Oxides minerals

Amethyst

紫水晶

SiO₂ (quartz var.)

Amethyst is the violet to purple variety of quartz (SiO₂) colored by trace iron and natural irradiation. The February birthstone, Amethyst is…

Anatase

锐钛矿

Anatase is one of the three TiO2 polymorphs (alongside rutile and brookite) and is the lowest-temperature, most metastable of the three. It…

Brookite

板钛矿

Brookite is the orthorhombic, intermediate-temperature TiO2 polymorph (with rutile being the high-T tetragonal form and anatase the low-T tetragonal form). It produces…

Chalcedony

玉髓

SiO₂ (cryptocrystalline)

Chalcedony is the cryptocrystalline form of quartz — submicroscopic interlocked quartz fibers producing a tough, waxy-lustered material. Many named varieties are Chalcedony:…

Chromite

铬铁矿

FeCr₂O₄

Chromite (FeCr₂O₄) is the principal chromium ore mineral and the only economically significant Cr resource. It forms in podiform and stratiform layered…

Chrysoberyl

金绿宝石

BeAl₂O₄

Chrysoberyl (BeAl₂O₄) is the third-hardest natural mineral (Mohs 8.5) after diamond and corundum. Its three gem varieties are iconic: alexandrite (color-change green-to-red,…

Citrine

黄水晶

SiO₂ (quartz var.)

Citrine is the yellow to orange-brown variety of quartz, colored by Al³⁺ + Fe³⁺ + radiation defects. Most commercial citrine is heat-treated…

Corundum

刚玉

Al₂O₃

Corundum (Al₂O₃) is the parent species of two of the most prized gem minerals on Earth — ruby (red, chromium-colored) and sapphire…

Cuprite

赤铜矿

Cuprite is the principal copper(I) oxide mineral and one of the richest Cu ores by mass. Its deep ruby-red color and adamantine…

Franklinite

锌铁尖晶石

Franklinite is a zinc-iron-manganese spinel-group oxide essentially restricted to the unique Franklin and Sterling Hill Zn-Fe-Mn deposit in New Jersey. It is…

Gahnite

锌尖晶石

Gahnite is the zinc end-member of the spinel group, a Zn-Al oxide producing dark green to bluish-black sharp octahedral crystals. It is…

Goethite

针铁矿

FeO(OH)

Goethite (FeO(OH)) is iron hydroxide — the principal iron mineral of laterite, gossan, and bog iron deposits. Named after the German polymath…

Hematite

赤铁矿

Fe₂O₃

Hematite (Fe₂O₃) is the principal iron ore mineral worldwide and one of the most economically important minerals on Earth. Its blood-red streak…

Ilmenite

钛铁矿

FeTiO₃

Ilmenite (FeTiO₃) is the iron-titanium oxide and the principal ore of titanium for paint pigments (TiO₂ "titanium white"). It forms in mafic…

Jasper

碧玉

SiO₂ + impurities

Jasper is the opaque cryptocrystalline form of quartz — like Chalcedony but with sufficient impurities (iron oxides, clays, organic) to render it…

Lepidocrocite

纤铁矿

Lepidocrocite is the orthorhombic dimorph of FeO(OH), forming alongside or replacing goethite (the more common variety). It produces distinctive ruby-red translucent micaceous…

Limonite

褐铁矿

FeO(OH)·nH₂O (mixture)

Limonite is not a single mineral species but a field-name for amorphous to cryptocrystalline iron hydroxide aggregates — primarily goethite and lepidocrocite…

Magnetite

磁铁矿

Fe₃O₄

Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) is the strongly magnetic iron oxide and one of the principal iron ores. Its octahedral crystal habit and natural magnetism…

Manganite

水锰矿

MnO(OH)

Manganite (MnO(OH)) is a manganese oxyhydroxide and one of the historically important manganese ore minerals. It forms striking dark steel-gray to iron-black…

Pyrolusite

软锰矿

MnO₂

Pyrolusite (MnO₂) is the most common manganese ore mineral and the principal source of industrial manganese for steelmaking and battery production. While…

Rose Quartz

玫瑰石英

SiO₂ (quartz var.)

Rose Quartz is the pink to rose-red variety of quartz, colored by trace titanium and microscopic dumortierite-like fibrous inclusions. It typically forms…

Rutile

金红石

TiO₂

Rutile (TiO₂) is the highest-temperature TiO₂ polymorph (with anatase low-T and brookite intermediate). Its name from Latin "rutilus" (red) reflects its diagnostic…

Spinel

尖晶石

MgAl₂O₄

Spinel (MgAl₂O₄) is the parent species of the spinel oxide group and a cherished gem mineral for centuries. Famous historical "rubies" turned…

Zincite

红锌矿

Zincite is one of the very few naturally occurring zinc oxide minerals, and natural specimens are essentially restricted to one place on…

Cassiterite

锡石

SnO2

SnO2 . Tetragonal . Mohs 6-7