Hidden Treasures

With all this talk about rock... I am wondering where the gems come from? Gems typically come from igneous and metamorphic crystals.

Precious stones are rare and are highly prized by humans. These gems are usually prized for their hardness, their beautiful colors, and how they reflect light. Many precious stones are found in connection with volcanoes. In fact, diamonds are often found in deep tube like areas that are called diamond pipes. It is believed that the diamonds were formed from an extinct volcano.

Some of the more precious stones include: sapphire, ruby, emerald, red spinel, amethyst, tourmaline, lapis, turquoise, chalcedony and green jade. Among these beautiful precious stones are also precious metals. These rare metals are found within rocks, or sometimes by themselves. They can often be melted and formed into other object. These metals include gold, silver, platinum, and copper. Other metals can be made by mixing these metals together to form things such as bronze (made from copper and tin.)