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Glossary

Matrix:
A rock or mineral that has an embedded crystal or crystals emerging from it.

Specimen:
A mineral of interest to collectors or scientists.

Termination:
The end of a crystal face; the defined ending of a crystal.

Contact:
The place where two crystals come together or meet.

Mineral:
Minerals are usually solid, inorganic, have a crystal structure, and form naturally by geological processes. They posses a chemical structure made up of elements. A mineral can be made of a single chemical element or more usually a compound. Elements can sometimes also be minerals, e.g., gold, diamond, copper, and silver.

Crystal:
The three-dimensional form exhibited by a mineral with defined sides and angles, which are positioned based on its inherent atomic structure.

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