Did you know that sometimes diamonds fall to Earth from space inside rocks called meteorites? Most gemstones are minerals which form in the ground as rock heated in the Earth cools down. As minerals grow, they make regular shapes called crystals. Discover more fabulous facts about gemstones in this comprehensive and accessible guide, which features agate, amber, amethyst, diamond, emerald, jasper, lapis lazuli, opal, ruby and sapphire. Packed with stunning photographs of bright, shiny gems, as well as more practical images of excavation and extraction, this book explains how different environments affect different gemstones and provides a colourful insight into the geology of our world.

 

This book is part of a book series called Rock Explorer .

There are 24 pages in this book. This book was published 2018 by QED Publishing .

Claudia Martin has worked in book publishing for 17 years. She is the author of several books and websites for children and young people. Her favourite subjects are history, current affairs and technology.

This book has the following chapters:

What is a Gemstone? 4

Colourful Jewels 6

Dazzling Diamonds 8

Precious Patterns 10

Hiding Inside 12

Found in the Ground 14

Rare and Strange 16

Cutting and Polishing 18

Famous Jewels 20

Gemstone Guide 22

Glossary 23

Index 24