Mineral Name Generator

Real minerals and geologically plausible invented ones

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Get real mineral names from quartz and galena to obscure species like schorl and vivianite, plus invented minerals built the way geologists actually name them: place, person, or property plus -ite. Useful for geology study, fantasy worldbuilding, sci-fi resources, and game crafting systems.

About mineral names

Almost every mineral name follows one rule: take something distinctive about the mineral and add the Greek-derived suffix -ite (occasionally -ine, as in tourmaline or celestine). What goes before the suffix usually falls into one of a few categories. Places give us labradorite (Labrador), vesuvianite (Mount Vesuvius), benitoite (San Benito County) and andalusite (Andalusia). People give us smithsonite (James Smithson), goethite (the poet Goethe), wulfenite, sugilite and grandidierite. Chemistry gives us molybdenite, cassiterite (kassiteros, Greek for tin) and fluorapatite. Properties or appearance give us azurite (azure), rhodochrosite (rose-coloured), magnetite and pyrite (fire, because it sparks).

Old names that predate the system survive too: quartz, galena, gypsum, cinnabar, feldspar and mica are inherited from Latin, German and Arabic mining vocabularies. Since 1959 new species have needed approval from the International Mineralogical Association, which currently recognises about six thousand of them, and inventing one is as simple as choosing a discoverer, locality or property and adding -ite.

The list pairs roughly 800 real mineral names, from rock-forming staples to rarities like painite, meteorite finds like kamacite and old miners' names such as mispickel, with about 200 invented ores such as thorvaldite and voidspar. The invented ones follow the same construction rules so they sit convincingly next to the real thing in a fantasy mine, a sci-fi asteroid survey, or a crafting menu.

How to choose mineral names

  • To invent a mineral that sounds real, take a surname or place from your world and add -ite (Kelmar plus -ite becomes kelmarite); avoid stacking two suffixes.
  • Reserve one-word evocative names like Voidspar or Emberglass for magical or exotic materials, and use -ite names for the ordinary rock a miner would haul out.
  • Give each fictional mineral a color, hardness and one use; those three details make a made-up ore feel like it belongs on a specimen label.
  • For science fiction, name minerals after the survey ship, the discoverer or the moon they were found on, exactly as real geologists do.
  • Check that a real name means what you think: labradorite is a feldspar, not a gemstone variety of quartz, and readers who collect rocks will notice.

Frequently asked questions

Why do so many mineral names end in -ite?

The suffix comes from the Greek -ites, meaning 'belonging to' or 'stone of', and became the standard way to turn a place, person, or property into a mineral name (labradorite, smithsonite, magnetite).

What is the difference between a mineral, a rock and a gemstone?

A mineral is a naturally occurring solid with a fixed chemistry and crystal structure, such as quartz. A rock is an aggregate of minerals, such as granite. A gemstone is any mineral (or rock, like lapis lazuli) valued for beauty and durability once cut.

Are all the names here real minerals?

No. About four in five are real: IMA-recognised species, well-known varieties and some old miners' names for them. The rest, such as thorvaldite, voidspar and emberglass, are invented for worldbuilding but follow genuine mineral naming conventions. For study, look a name up before you rely on it.

Can I name a fantasy mineral after a real person or place?

Yes, that is exactly how real minerals are named. Real discoveries need International Mineralogical Association approval, but for fiction and games you are free to honour anyone you like.

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All 1,000 mineral names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 80 names

  • Abelsonite
  • Acanthite
  • Actinolite
  • Adamite
  • Adularia
  • Aenigmatite
  • Aeschynite
  • Agardite
  • Agate
  • Aguilarite
  • Ajoite
  • Akaganeite
  • Åkermanite
  • Akimotoite
  • Alabandite
  • Albite
  • Alexandrite
  • Algodonite
  • Allanite
  • Allophane
  • Almandine
  • Alstonite
  • Altaite
  • Alunite
  • Alunogen
  • Amazonite
  • Amberglass
  • Amblygonite
  • Amesite
  • Amethyst
  • Ametrine
  • Ammolite
  • Amosite
  • Analcime
  • Anatase
  • Ancylite
  • Andalusite
  • Andersonite
  • Andesine
  • Andorite

A, continued

  • Anglesite
  • Anhydrite
  • Ankerite
  • Annabergite
  • Annite
  • Anorthite
  • Anorthoclase
  • Anselmite
  • Anthophyllite
  • Antigorite
  • Antimony Glance
  • Antlerite
  • Apatite
  • Aphthitalite
  • Aquamarine
  • Aragonite
  • Argentite
  • Argentoclase
  • Armalcolite
  • Arrojadite
  • Arseniosiderite
  • Arsenolite
  • Arsenopyrite
  • Artinite
  • Ashenite
  • Astralite
  • Astroblende
  • Astrophyllite
  • Atacamite
  • Auberite
  • Augelite
  • Augite
  • Aurelite
  • Aurichalcite
  • Aurospar
  • Austinite
  • Autunite
  • Aventurine
  • Awaruite
  • Azurite

B: 65 names

  • Baddeleyite
  • Barbosalite
  • Barite
  • Barytocalcite
  • Bastnasite
  • Baumhauerite
  • Bavenite
  • Bayldonite
  • Bazzite
  • Becquerelite
  • Beidellite
  • Belter's Jade
  • Benitoite
  • Beraunite
  • Berthierite
  • Bertrandite
  • Beryl
  • Berzelianite
  • Betafite
  • Beudantite
  • Bindheimite
  • Biotite
  • Bischofite
  • Bismuth
  • Bismuthinite
  • Bitter Spar
  • Bixbite
  • Bixbyite
  • Black Jack
  • Black Lead
  • Blackfire Opal
  • Blightstone

B, continued

  • Blödite
  • Bloodspar
  • Bloodstone
  • Blue Vitriol
  • Bobierrite
  • Bog Iron
  • Boleite
  • Boracite
  • Borax
  • Bornite
  • Boulangerite
  • Bournonite
  • Brackenforthite
  • Braggite
  • Bramwellite
  • Braunite
  • Brazilianite
  • Breithauptite
  • Brennanite
  • Bridgmanite
  • Brightspar
  • Brimstone
  • Brineglass
  • Britholite
  • Brochantite
  • Bromargyrite
  • Brookite
  • Brown Spar
  • Buergerite
  • Bunsenite
  • Burkeite
  • Bustamite
  • Bytownite

C: 110 names

  • Cacoxenite
  • Calaverite
  • Calcite
  • Calderite
  • Caledonite
  • Calomel
  • Cancrinite
  • Canfieldite
  • Carnallite
  • Carnelian
  • Carnotite
  • Carpathite
  • Carrollite
  • Cassiterite
  • Catapleiite
  • Cattierite
  • Cavansite
  • Celadonite
  • Celestine
  • Cerianite
  • Cerulite
  • Cerussite
  • Cervantite
  • Chabazite
  • Chalcanthite
  • Chalcedony
  • Chalcocite
  • Chalcophanite
  • Chalcophyllite
  • Chalcopyrite
  • Chalcosiderite
  • Chalcotrichite
  • Chamosite
  • Charoite
  • Chenevixite
  • Chert
  • Childrenite
  • Chiolite
  • Chkalovite
  • Chlorargyrite
  • Chlorite
  • Chlorospar
  • Chromite
  • Chrysoberyl
  • Chrysocolla
  • Chrysoprase
  • Chrysotile
  • Cinderite
  • Cinnabar
  • Citrine
  • Claudetite
  • Clausthalite
  • Clay Ironstone
  • Clinochlore
  • Clinoclase

C, continued

  • Clinoptilolite
  • Clinozoisite
  • Clintonite
  • Coalheart
  • Cobalt Bloom
  • Cobalt Glance
  • Cobaltite
  • Coesite
  • Coffinite
  • Cohenite
  • Coldiron Ore
  • Colemanite
  • Collinsite
  • Columbite
  • Comet Salt
  • Cometglass
  • Conichalcite
  • Connellite
  • Cookeite
  • Cooperite
  • Copiapite
  • Copper Glance
  • Coppermoss Ore
  • Coquimbite
  • Cordierite
  • Cornetite
  • Cornwallite
  • Corrowaite
  • Corundum
  • Corvite
  • Cosalite
  • Cotunnite
  • Coulsonite
  • Covellite
  • Crednerite
  • Creedite
  • Crepusculite
  • Crichtonite
  • Cristobalite
  • Crocidolite
  • Crocoite
  • Cronstedtite
  • Cryolite
  • Cryolumite
  • Cryospar
  • Cryptomelane
  • Cubanite
  • Cumengeite
  • Cuprite
  • Cuproclase
  • Cupronyx
  • Cuprorivaite
  • Curite
  • Cyanoclase
  • Cylindrite

D: 32 names

  • Dalyite
  • Danalite
  • Datolite
  • Daubréelite
  • Davidite
  • Dawnite
  • Deepcore Iron
  • Deepvein Ore
  • Delafossite
  • Dendritic Agate
  • Descloizite
  • Devilline
  • Diaboleite
  • Diamond
  • Diaphorite
  • Digenite
  • Diopside
  • Dioptase
  • Djurleite
  • Dolomite
  • Domeykite
  • Draketooth Ore
  • Draymoorite
  • Dreamspar
  • Dufrenite
  • Duftite
  • Dumortierite
  • Duneglass
  • Dunmorrite
  • Durangite
  • Duskstone
  • Dyscrasite

E: 27 names

  • Edenite
  • Edingtonite
  • Ekanite
  • Elbaite
  • Electrum
  • Elmhavenite
  • Elpidite
  • Emberglass
  • Emberjet
  • Emerald
  • Emplectite
  • Enargite
  • Enceladite
  • Eosphorite
  • Epidote
  • Epsomite
  • Erionite
  • Erythrite
  • Erythroclase
  • Eskolaite
  • Ettringite
  • Eucairite
  • Eudialyte
  • Euxenite
  • Evenkite
  • Everfrost Crystal
  • Exolite

F: 27 names

  • Fairfieldite
  • Farrowdite
  • Fayalite
  • Feldspar
  • Fellwater Spar
  • Fergusonite
  • Ferrierite
  • Ferrihydrite
  • Ferroquartz
  • Ferrozircon
  • Fibroferrite
  • Fire Agate
  • Flint
  • Florencite
  • Fluocerite
  • Fluorapatite
  • Fluorite
  • Fluorspar
  • Fool's Gold
  • Fornacite
  • Forsterite
  • Foxfire Quartz
  • Franckeite
  • Franklinite
  • Freieslebenite
  • Frostquartz
  • Fulvite

G: 47 names

  • Gadolinite
  • Gahnite
  • Galaxite
  • Galena
  • Galenobismutite
  • Galeshard
  • Gallite
  • Garnet
  • Garnierite
  • Gaylussite
  • Gedrite
  • Gehlenite
  • Genthelvite
  • Geocronite
  • Germanite
  • Gersdorffite
  • Getchellite
  • Geyserite
  • Ghostquartz
  • Gillespite
  • Glacialite
  • Glastenite
  • Glauberite
  • Glaucodot
  • Glauconite
  • Glaucophane
  • Glimmerspar
  • Gloomstone
  • Gmelinite
  • Goethite
  • Goldmanite
  • Graftonite
  • Grandidierite
  • Graphite
  • Gratonite
  • Green Vitriol
  • Greenalite
  • Greenland Spar
  • Greenockite
  • Greigite
  • Greymica
  • Greywake Glass
  • Grimblende
  • Grossular
  • Groutite
  • Grunerite
  • Gypsum

H: 57 names

  • Halcyonite
  • Haldrenite
  • Halite
  • Halloysite
  • Halospar
  • Halotrichite
  • Halvorite
  • Hanksite
  • Hardystonite
  • Harmotome
  • Hastingsite
  • Hauerite
  • Hausmannite
  • Hawk's Eye
  • Hawleyite
  • Heavy Spar
  • Hectorite
  • Hedenbergite
  • Hedyphane
  • Heliodor
  • Heliospar
  • Heliotrope
  • Helvine
  • Hematite
  • Hercynite
  • Herderite
  • Herzenbergite
  • Hessite
  • Heulandite
  • Hewettite
  • Hexspar
  • Hibonite
  • Highpass Marble
  • Hoarvein
  • Hollandite
  • Hollowmere Agate
  • Hollowsteel Ore
  • Holmquistite
  • Hopeite
  • Horn Lead
  • Horn Silver
  • Hornblende
  • Hörnesite
  • Howlite
  • Howlquartz
  • Hübnerite
  • Humboldtine
  • Hushwood Pearl
  • Hutchinsonite
  • Hydroboracite
  • Hydrocerussite
  • Hydromagnesite
  • Hydrophane
  • Hydrotalcite
  • Hydroxylherderite
  • Hydrozincite
  • Hyperionite

I: 13 names

  • Ice
  • Iceland Spar
  • Idaite
  • Idrialite
  • Ikaite
  • Illite
  • Ilmenite
  • Iodargyrite
  • Iris Agate
  • Iron Glance
  • Ironbloom
  • Ironheart Ore
  • Isoferroplatinum

J: 11 names

  • Jacobsite
  • Jadeite
  • Jahnsite
  • Jamesonite
  • Jasper
  • Jeremejevite
  • Jessamite
  • Joaquinite
  • Johannite
  • Johannsenite
  • Jordanite

K: 30 names

  • Kaersutite
  • Kainite
  • Kaldwellite
  • Kamacite
  • Kämmererite
  • Kaolinite
  • Karelianite
  • Kasolite
  • Kelmarite
  • Kelpjade
  • Kelvinite
  • Kermesite
  • Kernite
  • Kessendrite
  • Kesterite
  • Kidney Ore
  • Kieserite
  • Kingsblende
  • Klockmannite
  • Knorringite
  • Kornerupine
  • Kotoite
  • Köttigite
  • Krellite
  • Krennerite
  • Kunzite
  • Kupfernickel
  • Kurnakovite
  • Kutnohorite
  • Kyanite

L: 44 names

  • Labradorite
  • Lagrangite
  • Lamprophyllite
  • Langbeinite
  • Langite
  • Lanternstone
  • Lapis Lazuli
  • Larimar
  • Larkglass
  • Laueite
  • Laumontite
  • Lazulite
  • Lazurite
  • Lead Glance
  • Lechatelierite
  • Legrandite
  • Leifite
  • Lengenbachite
  • Lepidocrocite
  • Lepidolite
  • Leucite
  • Leucophanite
  • Leucospar
  • Levyne
  • Libethenite
  • Liebigite
  • Limonite
  • Linarite
  • Lindqvarite
  • Liroconite
  • Litharge
  • Lithiophilite
  • Lithiophorite
  • Livingstonite
  • Lizardite
  • Lodesteel Ore
  • Lodestone
  • Lonsdaleite
  • Loparite
  • Lorandite
  • Lorenzenite
  • Ludlamite
  • Ludwigite
  • Lumenite

M: 66 names

  • Mackinawite
  • Magnesiochromite
  • Magnesioferrite
  • Magnesite
  • Magnetite
  • Majorite
  • Malachite
  • Manganite
  • Manganosite
  • Maravellite
  • Marcasite
  • Margarite
  • Marialite
  • Marrowstone
  • Marshlight Crystal
  • Martite
  • Massicot
  • Matildite
  • Matlockite
  • Maucherite
  • Mawsonite
  • Meerschaum
  • Meionite
  • Melanospar
  • Melonite
  • Mendipite
  • Meridianite
  • Merrillite
  • Mesolite
  • Messelite
  • Metacinnabar
  • Metatorbernite
  • Meyerhofferite

M, continued

  • Microcline
  • Microlite
  • Miersite
  • Milarite
  • Millerite
  • Mimetite
  • Minium
  • Mirabilite
  • Mirrorstone
  • Mispickel
  • Mistglass
  • Molybdenite
  • Monazite
  • Monetite
  • Montebrasite
  • Monticellite
  • Montmorillonite
  • Moonmica
  • Moonspar
  • Moonstone
  • Mordenite
  • Morganite
  • Moschellandsbergite
  • Moss Agate
  • Mottramite
  • Mountain Cork
  • Mountain Leather
  • Mournstone
  • Mullite
  • Mundic
  • Murmanite
  • Muscovite
  • Musgravite

N: 38 names

  • Nacrite
  • Nadorite
  • Nagyágite
  • Nahcolite
  • Nantokite
  • Native Antimony
  • Native Arsenic
  • Native Copper
  • Native Gold
  • Native Iron
  • Native Mercury
  • Native Silver
  • Native Tellurium
  • Natrojarosite
  • Natrolite
  • Natron
  • Naumannite
  • Needle Ironstone
  • Nepheline
  • Nephrite
  • Neptunite
  • Nesquehonite
  • Newberyite
  • Nickel Bloom
  • Nickeline
  • Nightglass
  • Niningerite
  • Niter
  • Nitratine
  • Nivalite
  • Noctilite
  • Nontronite
  • Norbergite
  • Northmarchite
  • Northupite
  • Nosean
  • Novaclase
  • Nyxite

O: 19 names

  • Oathspar
  • Obsidian
  • Okarrite
  • Okenite
  • Oldhamite
  • Oligoclase
  • Olivenite
  • Olivine
  • Ombrellite
  • Onyx
  • Oortite
  • Opal
  • Orpiment
  • Orsinite
  • Orthoclase
  • Osbornite
  • Ostravite
  • Osumilite
  • Otavite

P: 63 names

  • Pachnolite
  • Padparadscha
  • Painite
  • Palygorskite
  • Papagoite
  • Paragonite
  • Pararealgar
  • Paravauxite
  • Parisite
  • Pascoite
  • Pearl Spar
  • Pencil Ore
  • Pendrakite
  • Pentagonite
  • Pentlandite
  • Peridot
  • Perihelite
  • Perovskite
  • Petzite
  • Pezzottaite
  • Phillipsite
  • Phlogopite
  • Phobosite
  • Phosgenite
  • Phosphosiderite
  • Pickeringite
  • Pietersite
  • Pigeonite
  • Pirssonite
  • Pitchblende
  • Plagionite

P, continued

  • Platinum
  • Plumbago
  • Plumbospar
  • Polybasite
  • Polycrase
  • Polyhalite
  • Polylithionite
  • Portlandite
  • Poudretteite
  • Powellite
  • Prasiolite
  • Prehnite
  • Priderite
  • Probertite
  • Prosopite
  • Proustite
  • Pseudomalachite
  • Psilomelane
  • Pumpellyite
  • Pyrargyrite
  • Pyrite
  • Pyroaurite
  • Pyrochlore
  • Pyrochroite
  • Pyroclase
  • Pyrolusite
  • Pyromorphite
  • Pyrope
  • Pyrophanite
  • Pyrophyllite
  • Pyroxferroite
  • Pyrrhotite

Q: 3 names

  • Quartz
  • Quennerite
  • Quicksilver

R: 33 names

  • Rammelsbergite
  • Ramsayite
  • Raspite
  • Ravensblende
  • Ravensfordite
  • Realgar
  • Redcliff Clay
  • Regolite
  • Reidite
  • Rhabdophane
  • Rhodochrosite
  • Rhodoclase
  • Rhodonite
  • Richterite
  • Rickardite
  • Riebeckite
  • Riftglass
  • Rimestone
  • Ringwoodite
  • Rinkite
  • Rock Salt
  • Rockbridgeite
  • Roeblingite
  • Romanechite
  • Römerite
  • Roquesite
  • Rosasite
  • Rozenite
  • Ruby
  • Runespar
  • Ruskovite
  • Rutherfordine
  • Rutile

S: 100 names

  • Sabrinite
  • Safflorite
  • Saléeite
  • Saltfire
  • Saltmarsh Ochre
  • Saltpetre
  • Samarskite
  • Sanbornite
  • Sanidine
  • Sapphire
  • Sapphirine
  • Sard
  • Sardonyx
  • Sassolite
  • Satin Spar
  • Sauconite
  • Scapolite
  • Scheelite
  • Schoepite
  • Schorl
  • Schorlomite
  • Schreibersite
  • Scorodite
  • Scorzalite
  • Sednaite
  • Seifertite
  • Selenoclase
  • Seligmannite
  • Sellaite
  • Semseyite
  • Senarmontite
  • Sepiolite
  • Serendibite
  • Serpentine
  • Serpierite
  • Shadeblende
  • Shattuckite
  • Shortite
  • Shungite
  • Siderite
  • Siegenite
  • Sillimanite
  • Silver Glance
  • Silvervein Ore
  • Sinhalite
  • Sinoite
  • Skarnholmite
  • Sklodowskite
  • Skutterudite
  • Skyshard

S, continued

  • Skysteel Ore
  • Slagvein
  • Smithsonite
  • Sodalite
  • Soddyite
  • Solvite
  • Songstone
  • Sootflint
  • Sorensenite
  • Specularite
  • Sperrylite
  • Spessartine
  • Sphalerite
  • Spinel
  • Spodumene
  • Stannite
  • Stannoclase
  • Star Ruby
  • Star Sapphire
  • Starfall Iron
  • Starspar
  • Staurolite
  • Stellerite
  • Stennickite
  • Stephanite
  • Stibiconite
  • Stibnite
  • Stilbite
  • Stilpnomelane
  • Stishovite
  • Stolzite
  • Stoppaniite
  • Stormcrystal
  • Stream Tin
  • Strengite
  • Strontianite
  • Strunzite
  • Struvite
  • Sugilite
  • Sulfur
  • Sunfire Opal
  • Sunspar
  • Sunstone
  • Susannite
  • Svanbergite
  • Sylvanite
  • Sylvite
  • Synchysite
  • Szaibelyite
  • Szomolnokite

T: 59 names

  • Taaffeite
  • Tabular Spar
  • Taenite
  • Talc
  • Tantalite
  • Tanzanite
  • Tapiolite
  • Taranakite
  • Tarbuttite
  • Tarnwickite
  • Tausonite
  • Tellurobismuthite
  • Tenebrite
  • Tennantite
  • Tenorite
  • Tephroite
  • Tessarine
  • Tessmarite
  • Tetradymite
  • Tetrahedrite
  • Tetrataenite
  • Tharsisite
  • Thaumasite
  • Thenardite
  • Thermoclase
  • Thistledown Chalk
  • Thorianite
  • Thorite
  • Thornquartz
  • Thorvaldite
  • Thunderstone
  • Tidestone
  • Tidewater Agate
  • Tiemannite
  • Tiger's Eye
  • Tile Ore
  • Tinstone
  • Titanite
  • Toad's Eye Tin
  • Tobermorite
  • Topaz
  • Torbernite
  • Torvalite
  • Tourmaline
  • Tranquillityite
  • Tremolite
  • Tridymite
  • Triphylite
  • Triplite
  • Triploidite
  • Troilite
  • Trona
  • Tschermakite
  • Tsumebite
  • Tugtupite
  • Tungstite
  • Turquoise
  • Tyrolite
  • Tyuyamunite

U: 9 names

  • Ulexite
  • Ulvöspinel
  • Umangite
  • Umbracite
  • Umbrielite
  • Uraninite
  • Uranophane
  • Ussingite
  • Uvite

V: 21 names

  • Vacuum Spar
  • Valentinite
  • Valleriite
  • Vanadinite
  • Variscite
  • Vaskerite
  • Vaterite
  • Vauquelinite
  • Vellandite
  • Verdanite
  • Vermiculite
  • Vesperholmite
  • Vesuvianite
  • Villiaumite
  • Violarite
  • Viridiclase
  • Vivianite
  • Voidglass
  • Voidspar
  • Voltaite
  • Vorranite

W: 26 names

  • Wad
  • Wadeite
  • Wadsleyite
  • Wardite
  • Wardstone
  • Wavellite
  • Weddellite
  • Wexmarite
  • Whewellite
  • Whisperite
  • White Vitriol
  • Whiteite
  • Whitlockite
  • Wintermoon Jade
  • Witchblende
  • Witherite
  • Wittichenite
  • Wodginite
  • Wolframite
  • Wollastonite
  • Wood Tin
  • Wraithglass
  • Wulfenite
  • Wurtzite
  • Wüstite
  • Wyrmspar

X: 4 names

  • Xanthoclase
  • Xenospar
  • Xenotime
  • Xonotlite

Y: 2 names

  • Yselmite
  • Yugawaralite

Z: 14 names

  • Zamorinite
  • Zektzerite
  • Zephyrite
  • Zeunerite
  • Zinc Blende
  • Zinc Bloom
  • Zincite
  • Zinkenite
  • Zinnwaldite
  • Zippeite
  • Zircon
  • Zirconolite
  • Zoisite
  • Zwieselite