Nature really is amazing. Take a look at just about anything in the natural world, from the tiniest bug to the grandest tree, and you'll be astounded again and again by its beauty and form. And there are so many amazing things on our planet, it's hard to pick a favorite!
While a lot of artists celebrate and draw inspiration from nature in their work, nature itself is a pretty amazing artist. If you've ever seen the beauty of a hummingbird up close, for example, then you know just how beautiful nature can get.
But it's not just plants and animals that can take our breath away with their beauty. Minerals are also stunningly gorgeous, but often overlooked — at least, when they're not used for jewelry.
We've collected some of the more unusual and amazing minerals that can be found all over the world. These aren't your typical diamonds and rubies, either. These are stones you might not have heard of, but are beautiful and fascinating in their own ways, and show how wonderfully diverse the natural world can be.
Take a look at these unusual minerals, and let us know which is your favorite in the comments!
[H/T: Bright Side]
This opal has interior planes that catch and reflect the light in all different colors of the rainbow.
The brown, cloud-like areas you see near the bottom are jasper intrusions, which makes this stone look like a tiny, frozen nebula in space.
Quartz is usually thought of as white or pink and cloudy, but titanium quartz is totally different!
It's black, with a shiny iridescence that reflects rainbow colors.
Sometimes, rocks develop hollow areas inside, and these tiny "caves" can even form tiny stalactites and stalagmites.
This chalcedony and chrysocolla combination mineral has an aqua hue and cute little rounded stalagmites inside.
Rhodochrosite is named for its red hue, and is known for the way it naturally cleaves into these cube shapes.
This example shows how different minerals can form and fuse together, creating pretty stunning combinations.
Bismuth crystals are actually a metal, and look like this naturally, with these geometric forms and rainbow hues.
The rainbow effect is a result of oxidation, and is actually a tarnish. But you wouldn't want to polish this!
Opals are always fascinating. They can be bright and flashy and almost seem to glow, or they can be more understated, like this one, but no less beautiful.
This opal looks like a tiny sliver of the ocean, complete with bubbles and seaweed. But it's all stone!
Opals aren't always pale in color. These black opals have a stormy blue and black hue that almost looks as if it's imprisoned inside the clear mineral.
Fluorite is another mineral that breaks naturally into a cube shape, making it look as though it's been carved when it hasn't at all!
This tourmaline gem has been cut, but you can see the beautiful color gradient from pale pink to almost black.
Scolecite is known for its arrangements of long, thin crystals that look more like the spines of a sea urchin than a mineral.
Its needle-like projections make it a bit sharp, and very delicate!
Sometimes it's not one mineral that stands out, but a collection of them that showcase how diverse and beautiful minerals can be.
This combination fluorite, quartz, dolomite, and pyrite shows all the different forms crystals can take.
And speaking of amazing forms, check out crocoite.
This mineral, which is a combination of lead and chrome, is a brilliant red and has some pretty aggressive-looking spikes.
These strange triangular crystals are the mark of cobaltocalcite, and have a distinctly floral look to them.
The delicate, pinky purple color makes it even more flowery.
This blue agate geode is a great look at what happens inside a rock. It almost looks like a human iris!
Of course, some minerals are impressive just based on their sheer size. This giant amethyst geode, named "The Empress of Uruguay," is a stunning example of that.
While it looks plain on the outside, inside is full of glittering purple crystals, which goes to show that there's sometimes way more going on than meets the eye!
Which of these stunning gems is your favorite? Let us know in the comments, and SHARE to show that there are way more gems out there than diamonds!
