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Minerals, Gems and Precious Stones Organized by Chemical Group
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- Silicates—built around silicon and oxygen—represent half of the stones in the graphic, from humble quartz to coveted emeralds.
- “Native elements” like gold and diamond are chemically simple, yet they underpin multibillion-dollar jewellery and electronics industries.
- Organic gems such as pearl and amber remind us that not every sparkle comes from deep within the Earth’s crust.
Designer Julie Peasley grouped more than 150 minerals, gems, and precious stones by their dominant chemical composition.
Each category (arsenates, halides, oxides, and the sprawling family of silicates) reveals how atoms arrange themselves under heat, pressure, and time to create the colorful crystals we prize.
Browse the Periodic “Jewelry Box”
The table below lists every specimen in the visualization, along with its primary chemical group for quick reference.
| Mineral/Gem | Main Classification |
|---|---|
| Adamite | Arsenate |
| Erythrite | Arsenate |
| Mimetite | Arsenate |
| Howlite | Borate |
| Colemanite | Borate |
| Ulexite | Borate |
| Aragonite | Carbonate |
| Azurite | Carbonate |
| Calcite | Carbonate |
| Cerussite | Carbonate |
| Dolomite | Carbonate |
| Magnesite | Carbonate |
| Malachite | Carbonate |
| Rhodochrosite | Carbonate |
| Smithsonite | Carbonate |
| Aurichalcite | Carbonate |
| Siderite | Carbonate |
| Beryl–Aquamarine | Cyclosilicate |
| Beryl–Bixbite | Cyclosilicate |
| Beryl–Emerald | Cyclosilicate |
| Beryl–Heliodor | Cyclosilicate |
| Beryl–Morganite | Cyclosilicate |
| Cordierite–Iolite | Cyclosilicate |
| Dioptase | Cyclosilicate |
| Sugilite (Luvulite) | Cyclosilicate |
| Tourmaline–Indicolite | Cyclosilicate |
| Watermelon Tourmaline | Cyclosilicate |
| Black Tourmaline | Cyclosilicate |
| Benitoite | Cyclosilicate |
| Goshenite | Cyclosilicate |
| Eudialyte | Cyclosilicate |
| Atacamite | Halide |
| Creedite | Halide |
| Cryolite | Halide |
| Fluorite | Halide |
| Halite | Halide |
| Sylvite | Halide |
| Brucite | Hydroxide |
| Diaspore | Hydroxide |
| Goethite | Hydroxide |
| Manganite | Hydroxide |
| Actinolite–Nephrite | Inosilicate |
| Charoite | Inosilicate |
| Diopside | Inosilicate |
| Jadeite | Inosilicate |
| Rhodonite | Inosilicate |
| Spodumene–Hiddenite | Inosilicate |
| Spodumene–Kunzite | Inosilicate |
| Opal | Mineraloid |
| Obsidian | Mineraloid |
| Modlavite | Mineraloid |
| Bismuth | Native Element |
| Copper | Native Element |
| Diamond | Native Element |
| Gold | Native Element |
| Platinum | Native Element |
| Silver | Native Element |
| Sulphur | Native Element |
| Andalucite | Nesosilicate |
| Andalucite-Chiastolite | Nesosilicate |
| Dumortierite | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet-Almandine | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet-Andradite–Demantoid | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet-Andradite–Melanite | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet-Andradite–Topazolite | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet–Grossular–Hessonite | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet–Grossular–Tsavorite | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet–Pyrope | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet–Rhodolite | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet–Spessartine | Nesosilicate |
| Garnet–Uvarovite | Nesosilicate |
| Kyanite (Disthene) | Nesosilicate |
| Peridot (Olivine, Chrysolite) | Nesosilicate |
| Phenakite | Nesosilicate |
| Staurolite | Nesosilicate |
| Titanite | Nesosilicate |
| Topaz | Nesosilicate |
| Zircon | Nesosilicate |
| Datolite | Nesosilicate |
| Amber | Organic |
| Coral | Organic |
| Pearl | Organic |
| Cassiterite | Oxide |
| Chrysoberyl–Alexandrite | Oxide |
| Corundum–Ruby | Oxide |
| Corundum–Sapphire | Oxide |
| Cuprite | Oxide |
| Hematite | Oxide |
| Magnetite | Oxide |
| Rutile | Oxide |
| Spinel | Oxide |
| Zincite | Oxide |
| Chrysoberyl | Oxide |
| Chromite | Oxide |
| Brookite | Oxide |
| Columbite | Oxide |
| Apatite | Phosphate |
| Brazilianite | Phosphate |
| Lazulite | Phosphate |
| Phosphosiderite | Phosphate |
| Purpurite | Phosphate |
| Pyromorphite | Phosphate |
| Turquoise | Phosphate |
| Vanadinite | Phosphate |
| Variscite | Phosphate |
| Herderite | Phosphate |
| Wavellite | Phosphate |
| Autunite | Phosphate |
| Apophyllite | Phyllosilicate |
| Chrysocolla | Phyllosilicate |
| Kämmererite (Clinochore) | Phyllosilicate |
| Lepidolite | Phyllosilicate |
| Muscovite | Phyllosilicate |
| Phlogopite | Phyllosilicate |
| Prehnite | Phyllosilicate |
| Serpentine (Chrysotile) | Phyllosilicate |
| Axinite | Sorosilicate |
| Danburite | Sorosilicate |
| Epidote | Sorosilicate |
| Hemimorphite | Sorosilicate |
| Vesuvianite | Sorosilicate |
| Zoisite–Tanzanite | Sorosilicate |
| Zoisite–Thulite | Sorosilicate |
| Zoisite | Sorosilicate |
| Wulfenite | Sulfate |
| Anhydrite | Sulfate |
| Brochantite | Sulfate |
| Celestite | Sulfate |
| Chalcanthite | Sulfate |
| Selenite | Sulfate |
| Scheelite | Sulfate |
| Acanthite | Sulfide |
| Bornite | Sulfide |
| Chalcopyrite | Sulfide |
| Cinnabar | Sulfide |
| Covellite | Sulfide |
| Galena | Sulfide |
| Marcasite | Sulfide |
| Millerite | Sulfide |
| Orpiment | Sulfide |
| Pyrite | Sulfide |
| Realgar | Sulfide |
| Sphalerite | Sulfide |
| Stibnite | Sulfide |
| Molybdenite | Sulfide |
| Albite | Tectosilicate |
| Amazonite | Tectosilicate |
| Chalcedony–Agate–Onyx | Tectosilicate |
| Chalcedony–Bloodstone (Heliotrope) | Tectosilicate |
| Chalcedony–Carnelian | Tectosilicate |
| Chalcedony–Chrysoprase | Tectosilicate |
| Chalcedony–Jasper | Tectosilicate |
| Heulandite | Tectosilicate |
| Labradorite | Tectosilicate |
| Lazurite | Tectosilicate |
| Nepheline | Tectosilicate |
| Oligoclase | Tectosilicate |
| Orthoclase (or Labradorite)-Sunstone | Tectosilicate |
| Orthoclase-Adularia | Tectosilicate |
| Orthoclase-Moonstone | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz Rock Crystal | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz–Amethyst | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz–Aventurine | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz–Citrine | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz–Herkimer Diamond | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz–Rose | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz–Smoky | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz–Tiger’s Eye | Tectosilicate |
| Quartz-Cat’s-eye | Tectosilicate |
| Sodalite | Tectosilicate |
| Agate | Tectosilicate |
| Orthoclase | Tectosilicate |
| Thomsonite | Tectosilicate |
| Stilbite | Tectosilicate |
| Hauyne | Tectosilicate |
The silicate groups alone account for over half of the entries, while rarer classes such as organic, borate, and mineraloid contribute only a trio of examples each—showing how geology favors some atomic recipes over others.
Why Chemistry Matters for Gem Lovers
Tectosilicates such as quartz and feldspar form sturdy interlocking frameworks useful in optical lenses and kitchen countertops.
In contrast, the tight cubic lattice of native-element diamond yields the hardest natural material known, perfect for abrasives and engagement rings alike.
The Silicate Super-Family
If you own a gemstone, chances are it’s a silicate. Cyclosilicates form hexagonal rings that give birth to emerald and aquamarine, while nesosilicates such as garnet sparkle in jewelry and power industrial sandblasting. Even common beach sand is mostly quartz, a simple silicon-oxygen network hiding in plain sight.
Beyond the Bling
Chemical grouping also shapes practical applications. Halides include halite, better known as table salt, while phosphates produce both eye-catching turquoise and the fertilizers that feed global agriculture. Understanding these groups links the beauty of a birthstone to the chemistry powering modern life.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
Continue exploring geology’s hidden patterns with the interactive chart Minerals and Gems Ranked by Hardness on the Voronoi app.