Now, it can be found in the Trans-Peco area and the High Plains. It was first discovered there in Karnes County in the 1950’s. Known for being radioactive, uranium is an interesting find in the Lone Star State. There small, but high-quality amber can be found. The best places for amber prospectors in Texas are the Gulf Coastal Plain and along the Terlingua Creek. Today, it is mainly used in broaches and necklaces. However, due to its soft nature (2.0 on the Mohs scale), it cannot be used in all types of jewelry. Perhaps, this is why some refer to amber as nature’s time capsule.Īmber, too, is praised for its beauty. This allows scientists to study prehistoric ecosystems. Oftentimes, fossils or insects will be preserved within the amber. Its formation gives rise to one of its most prolific uses: science. Millions of years after an injured tree secretes resin to protect itself, this gemstone solidifies into what is seen today. This burnt orange gemstone is actually fossilized tree resin, rather than carefully crafted silica and minerals. They are mainly ornamental and can be found in many local rock shops. Today, these waxy minerals are used for jewelry and crafting small figurines. During the Bronze Age, they were used to make cameos. In prehistory, it was used in conjunction with stone to fashion knives. They are found in Brewster County.Ĭhalcedony is another mineral type present amount many civilizations, and is even mentioned in the Bible’s Book of Revelations. Sometimes dubbed blue cheese, these stones are not true agates, as they lack concentric bands. In Texas, it is mostly moss agates that are found. Depending on what impurities are present during its formation, chalcedony can refer to agate, jasper, carnelian, and more. This means that its crystals are so small to only be seen with a microscope. ChalcedonyĬhalcedony is a catch-all that refers to several semi-precious gemstones with a microcrystalline silica structure. They have also been found on the moon and meteorites. Most use samples to learn about the geological history of an area. Though its name comes from the Greek word for brightness, most samples of it appear dull.Īugite’s uses are predominantly academic and collectible. There, shinier versions of augite may be found. This is true for those found in Eagle Flat, Texas. These minerals form in weathered hollows of igneous rocks. These are named after the Greek words for fire stranger, as they were considered impurities following a volcanic eruption. Notably, this includes basalts and gabbros.Īugite itself is part of a group of minerals known as pyroxenes. Augite is a rock-forming mineral, meaning that it composes more than 90% of the rocks in the Earth’s crust. This dark green mineral can be hard to describe due to its widespread nature. There, it was combined with copper to make the alloy known as brass. One of its earliest known uses is in metallurgy. Many medications use it as a co-factor, as well. It is an essential mineral and required for human growth. Zinc has several uses, including medicinal ones. Over time these can collect in larger quantites and be mined. Zinc is found in high quantities both naturally and as its chief mineral, sphalerite, in the Apache and Quitman Mountains of the Lone Star State.Īs a hot liquid, zinc rises from the mantle and cools into igneous rock hollows. The 30th element can be found in many ores within Texas. Owing to its 7.5 Mohs hardness, beryl is used in several types of jewelry and aesthetic pieces. One of the first known uses of beryl is as eyeglasses in the 13th century, though some reports date this back further. Beryl comes from the Greek meaning precious blue stone. Actually, the fourth element, beryllium, was named after the gemstone, which was discovered centuries prior. Other beryl varieties may be found in the pegmatite dikes in Llano and Gillespie Counties.īeryl more fully is beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate, though this is not where its name originates. This blue pigment comes from an impurity of reduced iron. It’s the aquamarine type of beryl that can be found in Texas.įine blue gemstone-quality beryls are formed in the Franklin Mountains. Two of its notable forms are emeralds and aquamarines. Taking on a range of stunning colors and names, beryl is a gemstone of remarkable beauty. Related: Where To Find Petrified Wood In Texas Minerals and Gemstones Found In Texas 1. This diversified landscape gives rise to rocks of all type and makes the state a treasure trove of some of rarest gemstones and minerals. This is, in part, due to the state being the 2nd largest in the country by land. Despite preconception of a dry, deserty Texas, the Lone Star State contains a wide variety of geographical features, less than 10% of which is desert.
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