Opens in a new tab

Geology, 
explained.

Clear essays and videos on how the Earth actually works.

FOLDFAULTDYKEUNCONFORMITY01 — DEPOSITION02 — FOLDING03 — FAULTING04 — INTRUSION05 — EROSION06 — NEW DEPOSITIONTODAYREAD THE EARTH

Tap a numbered marker to read what it shows.

Explore the geology

Welcome to Geoscopy, a place to learn and discover. Get the newsletter

about.geoscopy

Hello! I make Geoscopy: videos and long-form essays about how the Earth actually works. The geology I grew up reading was either locked in textbooks nobody outside the field opens, or chopped into 30-second clips that miss the point. Geoscopy is what I wanted instead: the real science, explained clearly, without oversimplifications.

There’s 4.5 billion years of history under your feet. I’d like to teach you to read it.

join.me

Icon of author
I invite you to subscribe to

my newsletter

The real science, no noise.

also visit my

channel.

discover.rocks

View All

Specimen of the weekMineral · Phosphates

Monazite

Monazite is a phosphate mineral that is an important source of rare earth elements (REEs) such as cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium, as well as thorium, a radioactive element used in nuclear energy.

Hardness
5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale
Chemical Composition
(Ce, La, Nd, Th)PO₄ (Phosphate of rare earth elements like cerium, lanthanum, neodymium…
Crystal System
Monoclinic

Open the specimen

Green fluorite crystal on yellow mineral matrix

Fluorite

Cluster of dark metallic hematite crystals

Hematite

Green chlorite schist with embedded red garnet crystals

Chlorite

Bright green crystalline mineral specimen on dark matrix (adamite specimen)

Adamite

Transparent, faceted mineral crystal with gray and yellow tones (gypsum)

Gypsum

Pink mineral crystal resting on a green stone prism (apatite)

Apatite

Shiny dark gray coal specimen

Coal

Transparent quartz crystal cluster with pointed formations

Quartz

Polished watermelon tourmaline slice with pink, yellow, and green bands

Tourmaline

White crystalline mineral rock specimen (marble specimen)

Marble

Dark bladed mineral crystal cluster on rocky matrix (Descloizite mineral)

Descloizite

White kernite crystal mineral cluster

Kernite

more.media

glossary.a - z

Geology collage featuring fossils, mountains, volcano, Earth, and letters

join.me

Geology made clear, in your inbox.

Get clear, visual explainers on rocks, minerals, deep time, and the most fascinating parts of Earth science from Geoscopy.