How were minerals classified in the past? The earliest classification of minerals was based on their practical use, so minerals were divided into ores, gemstones, pigments and others. The earliest classification based on external characteristics and some physical properties of minerals, such as colour, solubility, malleability and fracture, was introduced in the 8th century by […]
Why do minerals have different lustres? The lustre of a mineral depends on the reflection of light rays, and it is more intense in minerals with a higher refractive index and smooth, flat crystal faces. Mineral lustre can be adamantine, metallic, vitreous, silky, pearly, greasy, resinous, waxy or earthy. What is mineral cleavage? Minerals often […]
How do we explain the colour of minerals? The colour of a mineral is, along with its shape, the first feature noticed on a mineral. It reflects the nature of the interaction between electromagnetic radiation of the visible spectrum and the electrons of the atoms, ions or molecules from which a particular mineral is built. […]
CUBIC CRYSTAL SYSTEM a1=a2=a3 α1=α2=α3=90° It is also called the isometric crystal system. It is the most complex in terms of symmetry, but has the simplest coordinate system – three equal crystallographic axes perpendicular to one another. CRYSTAL FORMS: HALITE, NaCl – crystallises in the form of a hexahedron, a cube. It is usually colourless […]
Venue: Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Savska cesta 18 This year, the Mineralogical and Petrographic Department of the Croatian Natural History Museum will participate in the Science Festival with the workshop “Getting to Know Earth and Its Position in the Solar System”, intended for younger visitors. The reason for this is that this year Earth Day, […]
#mineralwednesday Little School of Mineralogy – 13 Interesting facts about nitrates and the sediment called caliche Did you know that natural nitrate deposits were very important in the past? Nitrates are essential for two human activities – agriculture and warfare. If we enrich soil with a mixture of nitrates, potassium and phosphates, plants grow much […]
27 June 2025Croatian Natural History Museum Ozren Domiter FREE ADMISSION27 June at 6:00 p.m.Multimedia HallALL SEATS ARE FULL Why is the closest planet to the Sun called Mercury, and the largest Jupiter? Who is Ganymede, and what is Europa? Who declared Venus the most beautiful, why did Cerberus quit his job, how did a dolphin […]
11 July 2025Multimedia Hall, Croatian Natural History MuseumBranimir Ivić; Biserka Radanović-Gužvica 🔬 “From Atoms to Crystals” – A Journey into the World of Minerals 📅 11 July 2025 at 6:00 p.m.📍 Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, Multimedia Hall 🎟️ Free admission – mandatory registration (apply here) Join us for an engaging lecture by MSc […]
25 July 2025Multimedia Hall, Croatian Natural History MuseumBranimir Ivić; Vlatka Mičetić Stanković How did nature take flight—on as many as four separate occasions! Join us for an exciting lecture by Assistant Professor Dr. Sc. Vlatka Mičetić Stanković, Senior Curator at the Croatian Natural History Museum, and discover the fascinating story of the evolution of flight […]
7 August 2025Multimedia Hall, Croatian Natural History MuseumDamir Lacković Lecture by Damir Lacković How did the caves and pits of Medvednica form? Who are the mysterious inhabitants of the underground, and who are the brave explorers of karst labyrinths?Discover the fascinating underground world of Medvednica, with special emphasis on Špilja Veternica—one of the largest and […]