Did you know that if you pass electricity through quartz, it shakes at a regular pace? That is why many watches contain a tiny quartz crystal, to keep them ticking evenly.  And did you know rhodium is far more expensive than gold? It is used in cars' catalytic converters, which cut down the pollution from exhausts. Discover how and where minerals form, why some minerals are rarer than others, and how they are used to advance technology with this fascinating fact-filled book. Plus, find out what gives some minerals their fabulous colours and why some form intricate patterns and shapes in this absorbing, illustrated non-fiction title.