Mineralogy is the study of minerals. Study mineralogy, a mineralogy collection, the mineralogy of the rock.
It is about the crystals themselves rather than the rocks they build, which is what separates it from geology. Identification traditionally runs on hardness, streak and crystal form before any instrument is used.
1nounmineralogyThe study of minerals.
“Her interest in mineralogy began with a box of crystals she was given as a child.”
mineralogy is a study.
New Latin mineralogia comes from mineral plus Greek logia, an account.
Latin
-logia — study
Medieval Latin
minera — mineral
New Latin
minerālogia
English, today
mineralogy
From New Latin minerālogia, from Medieval Latin minera (“mineral”) + Latin -logia (“study”). by surface analysis, mineral + -logy.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA