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Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
Systematic Collections Over 3,000 different species of mineral are now recognized. To bring order to this great number of minerals, mineralogists found it necessary to make a systematic classification of them. Over the years, several different systems have been proposed. The most generally recognized system classifies minerals on the basis of the negatively charged chemical group, or anion, present in atoms of the mineral. According to this system, the major classes and subclasses recognized are:
Each of these classes is well represented in Hillman Hall. This organization of minerals provides information about chemical composition and crystal structure of the minerals. It is a changeable and expandable system. Thus, as the structure of minerals becomes better known and new minerals are discovered, they can be accommodated by the system. Click on photos to see larger version in a new window. Photos by Debra Wilson unless otherwise noted.
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