| Item &
Photo |
Formula or
Age |
Description |
Quartz
 |
SiO2 |
Quartz crystals are the archetypical
image of crystals. Valued for their metaphysical properties and
beautiful clarity, quartz is found in many forms throughout the
world.
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Amethyst
 |
SiO2 |
Amethyst, the most valuable member of
the quartz family, gets its purple color from trace amounts of iron
in its chemical composition. It is a popular gem for jewelry and
is the February birthstone.
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Agate
|
SiO2 |
Agate is a microcrystalline form of quartz,
which means that its crystal formations are too small to be seen
without a microscope. Agate is typically characterized by concentric
bands of different colors.
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Pyrite on Calcite
 |
FeS2 |
Pyrite, also known as “Fool’s
Gold”, is a common mineral found throughout North America
and can form cubic, octahedral or pyritohedral (a multi-sided crystal
form found almost exclusively in pyrite) crystals. On close inspection
it can be distinguished from gold by its brittle nature and tendency
to leave a dark streak when rubbed against the skin.
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Fluorite
 |
CaF2 |
Fluorite occurs in a wide variety of
colors and can form cubic, octahedral and dodecahedral (12-sided)
crystals. The discovery of fluorite’s ability to glow under
ultraviolet light gave rise to the term “fluorescence”.
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Chrysanthemum
Stone
 |
varies |
Chrysanthemum stone is named for a latticework
of andalusite, celestite, feldspar or calcite crystals that form
radiating “chrysanthemums” on the matrix stone. Excellent
specimens are found in China and the Great Lakes Region of the United
States.
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Tourmaline |
See description |
The tourmalines are a group of minerals
with similar chemical compositions. The minerals usually form
as prismatic, elongated crystals. Although they occur in many
different colors, shades of blue, red and green (including the
green and pink watermelon tourmaline) are prized as semiprecious
gemstones.
Na(Mg,Fe)3Al6(BO3)3(Si6O18)(OH,F)4
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Rhodochrosite
 |
MnCO3 |
Mainly used as an ornamental stone, the
rare rhodochrosite is characterized by a vivid pink rhombohedral
crystal. It also occurs in stalactitic form. The worl’ds largest
deposit of spectacular rhodochrosite crystals is the Sweet Home
Mine in Alma, Colorado, originally a molybdenum ore mine.
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Triceratops
prorsus
 |
Cretaceous |
Triceratops (meaning “three-horned
face”), one of the most easily identifiable dinosaurs, was
a well-armored herbivore. The great shield that covered its neck
may have been very colorful to show status and dominance.
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Trilobite
 |
Cambrian-Permian |
Advanced for their time, over 300 million
years ago trilobites evolved with the first compound eye. Their
closest modern relatives are horseshoe crabs (“limulus”)
and tadpole shrimp (“apus”). With their “jointed
legs”, trilobites may have given rise to the body plans of
other Arthropods such as insects.
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Footprints
 |
Triassic |
The most common fossils of the Connecticut
River Valley, Triassic footprints illustrate diversity of species
in our area. Creatures such as Dilophosaurus and Coelophysis, small
carnivores, are believed to have wandered through our state.
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Shark Teeth
 |
Silurian-Recent |
Most shark teeth are entirely fossilized
and found in great abundance. Many species come from the Eastern
coast of the United States. They are also found in Moroccan phosphates.
The largest shark teeth, measuring 7 ¼ inches, come from
Megalodon, a 50-foot shark that became extinct only 2 million years
ago.
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Petrified
Wood
 |
Triassic |
Fossil Wood comes from around the world.
Our largest is from Africa and our most colorful from Arizona. The
wood undergoes complete reconstruction by minerals (typically silicas)
as the organic material decays. Retaining its original shape, it
is identified by its bark and mineral content.
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Keichousaur
 |
Triassic |
A Triassic Nothosaur, Keichousaur was
a tiny marine reptile. Entire skeletons are occasionally found intact
and make great display pieces. Some Nothosaurs could grow to lengths
of up to 6 feet.
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Ursus Speleus
 |
Pleistocene |
Extinct European Cave Bear remains are
found throughout Spain and Romania. Many paleontologists believe
that human ancestors influenced the cave bear’s plummeting
numbers and mass mortalities. Hundreds of cave bear bones have been
found in a single location, allowing for more study of the animals
life style.
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Knightia &
Diplomystus
 |
Eocene |
Knightia and Diplomystus are the two
most common fish species found in the world-renowned fossil formation
in the Green River area of Wyoming. Fossils from the limestone date
to over 55 million years ago. When the shallow lakes dried up they
left behind a mass mortality of a complete ecosystem, one of the
best in the world.
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