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Amber:
Amber is not a mineral, but a fossil resin. We can see it because of
the chemical formula C12H20O. The three elements carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen belong to the most important elements for life. The hardness
is about 1.5 to 3. This resin which we call Amber was emitted by a
pine species which does not exist today. Normally Amber is
yellow-brown, but there also exist yellow and red stones. In
antiquity Amber was used to make jewels. We can find Amber at the
Baltic Sea and in East Europe. Throught trade Amber comes also to
South Europe and to other parts of the world. Stones with insects are
very interesting. It is because prehistoric insects went to this
resin and they could not go away because it was glutinous. It is also
interesting, because we can see insects which do not exist today.
Until today we make jewels of Amber.
Data about
the Amber
Chemical
formula C12H20O
Mineral class
organic connections
Crystal system amorph
Hardness 1.5
to 3
Density 1
g/cm3 to 1.1 g/cm3
Color yellow,
red, brown
Line color white
Gloss resin gloss
Break shell
Fissileness none |
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