Sulfide Minerals, Halide Minerals and Oxide Minerals

Sulfide minerals are made when metal elements such as iron, copper and zinc are combined with sulfur. They glitter like metals.
Stibnite crystals from the Ichinokawa mine are famous around the world because they look like silver swords. Many of these sulfide minerals are used for making useful metals.

Halide minerals contain chlorite and fluorine as negative ions. Rock salt and fluorite fall under this category.

Oxide minerals contain only oxide as a negative ion.
Examples are rock crystals composed of silicon and oxygen, and magnetite and hematite composed of iron and oxygen. Please take note of the magnetite specimen labeled as a natural magnet.