This page brings together 35 minerals that start with the letter C, running alphabetically from “Calcite” to “Cristobalite.” These minerals range from common rock-forming carbonates to rare collector’s gems and important metal ores. You’ll find stones used in jewelry, building materials, fertilizers, and the production of metals like copper, tin, and chromium.
Minerals are naturally occurring solids with a defined chemical makeup and an orderly crystal structure. People have valued them for thousands of years, using vivid examples like cinnabar’s scarlet red as prized pigments long before modern science. Today they remain essential to industry, technology, and the arts.
Below you’ll find the table with the name and a short description of each mineral.
Mineral: This gives you the common name of each mineral, listed in alphabetical order so you can quickly scan and find the one you’re looking for.
Description: This offers a brief, plain-language summary of each mineral, telling you its color, chemical makeup, common uses, and what makes it interesting or useful.
Minerals
| Mineral |
|---|
| Calcite |
| Chalcopyrite |
| Cinnabar |
| Chromite |
| Cassiterite |
| Cerussite |
| Celestite |
| Chalcocite |
| Chrysocolla |
| Corundum |
| Chrysoberyl |
| Chlorite |
| Copper |
| Cuprite |
| Carnotite |
| Cordierite |
| Colemanite |
| Covellite |
| Cryolite |
| Crocoite |
| Chabazite |
| Chrysotile |
| Carnallite |
| Cobaltite |
| Chalcanthite |
| Chrysoprase |
| Citrine |
| Carnelian |
| Chalcedony |
| Charoite |
| Chrysolite |
| Clinochlore |
| Cummingtonite |
| Coesite |
| Cristobalite |
Descriptions
Calcite
A common carbonate mineral made of calcium carbonate, often forming clear or white crystals. It fizzes in acid and is the main component of limestone and marble.
Chalcopyrite
A brassy yellow copper iron sulfide and the most important ore of copper. Its tarnished surface can show iridescent purple and blue colors, earning it the nickname “peacock ore.”
Cinnabar
A bright red mercury sulfide mineral that is the chief ore of mercury. Its vivid scarlet color made it a prized pigment, though it is toxic to handle.
Chromite
A dark, metallic iron chromium oxide and the only significant ore of chromium. It is widely used to produce stainless steel and heat-resistant materials.
Cassiterite
A heavy brown to black tin oxide and the primary ore of tin. It often occurs in placer deposits and has been mined since ancient times.
Cerussite
A lead carbonate mineral often found in the oxidized zones of lead deposits. Its brilliant adamantine luster and high density make it popular with collectors.
Celestite
A pale blue strontium sulfate mineral prized for its delicate color. It is the main source of strontium, used in fireworks and flares.
Chalcocite
A dark gray copper sulfide and a valuable copper ore. It is soft, sectile, and often associated with other copper minerals in enriched zones.
Chrysocolla
A blue-green hydrated copper silicate often confused with turquoise. It forms in the weathered zones of copper deposits and is used as a gemstone.
Corundum
An extremely hard aluminum oxide, second only to diamond. Its gem varieties include ruby (red) and sapphire (blue and other colors).
Chrysoberyl
A hard beryllium aluminum oxide gemstone known for varieties like cat’s eye and color-changing alexandrite. It ranks high on the hardness scale.
Chlorite
A group of green, soft, sheet-silicate minerals common in metamorphic rocks. They often give rocks a greenish tint and flake easily.
Copper
A reddish native metal valued for its conductivity and malleability. It occasionally occurs in pure metallic form in nature and has been used for millennia.
Cuprite
A red copper oxide mineral and a minor ore of copper. Its deep ruby-red crystals are highly sought after by mineral collectors.
Carnotite
A bright yellow uranium vanadium mineral and an important ore of uranium. It often coats sandstone in radioactive deposits.
Cordierite
A blue to violet magnesium aluminum silicate that shows striking color changes when viewed from different angles. Its gem form is known as iolite.
Colemanite
A white to colorless calcium borate mineral and a key ore of boron. It is mined extensively for use in glass and ceramics.
Covellite
An indigo-blue copper sulfide mineral with a metallic, iridescent sheen. It forms a minor copper ore and is prized for its unusual color.
Cryolite
A rare colorless to white sodium aluminum fluoride once vital to aluminum smelting. Most natural deposits have been depleted, so it is now made synthetically.
Crocoite
A striking orange-red lead chromate mineral forming long, slender crystals. Its brilliant color makes it a favorite among collectors despite being too soft for jewelry.
Chabazite
A zeolite mineral forming rhombohedral crystals, often in volcanic rock cavities. It is valued for its ability to absorb and exchange ions.
Chrysotile
A fibrous form of serpentine and the most common type of asbestos. Its silky fibers were once widely used for insulation before health concerns arose.
Carnallite
A soft, milky white potassium magnesium chloride mineral that tastes bitter. It forms in evaporite deposits and is mined as a source of potassium fertilizer.
Cobaltite
A silvery cobalt arsenic sulfide and an important ore of cobalt. It often has a reddish tint and is found in high-temperature mineral deposits.
Chalcanthite
A vivid blue hydrated copper sulfate that readily dissolves in water. It forms in arid copper deposits and is a minor source of copper.
Chrysoprase
An apple-green variety of chalcedony colored by nickel. It is one of the most valued types of chalcedony for use as a gemstone.
Citrine
A yellow to golden-brown variety of quartz prized as a gemstone. Most commercial citrine is produced by heat-treating amethyst.
Carnelian
A reddish-orange variety of chalcedony used for jewelry and carvings since ancient times. Its warm color comes from iron impurities.
Chalcedony
A microcrystalline form of quartz that appears waxy and translucent. It serves as the parent of many gem varieties including agate and onyx.
Charoite
A rare violet silicate mineral found only in Russia. Its swirling purple patterns make it a popular and distinctive ornamental stone.
Chrysolite
A pale green to yellow-green variety of olivine, also called peridot. It is a popular gemstone associated with volcanic and igneous rocks.
Clinochlore
A green magnesium-rich member of the chlorite group found in metamorphic rocks. Its scaly crystals contribute to the greenish color of many schists.
Cummingtonite
A brown to green magnesium iron silicate of the amphibole group. It typically occurs as fibrous masses in metamorphic rocks.
Coesite
A dense, high-pressure form of silica formed by meteorite impacts and deep crustal pressure. Its presence helps geologists identify ancient impact craters.
Cristobalite
A high-temperature form of silica found in volcanic rocks. It often forms small white spheres called lithophysae within glassy lava.