Sodalite became well known in Canada after being discovered in Ontario in 1891. In fact, sodalite is sometimes referred to as “Princess Blue” because during a royal visit in 1901, the Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) admired it and had it imported for use in decorating Marlborough House in London.

A zinc sulfide mineral that's the primary ore of zinc.

A rare gemstone usually found alongside Ruby.

Spodumene is a lithium aluminum silicate mineral. It is one of the most important sources of lithium and is typically found in pegmatitic rocks.

A soft, lead-gray mineral that is the primary source of antimony, a lustrous metalloid.

A mineral form of the element Sulfur.

Taramite is a rare member of the amphibole group found at only a handful of localities.

A rare, thorite bearing mineral.

A variety of quartz (SiO₂) with pseudomorphic replacement of crocidolite (blue asbestos, a fibrous amphibole). Exhibits chatoyancy (cat’s-eye effect) caused by fibrous structure reflecting light in parallel bands. This stone started it's life as one of the most deadly stones ever discovered, but has been morphed into what you see today.

A calcium titanium silicate mineral that is a source of titanium metal.

A very hard, yet brittle gemstone that comes in a variety of colors.

A very hard, yet brittle gemstone that comes in a variety of colors.

Torbernite is a copper uranyl phosphate containing Uranium.

Also known as Schorl, the most common form of tourmaline.

Tremolite exposure has been linked to pleural calcification and mesothelioma in people living in areas where tremolite is a geological component of the soil, or in people living near asbestos mines or factories.

Trilobites are extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita that existed some 500 million years ago.

Trilobites are extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita that existed some 500 million years ago.

An opaque blue to green mineral that has been used as a gemstone for millennia due to it's hue.

Ulexite’s (also known as television stone) fibers act as natural optical light pipes—similar to fiber-optic cables. When you place a piece of well-polished fibrous ulexite over text or an image, it transmits the image to the surface, making it appear as if the picture is printed on the stone itself.

A radio active mineral, that is a primary source of Uranium.

A uranium bearing mineral.

A rare calcium uranium silicate hydrate mineral that forms from the oxidation of other uranium-bearing minerals.

Industrial ore of Vanadium.

Industrial ore of Vanadium from a special locality.

Variscite is a rare, hydrated aluminum phosphate mineral that is usually green in color and is sometimes confused with turquoise.

Vesuvianite, also known as idocrase, is a green, brown, yellow, or blue silicate mineral.

Vesuvianite, also known as idocrase, is a green, brown, yellow, or blue silicate mineral.

In gem and lapidary circles, “Wagyl stone” is sometimes used to refer to a variety of jasper with characteristic color patterns found in south western Austrailia.

Wavellite is an aluminum phosphate mineral. Distinct crystals are rare, and it normally occurs as translucent green radial or spherical clusters.

A type of rhyolite found throughout Utah and a few other states. Utah Wonderstone has been collected for decades by rockhounds traveling U.S. Highway 36 near Vernon. Roadside shops often sold it as a “souvenir stone of Utah.”

A lead molybdate mineral that comes in many colors.

A lead molybdate mineral that comes in many colors.

A lead molybdate mineral that comes in many colors.

Yellowcat Jasper slab collected in Yellowcat Utah. Many of the agate and jasper stones from the area appear as boring black rock due to their coating of manganese oxide. Like other jaspers, it is primarliy made of silicon dioxide, with impurities to provide patterns and color.

The green crystals are Zeunerite, a uranium bearing mineral, on Fluorite (purple). This mineral is radioactive.

Zircon is a mineral, gemstone, and source of zirconium that has many uses.