With stunning photos on every page and informative, relevant captions, this book answers essential questions such as how and where minerals form; why some are rarer than others; how they are mined and how they are used to advance technology. Plus, there are fun and important facts, such as if you pass electricity through quartz, it shakes at a regular pacewhich is why many watches contain a tiny quartz crystal, to keep them ticking evenly. Plus, find out what gives some minerals their fabulous colors and why some form intricate patterns and shapes.