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Gems are primarily mined and polished for jewelry and ornaments.

They are rarer and more expensive than crystals. Gemstones are made of pure minerals and are classified according to their chemical composition and molecular structure. Examples of crystals are sugar, ice, table salt, snowflakes, and quartz. Crystals are more abundant in nature and are easily available. They are classified based on their shape and structure. In fact, they vary in shape, composition, rarity, and pricing.Ĭrystals are substances that consist of atoms or ions having a fixed pattern. These two terms are used interchangeably in the gem trade. Gemstones form in various environments and are extracted from the Earth’s crust. Since minerals naturally have a crystalline structure, many gemstones are classified as crystals. Gemstones are rare, beautiful, and durable stones derived from a crystalline mineral and polished for decorative uses. Precious metals are often used in jewelry, industrial processes, and vehicles. They have a high economic value due to their scarcity, history, and usefulness in industrial applications. On the other hand, precious metals (emphasis on the word precious) are metals that are rare and chemically inert.

We need minerals for making electronics, cell phones, batteries, and cars.

Its physical properties are determined by characteristics like hardness, streak, lustre, and cleavage. It is made up of one or more chemicals and a fixed order of atomic arrangement. How do they differ from one another? Minerals, Metals, and Gems: Same Same, But DifferentĪll these raw materials may be mined from the depths of the Earth, but they differ in form, chemical composition, uses, and journey throughout the supply chain.Ī result of geological processes, a mineral is an inorganic solid that occurs in nature. These raw materials are minerals, precious metals, and gemstones. The food we eat, the cars we drive, the house we live in, and the gadget you're reading this from – all these things we enjoy daily are given to us by the bounties of nature through mining. Everything we see, touch, use, and even ingest consists of raw materials.