[PHOTOS] The exotic world of rare minerals and gems

They may seem like ordinary rocks, but there's nothing ordinary about minerals and gems. 

As a naturally occuring substance, minerals are solid and inorganic representable by a chemical forumla with an ordered atomic structure. They range in composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of known forms. A gem, or gemstone, is a mineral crystal which his typically cut and polished. According to the International Gem Society, most gems are “minerals that have been chosen for their beauty and durability, then cut and polished for use as human adornment.” 

Thanks to Reddit, we can take a look inside the wonderfully exotic world of rare minerals and gems. 

• Related content: [SLIDESHOW] The 5 Deadliest Minerals Ever Mined

Bismuth

Azurite

Black opal

Burmese Tourmaline

Chrysocolla in Malachite

Fluorite

Luz Opal

Opal Fossil

Opal

Pink Rhodochrosite

Rhodochrosite

Rose Quartz Geode

Titanium Quartz

Watermelon Tourmaline

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