Crystals, Gems, & Minerals

return to contents page      full-monte version of this page

http://www.beloit.edu/~SEPM/

from this page, follow the links to Rocks and Minerals, then to crystal growing 

http://www.mrsstewart.com/pages/msbframe.htm >> follow links to Magic Salt Crystal Garden

Apparently a longtime classic do-at-home experiment. You may also find the rest of the site itself interesting.

     http://www.crystalgrowing.com/index_e.htm

    http://www.crystalgrowing.com/index_d.htm

Like Peter Keusch's Didactics of Chemistry site, Udo's pages exhibit the classic Teutonic virtues of thoroughness and attention to detail. You'll find crystal growing recipes, kits [see separate entry below], pictures, crystal shape laboratory, and so much more.

http://www.smithsonianstore.com/asp/browse/productdetails.asp?CategoryId=497&ProductID=1497

"This Smithsonian Exclusive allows you to grow such crystals as pink quartz and golden citrine at home. Both educational and fun, the kit includes eight bags of crystal growing chemicals, nine crystals and geode growing cup molds, casting compounds, safety glasses, six display pedestals and instructions. Age 10 and up."

cat #1497  $32.00 [plus tax] to nonmembers

http://store.thetech.org/spacagecrytg.html

"Join Astronaunts on board The International Space Station and grow these 6 sparkling crystals, Single Emerald, Emerald Cluster, Emerald Geode, Ruby Geode, Ruby Cluster and Single Ruby. Includes CD ROM  Ages: 12 and up"

cat #5503 $22.00

http://www.crystalgrowing.com/xx_kits/xx_kits.htm

"These crystal growing kits are designed for ages of 14 years and older. If it would be designed for ages under 14 it would be a "chemical toy" and subject to harsh regulations regarding type and amount of chemicals included. Following these regulations I could only produce an almost worthless gimmick kit. So the age border of 14 doesn´t mean it might be to difficult or to dangerous for any younger. The ALUM kit may be used by kids 10 years and older, the other ones with about 12 years and older. However adult supervision should be provided ! If you are going in depth, varying growing conditions, colors, crystal shapes, growing crystal combinations, its a worthwhile pastime also for adults. Each kit will provide material for the growth of a number of single crystals and crystal specimens. Refillment packages are available, see CHEMIKALIEN (so far only in German !). The procedure of growing crystals is quite easy, you disolve the chemicals in hot water and let the saturated solution cool down or you use the evaporation or the supersaturation method. First results can be obtained within 24 hours. You don´t need any special equipment; just regular kitchen equipment and household ware will do it. (And yes it's microwaveable !) The ready crystals make up a nice collection or nice gifts."

US customers can only obtain these while Herr Behner is touring the US -- see details at website; EU [EEC] customers can order without problems. Four different kits available, each priced at US $19.95 / DM 29.50

http://www.omnimap.com/pscience/xtl-kit.htm

Designed for ages 12 to adult, these kits each contain a 10-oz. chemical packet and full instructions. Each kit grows crystals up to 4" in diameter. Sixteen kits ranging in price from $14.95 to $74.95

http://www.sciencealliance.com/Merchant2/graphics/equipment/kits/crystalgrowingkit.shtml

"The kit provides an ample supply of chemicals to grow three different types of crystals.  Includes formula sheet for crystal growth, and text entitled "ROCKS AND MINERALS" which contains comprehensive data on crystals and lattice structure.  This kit contains Aluminum Potassium Sulfate, Cupric Sulfate, and Nickel Sulfate."  $60.00

http://www.chem.wisc.edu/~newtrad/CurrRef/BDGTopic/lab/Crystlab.htm

link nonfunctional 11/9/01

http://www.mininglife.com/

click on "Tools" on the left navigation bar for access to Miner's, Geologist's, Metallurgist's, and Environmental Toolboxes. Lots more at this site as well.

http://www.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/education/

they're into protein structure determination by X-ray diffraction

http://www-structure.llnl.gov/

X-ray crystallography tutorial, web applets, and lots more

"The Diamond Deception"
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/diamond/

there are some really nice pictures and lots of background info here as well as links.

http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~eps2/wisc/image.html
http://www.geology.wisc.edu/~jill/image.html

a jewel of a site!
Thanks to Lois Ongley for the link update!

http://www.geology.wisc.edu/~museum/explore.html

Educational stuff for kids, teachers, parents and an image gallery too. 

http://webmineral.com

chemical composition, pictures, and much more for hundreds of minerals 

http://www.minerals.net/

multiple excellent photos of each for around 130 minerals, along with lots of other info for several hundred minerals, accessible in a variety of ways.

http://www.mindat.org/index.php

"the largest mineral database on the internet. It was started by Jolyon Ralph in 1993 as a PC mineralogy software package for his own use - and was launched for free on the web in October 2000. Currently there are 11,217 different minerals, varieties and synonyms listed, and information on 166,321 mineral occurrences worldwide, from 31,729 different sites."

http://mineral.galleries.com/default.htm

another illustrated searchable site with several hundred entries

http://www.reciprocalnet.org/common/minerals.html

pages with Java applet Chime-like images for 80+ minerals-- however, you have less [and less convenient] control over the display than with Chime

http://www.minweb.co.uk/

~ 100 Chime stuctures of minerals, elements, unit cells and lots of links

http://www.soils.wisc.edu/virtual_museum/

Chime displays of minerals and some organic molecules

http://www.palagems.com/home.htm

searchable, with extensive well-written, gorgeously illustrated articles

http://bancroft.geol.ucsb.edu/

lots of goodies here

http://www.ill.fr/dif/3D-crystals/

neat pictures of crystalline structures and discussion of their applications. Images are static, but they are manipulable if you have a VRML viewer.
 

http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/crystals/

Chime displays of a number of common crystal structures

http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/materials/unitcell2.html

no Chime structures, just an illustrated linear text that's really informative

http://molecvue.etown.edu/molecvue/member-share/anderson/solids.htm
http://chem.etown.edu/molecvue/member-share/anderson/solids.htm

Chime structures of common unit cells and some superconducting solids

http://www.wsu.edu/~wherland/wwwlist03.htm
http://www.wsu.edu/~wherland/wwwlist01.htm

Viewable with Chime, RasMol [Berkeley version] or WebLab Viewer; 330 structures available

http://www.chem.qmw.ac.uk/surfaces/scc/ >Structure of Metallic Surfaces

more extended discussions of unit cells and metal surfaces as well as  links to other good sites; this is just part of a site devoted to surface chemistry 

http://www.nims.go.jp/aperiodic/aperiodic/Team/qcmet.html 

a nice introduction

http://jcrystal.com/steffenweber/qc.html

an excellent introduction with lots of links to additional sources

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/

beautiful & fascinating science & art -- you'll love it! -- even if, like me, you hate the stuff in bulk!

http://chemwww.cwru.edu/Chime/solids/rasmol/solids.html

my alma mater comes through with some really nice 3D unit cell structures

http://jcrystal.com/steffenweber/

lots of neat stuff here, including bushels of applets...

http://www.kings.edu/~chemlab/animation/

pictures and Windows Media Player 3-D animated crystal structures [which can take quite a while to download even on a high-speed link]. Very informative

http://www.crystalmaker.co.uk/

Free downloads [Mac only] of demo versions of CrystalMaker 5.0, CrystalDiffract LE, Graphics, Crystals Libraries, and QuickTime movies and VR objects. The QuickTime stuff is PC-viewable. 

http://www.chm.davidson.edu/ChemistryApplets/Crystals/index.html

VRML goodies to explore unit cells. lattices, holes, and more

http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/it_lectures/poznan/slide8.html

http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/it_lectures/poznan/crystal.rm

This 15.3 MB puppy takes quite a while to download even with a high-speed connection but the 13-minute movie with sound narration is worth it! You need Real Player, of course!

http://www.chem.qmw.ac.uk/surfaces/scc/

yet another Brit hit! a really comprehensive intro, with a lot of useful crystallographic information too