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Mineral Of The Day #161: Aventurine
Mohs Hardness Scale: 6.5
Category: Silicate mineral
Formula: SiO2Fun Facts:
- Aventurine ranges in color from green, peach, brown, blue and a creamy green. Besides its uses in jewelry, aventurine is also used for ornamental purposes like vases, bowls, and figurines.
- It is a form of quartz, characterized by its translucency. Inclusions of platy minerals give it a shimmering or glistening effect termed aventurescence.
- It is the Star Sign for Libra and the Planetary stone of Taurus.
- Main markets for aventurine are landscape stone, building stone, aquaria, monuments, and jewellery.
Happy Gemstone Thursday!
Posted on June 16, 2011 with 17 notes ()
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Celebrating our 99th Mineral Of The Day
Maxwell Smart:[the intelligence report by way of a top secret relay rock proves inconclusive]"Well, either our boys are lying down on the job, or this rock is a forgery."Agent 99:"No, that's the official Control rock, Max. Look."Maxwell Smart:"Oh yes, our name and address is on it." [reads inscription] "If found, drop in any mailbox."-Get Smart, Season 1, Episode 17, "Kisses for KAOS"Posted on February 25, 2011 with 1 note ()
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HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!
Click here and hover over the heart to identify the minerals seen here!
~The Mineral Of The Day Team
(Allison, Joe, Sarah, and Sandra)
Posted on February 14, 2011 with 166 notes ()
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Geologists have a saying - rocks remember.
Neil Armstrong
Today’s Trivia: 53 years ago today, the United States launched its first satellite, Explorer 1.
Posted on January 31, 2011 with 2 notes ()
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Men of genius are often dull and inert in society; as the blazing meteor, when it descends to earth, is only a stone.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow -
I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
Jack London -
Mineral Of The Day #35: Meteorite
Today’s “mineral” isn’t a mineral at all; it’s actually a rock! A rock from space!
Tonight, two or three hours before sunrise, you are going to have a great view of the Leonid meteor shower. Read more about it here on National Geographic’s site!
A few facts about one mineral per day as the Collections Department catalogs the Brooklyn Children's Museum's mineralogy collection!
