Search Mineralpedia – A Mineral Photo Database and Identification Guide

Magnetite is an old term that is possibly in reference to Magnesia in Greece which was a site for lodestone. Magnetite is a common mineral with thousands of localities worldwide. It is “a common accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks in which magmatic segregations or contact metamorphism may produce economically viable deposits [as well as] in sedimentary banded iron formations, [as] a biogenic product, [and in] important detrital deposits.” Magnetite, as one can determine from its name, is highly magnetic.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/magnetite.pdf

Named after Nils Harald Magnusson who was the former Director at the Geological Survey of Sweden and contributed greatly to the knowledge of the Langban mine in Sweden where the mineral finds its type locality. In addition to Sweden, Magnussonite can be found in only one other locality at the Sterling mine in Sterling Hill, New Jersey, USA. At Langban it occurs in a metamorphosed ion-manganese orebody, and in a metamorphosed stratiform zinc orebody at Sterling Hill.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/magnussonite.pdf

Named for the Greek word malachi, meaning “mallow,” after the plant’s leaves in reference to malachite’s green color. Malachite is a common secondary copper mineral with thousands of localities and is found in oxidized copper deposits and in some cases is used locally as a copper ore. Malachite is commonly associated with azurite, as well as with cupite, cerussite, chrysocolla, calcite, and limonite.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/malachite.pdf

Commonly, and initially, misspelled Mahlmoodite, this mineral is named for Bertha K. Malhmood who was an Analytical Assistant at the United States Geological Survey. Malhmoodite is a rare mineral that occurs only in two localities: at the Wilson Springs Union Carbide mine in Arkansas, USA and in Kerriack Cove in Cornwall, England. It occurs as Wilson Springs as a secondary mineral in vugs within alkalic igneous rocks and at Kerriack Cove in a mineralized fissure vein.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/mahlmoodite.pdf