This page brings together 46 minerals that begin with the letter A, running alphabetically from “Acanthite” to “Azurite.” These minerals range from common rock-forming materials to rare, color-changing gemstones, and many show striking colors, crystal shapes, or fluorescent glows. You’ll find stones used in jewelry, ores mined for metals like silver, zinc, and lithium, and specimens prized by collectors for their beauty.
Minerals are naturally occurring solid substances with a specific chemical makeup and an orderly internal crystal structure. People have valued them for thousands of years, grinding deep-blue azurite into pigment for paintings and carving soft alabaster into sculptures. Each one tells a small story about how the Earth forms and changes over time.
Below you’ll find the table with the columns Mineral and Description.
Mineral: This gives you the common name of each stone, listed in alphabetical order so you can quickly scan the page and locate the one you’re looking for.
Description: This offers a short, plain-language summary of each mineral, covering its color, where it forms, and its main uses, helping you understand what makes it special.
Minerals
| Mineral |
|---|
| Acanthite |
| Achroite |
| Actinolite |
| Adamite |
| Aegirine |
| Aenigmatite |
| Agate |
| Alabaster |
| Albite |
| Alexandrite |
| Allanite |
| Almandine |
| Altaite |
| Alunite |
| Amazonite |
| Amblygonite |
| Amethyst |
| Analcime |
| Anatase |
| Andalusite |
| Andesine |
| Andradite |
| Anglesite |
| Anhydrite |
| Ankerite |
| Annabergite |
| Anorthite |
| Anorthoclase |
| Antigorite |
| Antimony |
| Antlerite |
| Apatite |
| Apophyllite |
| Aquamarine |
| Aragonite |
| Arfvedsonite |
| Argentite |
| Arsenopyrite |
| Astrophyllite |
| Atacamite |
| Augite |
| Aurichalcite |
| Autunite |
| Aventurine |
| Axinite |
| Azurite |
Descriptions
Acanthite
A silver sulfide mineral and the most important ore of silver, appearing as dark gray to black crystals or coatings. It forms in low-temperature veins and is prized by collectors.
Achroite
A colorless variety of tourmaline, valued as a gemstone for its rarity. The name comes from a Greek word meaning “without color.”
Actinolite
A green to grayish amphibole mineral found in metamorphic rocks. Its fibrous form is one type of asbestos, while compact varieties resemble nephrite jade.
Adamite
A bright yellow-green zinc arsenate mineral that often glows under ultraviolet light. It is popular among collectors for its vivid color and crystal clusters.
Aegirine
A dark green to black sodium iron silicate of the pyroxene group, typically forming slender prismatic crystals. It occurs in alkaline igneous rocks.
Aenigmatite
A black, dense silicate mineral whose name means “riddle” in Greek, reflecting early confusion over its composition. It forms in sodium-rich volcanic rocks.
Agate
A banded variety of chalcedony quartz, prized for its colorful concentric layers. It forms in cavities of volcanic and other rocks and is widely used in jewelry.
Alabaster
A fine-grained, translucent form of gypsum (or sometimes calcite) used for centuries in carving and sculpture. Its softness makes it easy to shape.
Albite
A common sodium-rich feldspar and member of the plagioclase series, usually white or colorless. It is a major rock-forming mineral in granites and gneisses.
Alexandrite
A rare, color-changing variety of chrysoberyl that appears green in daylight and red under incandescent light. It is one of the most valued gemstones.
Allanite
A complex silicate mineral containing rare-earth elements, often brown to black and slightly radioactive. It occurs as an accessory mineral in granites.
Almandine
A deep red to purplish-red garnet rich in iron and aluminum. It is the most common garnet variety and is used as a gemstone and abrasive.
Altaite
A lead telluride mineral with a metallic tin-white color that tarnishes to bronze. It is a minor source of tellurium and is found in gold and silver ores.
Alunite
A potassium aluminum sulfate mineral, usually white to gray, formed by the alteration of volcanic rocks. It is mined as a source of alum and potassium.
Amazonite
A blue-green variety of microcline feldspar, named after the Amazon River. It is widely cut into beads and cabochons for jewelry.
Amblygonite
A lithium-bearing phosphate mineral, typically white to pale yellow, mined as a source of lithium. Transparent crystals are occasionally faceted as gems.
Amethyst
A purple variety of quartz colored by trace iron and irradiation, historically associated with sobriety. It is among the most popular semiprecious gemstones.
Analcime
A white to colorless zeolite mineral forming trapezohedral crystals in volcanic cavities. It can absorb and release water within its open framework.
Anatase
One of three natural forms of titanium dioxide, usually blue to black with sharp pyramidal crystals. It is of interest for pigments and photocatalysis.
Andalusite
An aluminum silicate that forms in metamorphic rocks and shows different colors from different angles. A variety called chiastolite displays a dark cross.
Andesine
A plagioclase feldspar intermediate in composition between albite and labradorite. Gem-quality red and green stones are sometimes sold under this name.
Andradite
A calcium iron garnet that occurs in green (demantoid), yellow (topazolite), and black (melanite) varieties. Demantoid is among the most valued garnets.
Anglesite
A lead sulfate mineral, often colorless to white, formed by the oxidation of galena. It is a minor lead ore and is treasured by collectors for its luster.
Anhydrite
A calcium sulfate mineral lacking water, related to gypsum. It is common in evaporite deposits and can absorb water to convert into gypsum.
Ankerite
A carbonate mineral related to dolomite but rich in iron, ranging from white to brown. It occurs in hydrothermal veins and metamorphosed rocks.
Annabergite
A bright apple-green nickel arsenate mineral, often forming earthy crusts. It is a secondary mineral that indicates nearby nickel ore.
Anorthite
The calcium-rich end member of the plagioclase feldspar series, usually white to gray. It is a common mineral in basaltic rocks and meteorites.
Anorthoclase
A feldspar intermediate between sodium and potassium varieties, often forming glassy crystals in volcanic rocks. It is a rock-forming mineral.
Antigorite
A platy variety of serpentine, typically green and used in carvings and as a source of magnesium. It forms by the alteration of olivine-rich rocks.
Antimony
A native metallic element occurring rarely as silvery brittle crystals. It is more commonly found combined in minerals like stibnite.
Antlerite
A green copper sulfate mineral forming in arid oxidized copper deposits. It can be a minor copper ore and is sought by mineral collectors.
Apatite
A group of calcium phosphate minerals occurring in many colors, abundant in igneous and sedimentary rocks. It is the main source of phosphorus for fertilizers.
Apophyllite
A group of glassy silicate minerals forming clear to colored pyramidal crystals in volcanic cavities. They are popular display specimens.
Aquamarine
A blue to blue-green variety of beryl, colored by iron and named for its sea-water hue. It is a prized gemstone often found in large clear crystals.
Aragonite
A carbonate mineral with the same composition as calcite but a different structure. It forms in seashells, coral, and cave deposits.
Arfvedsonite
A dark blue-black sodium-rich amphibole mineral that occurs in alkaline igneous rocks. It often shows a subtle blue sheen when polished.
Argentite
A silver sulfide mineral stable at high temperatures, considered the high-temperature form of acanthite. It is an important ore of silver.
Arsenopyrite
A silver-gray iron arsenic sulfide and the most common arsenic mineral. It is frequently associated with gold and gives off a garlic odor when struck.
Astrophyllite
A bronze to golden, bladed silicate mineral that often forms star-like sprays. Its name means “star leaf,” reflecting its radiating crystals.
Atacamite
A green copper chloride mineral first found in the Atacama Desert of Chile. It forms in oxidized copper deposits in arid climates.
Augite
A dark green to black pyroxene mineral and a major component of basalt and gabbro. It is one of the most common rock-forming minerals on Earth.
Aurichalcite
A pale blue to green carbonate of zinc and copper, often forming delicate crusts and tufts. It is a secondary mineral admired for its color.
Autunite
A yellow-green, fluorescent uranium phosphate mineral forming thin platy crystals. It is a notable secondary uranium ore.
Aventurine
A translucent quartz speckled with glittering mineral inclusions, usually green. It is widely used for beads, carvings, and ornamental stones.
Axinite
A group of brown to violet silicate minerals forming sharp, wedge-shaped crystals. Transparent specimens are occasionally cut as collector gems.
Azurite
A deep blue copper carbonate mineral often found alongside green malachite. Historically ground into pigment, it is a striking collector’s mineral.