Mineraloid
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A mineraloid is a mineral-like substance that does not demonstrate crystallinity. Mineraloids possess chemical compositions that vary beyond the generally accepted ranges for specific minerals. For example, obsidian is an amorphous glass and not a crystal. Jet is derived from decaying wood under extreme pressure. Opal is another mineraloid because of its non-crystal nature. Pearl, considered by some to be a mineral because of the presence of calcium carbonate crystals within its structure, would be better considered a mineraloid because the crystals are bonded by an organic material, and there is no definite proportion of the components.
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Common mineraloids
- Amber, non-crystalline structure, organic
- Jet, non-crystalline nature, organic (very compact coal)
- Native mercury, liquid (IMA/CNMNC valid mineral name)
- Lechatelierite, nearly pure silica glass
- Limonite, a mixture of oxides
- Lapis Lazuli, a mixture of minerals
- Obsidian, volcanic glass - non-crystalline structure, a glass and quartz mixture
- Opal, non-crystalline silicon dioxide, a mix of minerals (IMA/CNMNC valid mineral name)
- Pearl, organically produced carbonate
- Petroleum, liquid, organic
- Pyrobitumen, amorphous fossilized petroleum (noncrystalline, organic)
- Ebonite, vulcanized natural or synthetic rubber (organic); not a mineral due lack of crystalline structure
- Tektites, meteoritic silica glass
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See also
- List of minerals - Mineraloids are listed after minerals in each alphabetically sorted section.
- Nonmineral
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