Minerals
Minerals are elements or chemical compounds that are normally crystalline and that have been formed through geological processes. Several thousand different minerals are known, but most are formed through combinations of just a handful of elements. The Ulster Museum has a good collection of minerals from around the world and others from closer to home. A particular strength is its collection of zeolites, usually white or pale green minerals found filling cavities in the basalt lavas of the Antrim hills. 
Pictured above: Needle-like crystals of natrolite, a common zeolite in the Antrim basalts.
Pictured right: White crystals of feldspar and dark quartz crystals in granite from the Mourne Mountains.
Pictured left: Crystals of amethyst, the purple variety of quartz, in a geode from Brazil.
Ask an Expert
If you would like further information about this collection you may contact the
curator by following this link and
completing the short form.