The mineral encyclopedia was started in 2013. It responds to our desire to share and disseminate free scientific information without advertising for all. It provides reliable and verified information on the different mineral species that can be found in nature and on the mineral market. It is a resource that is updated daily. You will find details of its organization and operation below.

An interactive menu allows you to access the labels of the different mineral species classified in alphabetical order. A more scientific classification is also available since you can search for a species by mineralogical class, from its crystal system or its chemistry.

The minerals are then divided into labels that state the name of the mineral species and that recall its general classification, to which crystal system the mineral belongs, its chemistry and its rarity. The label also includes the range of dimensions that the crystals of the species can adopt (micrometric, millimetric, centimetric, decimetric or metric), allowing you to immediately know if it is a macro or micro species, an essential criterion for many collectors. You can access the complete details by simply clicking on the photo of the mineral.

The cards are divided into several paragraphs and are based on the following structure :

• Description of the species or mineral variety in general, mainly the etymology of the name, a brief history of its discovery, its morphology, its geological context(s) but also its uses are discussed.
  
  
• The second paragraph lists the major deposits discovered to date in the world and which have produced exceptional specimens, sometimes records for crystal dimensions are reported.
  
  
• The following paragraph describes the most beautiful French deposits where the species has been encountered.
  
  
• A fourth part reveals the twins that the crystals of the species are likely to present as well as the particular morphologies sometimes adopted.
  
  
• Finally, a last paragraph focuses on highlighting the treatments and syntheses listed around the mineral and how to detect them.

In order to make the encyclopedia accessible to the greatest number and not to drown the reader in technical and indigestible vocabulary, each keyword colored in orange is clickable and gives you access to clear explanations either by referring you to the geology dictionary or to the file of another mineral species.

At the end of the file, the properties of the mineral are reported, in particular the optical parameters such as the refractive index (RI), birefringence, optical character or pleochroism. The solubility tells you here which acid or base to use to release or clean your minerals. Dissolution speeds depend on the concentration of the products and the nature of the mineral, they can be very slow and without effervescence (allow more than a month to dissolve the natrolite of a benitoite), regular monitoring is necessary to prevent the formation of precipitates. It is strongly recommended to test the product on a small sample before immersing an entire collection specimen in a solution.

The use of certain chemicals mentioned can be very dangerous and can cause serious irreversible damage or even death, they are also very toxic to the environment and must be treated appropriately. The company "Le Comptoir Géologique" cannot be held responsible for any accidents of any kind related to the use of the products mentioned.