This page brings together 25 minerals whose names begin with the letter G, running alphabetically from “Galena” all the way to “Gadolinite-(Y)”. They range from common rock-forming minerals to rare gemstones and important metal ores. You’ll see familiar names like gold and graphite alongside scarce collector’s pieces, and many of them play key roles in everything from jewelry and electronics to plaster, batteries, and industrial abrasives.
Minerals are naturally occurring solids with a specific chemical makeup and an orderly internal crystal structure. People have relied on them for thousands of years, and galena, the main ore of lead, was already being mined in ancient times. Each one forms under its own set of conditions, which gives it a distinct color, hardness, and shine.
Below you’ll find the table with the mineral name and its description.
Mineral: The common name of each mineral, listed in alphabetical order so you can quickly scan the page and find the exact one you’re looking for.
Description: A short, plain-language summary that tells you what the mineral looks like, where it forms, and how people commonly use it in everyday life and industry.
Minerals
Mineral
Galena
Garnet
Galaxite
Gadolinite
Gahnite
Galaxite
Geyserite
Gibbsite
Glauconite
Gmelinite
Goethite
Gold
Goshenite
Graphite
Greenockite
Grossular
Gypsum
Glaucophane
Greigite
Grandidierite
Galkhaite
Gillespite
Glauberite
Gypsite
Gadolinite-(Y)
Descriptions
Galena
The primary ore of lead, this dense, metallic gray mineral forms perfect cube-shaped crystals. It has been mined since ancient times and also yields silver as a byproduct.
Garnet
A group of glassy silicate minerals best known as deep red gemstones, though they occur in many colors. Garnet is also widely used as an industrial abrasive.
Galaxite
A rare black member of the spinel group rich in manganese and aluminum. It is named after Galax, Virginia, where it was first identified.
Gadolinite
A dark, rare-earth-bearing silicate mineral often found in granite pegmatites. It is a historic source of several rare-earth elements used in electronics.
Gahnite
A zinc-rich spinel mineral, usually dark green, blue, or black, found in granite pegmatites and zinc ore deposits. Well-formed crystals are prized by collectors.
Galaxite
A rare manganese-aluminum spinel that appears nearly black with a metallic luster, typically associated with metamorphosed manganese deposits.
Geyserite
A porous, lightweight form of opal-like silica deposited around hot springs and geysers. Its delicate, sometimes coral-like textures form as mineral-rich water evaporates.
Gibbsite
A soft aluminum hydroxide mineral and a key component of bauxite, the main ore of aluminum. It often forms as white or grayish crusts and earthy masses.
Glauconite
A greenish, iron-rich clay mineral that forms in marine sediments. It gives “greensand” its color and has long been used as a soil conditioner and water softener.
Gmelinite
A rare zeolite mineral forming colorless to pink hexagonal crystals, typically found lining cavities in volcanic basalt rocks.
Goethite
A common iron oxyhydroxide that gives many soils and rocks their yellow-brown rusty color. It is an important iron ore and a frequent product of weathering.
Gold
A dense, soft, bright yellow precious metal valued for jewelry, currency, and electronics. Highly resistant to tarnish, it occurs as nuggets, flakes, and veins in quartz.
Goshenite
The colorless variety of beryl, the same mineral family as emerald and aquamarine. Its clarity once made it useful for cutting lenses and gem facets.
Graphite
A soft, dark gray form of pure carbon known for its slippery feel and use in pencils. It conducts electricity and is essential in batteries and lubricants.
Greenockite
A rare cadmium sulfide mineral with a striking yellow to orange color, usually found as a coating on other zinc minerals like sphalerite.
Grossular
A calcium-aluminum variety of garnet that appears in green, orange, brown, or colorless forms. Green “tsavorite” grossular is a sought-after gemstone.
Gypsum
A soft, white-to-clear sulfate mineral used to make plaster and drywall. Its fine-grained form is alabaster, and clear crystals are called selenite.
Glaucophane
A blue amphibole mineral that gives “blueschist” rocks their distinctive color. It forms under the high-pressure, low-temperature conditions of subduction zones.
Greigite
A magnetic iron sulfide mineral, the sulfur-bearing counterpart of magnetite. It is notably produced by certain bacteria that use it to navigate.
Grandidierite
An extremely rare bluish-green gemstone mineral first discovered in Madagascar. Its scarcity and glassy luster make fine specimens highly valuable.
Galkhaite
A rare cesium- and mercury-bearing sulfosalt mineral forming dark, cube-shaped crystals, found in only a handful of ore deposits worldwide.
Gillespite
A rare red barium-iron silicate notable for changing apparent color depending on viewing angle. It is prized as a collector’s curiosity.
Glauberite
A sodium-calcium sulfate mineral that forms in evaporite deposits. It readily dissolves in water, often leaving behind distinctive crystal molds in rock.
Gypsite
An impure, earthy form of gypsum mixed with sand and clay, found in arid regions and sometimes used as a low-grade fertilizer.
Gadolinite-(Y)
The yttrium-dominant form of gadolinite, a black rare-earth silicate sourced from pegmatites and historically important to rare-earth chemistry.
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