Rhodochrosite (whose name means rose-colored) is a very attractive mineral with an absolutely one-of-a-kind, beautiful color. Although it can be an ore of manganese, it is its ornamental and display specimen qualities that make it a very popular mineral.

What are Organic Gems? Although most gemstones are mineral materials, a number of organic materials are also considered to be gemstones.

Kyanite is a mineral found mainly in metamorphic rocks. It most often forms from the high pressure alteration of clay minerals during the metamorphism of sedimentary rocks.

Topaz is a silicate mineral most often found in igneous rocks of felsic composition. It is also found in some hydrothermal veins and the hydrothermally altered rocks that surround them.

What is Turquoise?Turquoise is an opaque mineral that occurs in beautiful hues of blue, blue-green and yellow-green.

Jadeite and nephrite are the materials that have been collectively known as "jade" for thousands of years.

Garnet is not a single mineral, but describes a group of several closely related minerals. Garnets come in a variety of colors and have many different varieties. However, the most widely-known color of Garnet gemstones is dark red.

Sapphire is the most precious and valuable blue gemstone. It is a very desirable gemstone due to its excellent color, hardness, durability, and luster. In the gem trade, Sapphire without any color prefix refers to the blue variety of the mineral Corundum.