessary to stop at some aspects. That they are natural means that all those substances synthesized in laboratories are manufactured by man, and, therefore, are not minerals. Some notable examples are diamonds, emeralds and rubies, which are synthesized in some laboratories as part of the jewelry industry. These are not minerals like their cousins formed in natural processes.
Another aspect is that they have a chemical formula, which means that they are compounds formed by the combination of chemical elements. Many times some of their properties, such as conductivity, hardness, brightness, depend on the chemical element that forms them.
Finally, crystallinity is a fundamental parameter that is related to its own formation process, and I make this reservation, to incidentally indicate that what is used for windows, glasses, glasses, windshields, is glass, not crystal. .
As a curious fact we can say that we eat crystals every day. Sugar is a crystal, although it is not a mineral, and common salt is a cubic crystal called halite in its mineralogical form.
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa, en este caso las bandas no son concéntricas como las imágenes anteriores, sino paralelas. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University, in this case the bands are not concentric like the previous images, but parallel]
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One of the most notable features is the alternating bands of different colors. Sometimes bands are formed that have the property of shining from different angles, forming a phenomenon called iridescence. Such is the case of the Tiger's Eye variety
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
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The properties of the chalcedony stone are very interesting and diverse. It is a soft stone that transmits a lot of calm and peace, and can therefore help relieve episodes of stress and anxiety, sadness and irritability. It is said that it also eliminates the insecurities of those who use it, that it enhances self-esteem and self-confidence, and that it promotes creativity and optimism in people who are going through a bad streak.
[Fotografía de una muestra de calcedonia, tomada de la colección de fotografías del Museo de Geología de la Universidad de Moa. /Photograph of a sample of chalcedony, taken from the photography collection of the Geology Museum of Moa University]
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That's enough for today, if you've come this far, I just have to invite you to another encounter with geology. I hope you liked the photos and see you next time.
- I used DeepL translator in its free version, as my native language is Spanish.