Native Element Minerals

Native element minerals are those elements that occur in nature in uncombined form with a distinct mineral structure. The elemental class includes metals and intermetallic elements, semi-metals and non-metals. This group also includes natural alloys, phosphides, silicides, nitrides and carbides.

There are 32 elements (18 metals, 5 nonmetals and gases) that can be found in nature in their elemental form. Metals give a metallic luster on their polished sides, as do some nonmetal and semimetal minerals.

  • Native sulfur

  • Diamond

  • Native copper

  • Native gold

  • Native silver

Read more about Native Element Minerals:  Nickel–Strunz Classification -01- Native Elements

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