Author

Melissa Fletcher

Melissa Fletcher, a Graduate Gemologist, is a staff writer at Biology Insights covering rock identification and gemstones. She previously managed a jewelry studio before opening an independent retail shop where she taught mineral cutting and identified stone specimens for patrons. Fletcher continues to run her storefront and lapidary classroom alongside her editorial work.

How to Identify Gold in Quartz Earth & Space
Is Glass a Rock? The Science of Structure and Origin Chemistry
How to Tell If Green Obsidian Is Real Earth & Space
How Hard Is Granite on the Mohs Scale?Earth & Space
Is Mercury a Mineral? The Scientific Answer Earth & Space
How to Make Sandstone in Real Life Chemistry
Where Silver Is Found and How It Forms in Nature Earth & Space
What Is the Chemical Formula for Quartz?Chemistry
How to Test the Hardness of Rocks Earth & Space
Can You Melt Stone? The Science of Turning Rock to Liquid Physics
How to Identify Geodes Without Breaking Them Earth & Space
Where to Find Fluorescent Sodalite and What Makes It Glow Earth & Space
What Are the Physical and Chemical Properties of Sand?Chemistry
What Determines the Color of a Rock?Earth & Space
What Is the Focus of an Earthquake?Earth & Space
Does Halite Have Cleavage? Explaining Its Cubic Break Chemistry
Where Is Slate Found? Key Regions and Geological Origins Earth & Space
Where Can Fluorite Be Found and How Does It Form?Earth & Space
How Is Sapphire Made Naturally and in a Lab?Earth & Space
Is Mount Vesuvius Still an Active Volcano?Earth & Space
How Does Galena Form? The Geological Process Explained Earth & Space
Can Rocks Explode in Fire? The Science Explained Physics
How to Refine Clay From the Ground for Pottery Chemistry
Does Pyrite Have Cleavage or Fracture?Earth & Space
How Does Quartz Form? From Magma to Hydrothermal Earth & Space
Why Ice Is a Mineral: The Science Explained Earth & Space
What Elements Make Up the Composition of Sand?Earth & Space
Does Calcite Glow Under UV Light?Earth & Space
How Granite Is Formed: From Magma to Rock Earth & Space
How Does Agate Form? The Step-by-Step Process Earth & Space