Thread: I Found It Over There

Taken from: http://geology.about.com/od/mineral_...n-Minerals.htm


Green and greenish rocks get their color from green minerals, but a lot depends on the type of rock: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks each have their own set of green minerals. It will help if you know how to distinguish those major rock classes as well as "How to Look at a Rock." But first, be sure you're looking at a fresh surface! Don't let a coat of green algae fool you. Green minerals can be hard to identify until you've learned something about the most common ones. Here they are, along with their usual*luster*and*hardness. If your green or greenish mineral doesn't fit one of these, there are many more possibilities. Another tidbit: green colors usually arise from the presence of iron or chromium and sometimes manganese.