This page gathers 40 minerals whose names begin with the letter P, running alphabetically from “Pyrite” to “Pseudomalachite.” These minerals span a wide range of colors, textures, and origins, from brassy metallic sulfides to soft clays and brilliant gemstones. Many are valued as ores for metals like nickel, silver, lead, and lithium, while others are prized for jewelry, collecting, or industrial uses such as fertilizers and heat-resistant materials.
Minerals are naturally occurring solid substances with a specific chemical makeup and an orderly internal crystal structure. People have relied on them for thousands of years, shaping them into tools, pigments, and jewels long before modern science explained how they form. Pyrite, for example, earned the nickname “fool’s gold” because its shiny gold color fooled many hopeful prospectors.
Below you’ll find the table with the Mineral and Description.
Mineral: This gives you the name of each mineral, listed in alphabetical order so you can quickly scan through the list and find the one you’re looking for.
Description: This offers a short, plain-language summary of each mineral, covering its color, common uses, and a notable feature that helps you tell it apart from the others.
Minerals
| Mineral |
|---|
| Pyrite |
| Pyrope |
| Pyrolusite |
| Pyrrhotite |
| Pyrophyllite |
| Pyromorphite |
| Prehnite |
| Plagioclase |
| Phlogopite |
| Phenakite |
| Phosphophyllite |
| Petalite |
| Pentlandite |
| Periclase |
| Peridot |
| Pectolite |
| Polyhalite |
| Powellite |
| Proustite |
| Pyrargyrite |
| Polybasite |
| Pollucite |
| Pumpellyite |
| Phosgenite |
| Piemontite |
| Pargasite |
| Plattnerite |
| Pyrophanite |
| Painite |
| Parisite |
| Phillipsite |
| Pollux |
| Pyroxmangite |
| Prochlorite |
| Pucherite |
| Penninite |
| Petzite |
| Pickeringite |
| Plumbogummite |
| Pseudomalachite |
Descriptions
Pyrite
A brassy, gold-colored iron sulfide nicknamed “fool’s gold” for its metallic luster. It often forms striking cubic crystals and was historically used to spark fire.
Pyrope
A deep red garnet whose name comes from the Greek for “fire-eyed.” It is prized as a gemstone and often found in volcanic rocks and diamond-bearing deposits.
Pyrolusite
A soft, dark manganese oxide that is the main ore of manganese. It often forms dendritic, fern-like patterns on rock surfaces.
Pyrrhotite
A bronze-colored iron sulfide that is weakly magnetic, setting it apart from most sulfides. It frequently occurs alongside nickel and copper ores.
Pyrophyllite
A soft, pale clay-like mineral similar to talc, often carved or used in ceramics and refractory products. It feels greasy and is easily scratched.
Pyromorphite
A green, yellow, or brown lead mineral that forms barrel-shaped hexagonal crystals. It is a minor lead ore and a favorite among collectors.
Prehnite
A pale green to yellow mineral that forms rounded, botryoidal masses. Popular as a gemstone, it is sometimes called the “stone of prophecy.”
Plagioclase
A common rock-forming feldspar group ranging from sodium-rich albite to calcium-rich anorthite. It makes up a large share of Earth’s crust and many igneous rocks.
Phlogopite
A brown to amber mica that splits into thin, flexible sheets. It resists heat well, so it was once used in stoves and electrical insulation.
Phenakite
A hard, colorless to pale beryllium silicate occasionally cut as a brilliant gemstone. Its sparkle can rival that of quartz or even diamond.
Phosphophyllite
A rare, delicate blue-green mineral so soft and fragile that gem-quality crystals are exceptionally valuable. It is a phosphate of zinc and iron.
Petalite
A colorless to pink lithium mineral and an important source of lithium. Transparent crystals are sometimes faceted into collectible gems.
Pentlandite
A bronze-yellow iron-nickel sulfide that is the world’s chief ore of nickel. It typically occurs with pyrrhotite in igneous deposits.
Periclase
A colorless to grayish magnesium oxide that is rare in nature but important industrially as the basis of magnesia refractories. It forms in metamorphosed limestone.
Peridot
The gem-quality variety of olivine, known for its yellowish-green color. It is the August birthstone and is found in volcanic rocks and meteorites.
Pectolite
A white to gray mineral whose vivid blue variety, larimar, is prized for jewelry. It often forms needle-like radiating crystals.
Polyhalite
A pale, salty potassium-magnesium sulfate mineral found in evaporite deposits. It is mined as a multi-nutrient fertilizer.
Powellite
A pale yellow to brown calcium molybdate mineral that fluoresces under ultraviolet light. It is a minor source of molybdenum.
Proustite
A striking ruby-red silver arsenic sulfide nicknamed “ruby silver.” It darkens when exposed to light and is a minor silver ore.
Pyrargyrite
A dark red to black silver antimony sulfide, the “dark ruby silver,” and an ore of silver. It often occurs with other silver minerals.
Polybasite
A black, metallic silver-copper sulfosalt that can show deep red edges in thin splinters. It is a minor but rich silver ore.
Pollucite
A colorless to pink cesium-rich mineral that is the principal ore of cesium. It is found in lithium-bearing pegmatites.
Pumpellyite
A green to olive mineral that forms in low-grade metamorphic rocks. It typically appears as tiny radiating or fibrous crystals.
Phosgenite
A rare, colorless to yellowish lead chloride-carbonate mineral that forms tabular crystals. It is sought by collectors for its high luster.
Piemontite
A reddish-brown to purplish manganese-rich epidote mineral. Its rich color comes from manganese substituting in the crystal structure.
Pargasite
A dark green to brown amphibole mineral found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. It belongs to the hornblende family.
Plattnerite
A black lead dioxide mineral that forms shiny, dark crystals. It is a secondary mineral in oxidized lead deposits.
Pyrophanite
A deep red manganese titanium oxide mineral related to ilmenite. It forms thin, tabular crystals and is favored by collectors.
Painite
A rare brownish-red to orange borate mineral once considered one of the rarest on Earth. Gem-quality crystals are highly valuable.
Parisite
A brown to yellow rare-earth fluorocarbonate mineral that forms barrel-shaped crystals. It is a minor source of rare-earth elements.
Phillipsite
A white to colorless zeolite mineral that forms in volcanic rocks and deep-sea sediments. It can absorb and exchange ions like other zeolites.
Pollux
An older name occasionally used for pollucite, the cesium-bearing mineral. It honors the mythological twin paired with castorite.
Pyroxmangite
A pink to brownish manganese silicate that resembles rhodonite. It forms in manganese-rich metamorphic rocks.
Prochlorite
A green chlorite-group mineral that forms soft, scaly masses. It is common in low-grade metamorphic and altered igneous rocks.
Pucherite
A rare reddish-brown bismuth vanadate mineral found in oxidized bismuth deposits. It is sought mainly by mineral collectors.
Penninite
A green chlorite-group mineral that forms in metamorphic rocks. It splits into flexible flakes much like mica.
Petzite
A steel-gray to black silver-gold telluride mineral and a significant ore of gold in some deposits. It is dense and metallic.
Pickeringite
A white to pale yellow magnesium-aluminum sulfate that often forms fibrous crusts. It typically results from the weathering of pyrite-rich rocks.
Plumbogummite
A green, blue, or gray lead aluminum phosphate that forms rounded crusts. It is a secondary mineral in oxidized lead deposits.
Pseudomalachite
A green copper phosphate mineral that can resemble malachite but contains phosphate rather than carbonate. It forms botryoidal crusts in oxidized copper zones.