If you go through a list of minerals commonly used by a variety of businesses, you will find minerals can amount to a substantial cost. If you need minerals to make jewelry or other products, it's crucial to find the right mineral producers to fit your supply needs and budget.

Whether you are looking for common minerals or rare minerals to work with, you can find mineral resources from a variety of producers. In order to find the right mineral resource for your needs, you will want to consider the following:

1. What minerals a supplier produces.

2. The process a supplier uses for identifying the minerals it sells.

3. The quality of the product a mineral producer provides.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find suppliers that offer the specific minerals you need

If you want to find specific minerals, it's a good idea to look for suppliers that specialize in providing you with the specific minerals you need. While most companies offer a variety of minerals, getting your specific mineral may be difficult depending on what amount you need. This is why wholesalers are almost always your best option.

I recommend: Wholesale Minerals and Zee's Minerals are two companies that can supply you with the minerals you need, and in the volume you need, without problems.

Buy from a qualified mineral resource

When you need buy minerals, buy from a qualified distributor of minerals. This way, you can guarantee that your purchase is the mineral you ordered. Some less-than-scrupulous companies may try to trick you, especially if you are not skilled in telling minerals apart. It's best to have an expert on hand to help you determine that your order is correct, especially for large orders when you're using a mineral resource for the first time.

I recommend: Toprock Gemstones and Minerals is a good place to look for the minerals you need. You can also find a wide selection of minerals at Pikes Peak Rock Shop.

Explore rare minerals suppliers for specific needs

Sometimes, rare minerals can be hard to find through regular dealers. Instead of wasting time trying to find a dealer that can locate rare minerals, work directly with rare mineral suppliers that can get you the best rare minerals available.

I recommend: You can find specimens of many rare minerals at the Minerological Research Company and Mineral-n-More. These companies offer a variety of rare minerals such as cinnabar, lodolite and zeolite.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're not sure you received the correct mineral, it would be a good idea to hire a qualified geologist to make sure you received the mineral you needed. For large orders, it might be wise to request a sample you can test in advance before you put any money down.