This is bismuth — a natural chemical element that chemically resembles arsenic and antimony. But there’s a catch with this crystal. While bismuth occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust, the striking ...

You Can Visit the Home of the Biggest (and Most Beautiful) Crystals in the World. By Hilary White. Updated on June 21, 2017 at 2:05 PM.

Although the market for diamonds has seen a decline during the pandemic, “near-gemstones” (crystals and minerals) have maintained their appeal among consumers, making it a $1 billion business.

It could be said that minerals are salt-of-the-earth, crystals are organized, and gemstones like to show off. Not very scientific, though, so let’s dive into the details. What is a mineral?

The crystal is a reddish-orange color, weighs 1.61 carats, or about 0.3 grams, and has a chemical formula of Bi 3+ Sb 5+ O 4.This means the elements bismuth, antimony, and oxygen make up this mineral.