I am doing this project because I want to find out if evaporation affects the sizes of growing crystals. This topic interests me because I do not think anyone knows the answer to my question. I do not really think anyone would really need to know the answer to my question. Some people who are interested in growing crystals might think it helpful to know the answer though.

There are hundreds of different types of crystals in the world. All crystals are made from chemicals. Crystals are mostly made up of more that one compound. Crystals also have many different shapes. There are seven systems that minerals can crystallize in.

The isometric system‚ cubic system‚ includes crystals in which the three axes all have equal length and have right angles. Twelve percent of minerals crystallize in the isometric system. Some of the minerals in the isomet

Sphalerite (zinc blende or blackjack) is produced from zinc. It is one of the crystals that crystallize in the isometric system. This crystal is a primary mineral and is usually found in a dark color. The color of a sphalerite varies. Its colors are either different shades of yellow, different shades of brown, or different shades of black.

Fluorite is the same as calcium fluoride. North America is the largest producer of fluorite. Fluorite is mined mostly in Illinois, Kentucky, Colorado, and New Mexico. Fluorite is a beautiful crystal that crystallizes in the isometric system. It is attractive because of its varied colors. Its colors can be white, yellow, blue, green, or violet.

In the tetragonal system there are three axes. Two of the axes have equal lengths and the other axis has an unequal length. The three axes are right angles to each other. The tetragonal system crystallizes ten percent of minerals‚ and some of them are autunite, type of uranium mineral that has a pearly green color. Zircon, it is a rare mineral that forms clear‚ brown colored crystals. Zircon is blue when heated to make gems. scheelite, a glassy‚ transparent‚and white mineral that is found in quartz. chalcopyrite, a common copper ore that has a brassy‚ almost gold‚ color.

After quartz and feldspar‚ mica is the third most common group of minerals in the crust of the earth. Mica is easy to recognize as a silicate because it breaks up into almost transparent sheets that are very thin. The three main elements that form mica are oxides of aluminum‚ potassium‚ and water. There are four types of mica and they are biotite mica‚ muscovite mica‚ phlogopite mica‚ and lepidolite mica. Biotite is a brown‚ black‚ or green colored mica. It contains magnesium and iron. Biotite is found in Bancroft‚ Ontario‚ Canada. Muscovite is a mica that is a very pale colored mica. Some of them are so pale that they are almost white. Muscovite crystals are very common and they may sometimes include flattened garnets‚ quartz‚ and pegmatite. Muscovite is best found in Mitchell County‚ North Carolina. Phlogopite is very similar to biotite. Phlogopite and biotite are found together when mined. Phlogopite is a magnesium- potassium mica and it often contains iron and fluorine. In Ontario and Madagascar‚ large crystals of phlogopite mica are mined. Lepidolite is a lithium mica that is mixed with potassium and fluorine. Many lepidolite crystals can be found in San Diego‚ California. Lavender‚ pale yellow‚ and crimson are all the different colors of lepidolite.

Some topics in this essay:
, California Lavender‚, Mexico Fluorite, California Feldspar, Franklin Furnaces, Canada Muscovite, copper sulfate, Carolina Phlogopite, Ontario Madagascar‚, minerals crystallize, isometric system, sulfate solution, copper sulfate solution, North America, percent minerals, quick evaporation, percent minerals crystallize, system minerals, volcanic rocks, found volcanic rocks, mineral found, petri dishes, sodium chloride crystals, crystallize isometric system,