A kiss on the hand may be quite continental but there are some things that are worth more
than just a romantic gesture and they come in the form of precious minerals.
They surround us and they are practically found in almost every corner of the globe.
Precious gemstones and minerals, since the time mankind has learned how to trade and
assign value to his goods, minerals and gems have become among the most expensive and luxurious
of items that we can buy on the market for an extremely hefty price.
In fact, many manufacturers place an exorbitant price tag on precious gemstones and minerals
that some of them aren’t afraid of stretching the truth a little bit to create the illusion
of rarity and exclusivity.
After all, as the popular tagline goes, a diamond is forever.
In today’s list, we are going to count down and look into just how much some of the world’s
most expensive minerals are and why they fetch at such excessive prices.
Who knows?
Maybe you’ll get to find the right kind of rock to place on that ring for your significant
other!
10.
FIRE OPAL ($2300 PER CARAT) Also known as the Virgin Rainbow Opal or the
Black Opal, these minerals are among the rarest in the opal family and the only known places
where they can be harvested are in Australia, Ethiopia, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States.
Technically, the fire opal is not considered by scientists as a mineral because it does
not have a crystal-like structure and is a lot more of a hydrated form of silicon dioxide
or silica.
However, this extremely rare and unique opal fetches an impressive price tag because it
has a property that allows it to fluoresce various colours that resemble a rainbow and,
according to John Dunstan, a miner who first discovered the said mineral in Australia,
“the opal actually glows in the dark – the darker the light, the more colour comes out
of it…” 9.
GOLD ($56 PER GRAM) Hands down, it is one of the most valuable
minerals on earth and throughout history.
Though it may appear to be extremely precious, it it not the most expensive mineral on earth.
However, because of its appeal, it has become what is now known as a “safe haven” investment
where its value does not diminish.
Instead, increases more overtime.
Because of its extreme value, banking systems around the world still trade with it and bases
the value of a country’s monetary system according to the amount of reserve it has
and how much they are worth in the market.
8.
PLATINUM ($931 PER TROY OUNCE) Slightly more valuable than gold, platinum
has played a significant role in the fashion industry and jewellery trade for centuries.
First discovered in South America, its name derives from the word “platina” or “little
silver” due to its colour.
Also, the value of this precious mineral is not only because of its use in jewellery but
also in industrial applications and devices such as catalytic converters.
Who would have thought that it’s both decorative and practical?
Today, among the largest producers of platinum in the world are Russia and South Africa.
7.
LITHIUM ($9100 PER METRIC TON) You all may have heard of it and I am pretty
sure that you have come into contact with it.
In fact, we all have it in our homes in a different form.
Lithium is perhaps known for its use in rechargeable batteries that powers many devices from flashlights
to cameras.
First discovered in Sweden in 1817, it has since been one of the most valuable minerals
used in almost every industry which makes its cost vary from one country to another.
6.
RHODIUM ($56 PER GRAM) Extremely rare, rhodium is a mineral that
is highly valued because of its resistance to corrosion which makes it an excellent choice
in building catalytic converters, glass production, and plating sterling silver.
While it may not be the first choice when it comes to gifting it to a significant other,
its use in industry has made it one of the most valuable minerals next to lithium.
5.
DIAMOND ($10,000 PER CARAT) You would think that diamonds, because of
their price tags and the amount of commercial value we place on them, would be at the top
of the list but – unfortunately – it only lands on the fifth spot.
It is true that they are among the most expensive of gemstones in the commercial market, diamonds,
however, are not at all rare.
Thanks to a popular jewellery company, these hardy, almost indestructible rocks have gained
– and still claim – popularity as engagement ring ornaments where the bigger ones are – we
assume – much preferred over others.
As mentioned earlier though, these sturdy gems are not at all rare and can be sourced
in plenty of countries including South Africa, South Australia, and Russia.
And because of their heavy duty quality, they are also used in tools such as industrial
strength drills, glass cutters, and the like.
4.
RED BERYL ($10,000 PER CARAT) With a per carat value that is equal to a
diamond’s, red beryl takes the spot just above diamonds because of its mineral composition.
To the untrained eye, red beryls can resemble small rubies because of their crimson colour.
However, these minerals are composed of beryllium, silicate, and aluminum; and it is these same
minerals and other elements, when combined together that gives this rock its magnificent
scarlet shine.
Red Beryls are commonly found in Utah, in the United States.
Though they are priced at a modest $10,000 per carat, red beryls that are above 2 to
3 carats are extremely rare which makes this mineral a lot more desirable and valuable.
3.
RUBY ($15,000 PER CARAT) Among the so-called “Cardinal Gems”, rubies
are as covetable as sapphires, amethysts, emeralds, and diamonds.
Ranging from pink to the more traditional blood red, rubies were first discovered and
sourced in Myanmar but has since been seen in countries like Brazil and Scotland.
Monarchs, aristocrats, and nobility have placed high regard for rubies because of its extreme
attractiveness.
However, what makes it justify its hefty price tag is the difficult way of mining these red
rocks that require skill and a special technique.
2.
BLUE GARNET ($1.5 MILLION PER CARAT) Garnets are typically common, extremely popular
jewellery pieces, and come in a wide variety of colours except blue.
It was not until around the 1990s when the first blue garnet was discovered in Madagascar.
Since then, its rarity has made it so much more expensive than its cousins.
Though they have already been mined in Russia, US, and Turkey, the blue variety of garnet
is still the most elusive of gemstones to this very day.
1.
JADEITE ($3 MILLION PER CARAT) Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend and
rubies may be a status symbol among nobility, but jadeite or jade is the king – or should
we say, Emperor – of minerals.
Like garnet, jade is found in many colours ranging from apple green to mauve however
jade stones in deep emerald green are extremely rare that they have earned the name “Imperial
Jade” as they were only worn by the Emperors and Empresses of China.
In fact, jade has been revered in many other cultures for thousands of years like Mesoamerica
and the Maori.
Today, Imperial Jade can be found in countries like New Zealand, Myanman, and Japan.
Despite that, however, it has not diminished its value and a single carat of Imperial Jade
will cost you at least $3 Million in the market.