Mineralogist

Minerals are truly unique products of the Earth that serve so many valuable purposes. As a Mineralogist, you understand every component of minerals because you spend your workdays studying them.

You identify, classify, and maybe even discover new minerals by performing chemical, heat, and elemental tests on them when you’re a Mineralogist. Your efforts teach us the melting point of copper, the strength of diamonds, and the properties of coal. This information is then used to make jewelry, strike gold, or help mining companies target potentially mineral-rich areas to mine.

If you’re not in the lab, your work can take you to some remote locations as a Mineralogist. Mining companies, after all, don’t set up camp next to the city library. So you might find yourself in mountains, caves, or even under the ocean. While there, your job is to collect samples and run tests. Sometimes, the mineral will be present. But it’s not always that quick and easy. Often, you discover a byproduct or frequent companion to your mineral, indicating that the mineral is likely to be in the area.

You might also work to evaluate land value based on the presence of minerals. Say, Great Grandmother’s original homestead has been passed on to the family, with a newly discovered gold reservoir. You take samples, estimate the potential quantity on the land, and calculate the value of the find.

Minerals are part of our everyday lives, from the water we drink to the rings on our fingers. Because of you, there is no limit to the ways we can use them in the future.