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Minerals
Crystals and gems are types of minerals. A mineral is a naturally occurring solid substance put together in an orderly fashion. Most minerals are compounds, but a few, such as gold and silver, are elements.
Crystals
The term "crystal" includes many types of stones. In fact, the Earth's composition is 85 percent crystal. Crystals are classified by their designs. Although thousands of crystals are in the world, they come in six basic designs.
Gems
Gems are fancy crystals. A crystal is considered a gem if it is cut and polished. Cutting and polishing is expensive and time consuming, so only the most valuable crystals become gems.
Value
Four elements determine a gem's value: size, rarity, beauty and durability. Large diamonds are some of the most coveted gems because they meet all these criteria.
Fun Fact
The word crystal comes from the Greek word for ice, "krystallos." This is because ancient people thought that crystals were pieces of ice that would never melt.