USA 1974, America's Mineral Heritage 10 Cent Stamps

USA stamp 1974

Mineral Heritage - 10 cents

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Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral with chemical composition MnCO3. In its (rare) pure form, it is typically a rose-red color, but impure specimens can be shades of pink to pale brown.
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Tourmaline is a crystal boron silicate mineral compounded with elements such as aluminium, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium. It is classified as a semi-precious stone and the gemstone comes in a wide variety of colors.
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Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz often used in jewelry. The ancient Greeks and Romans wore amethyst and made drinking vessels of it in the belief that it would prevent intoxication.  Amethyst is the traditional birthstone for February.
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Petrified wood (from the Greek root petro meaning "rock" or "stone"; literally "wood turned into stone") is the name given to a special type of fossilized remains from plants that grew on land. It is the result of a tree or tree-like plants having completely transitioned to stone by the process of permineralization. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the stem tissue.
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America’s Mineral Heritage Stamps:

The 1974 “Mineral Heritage” was issued to commemorate the importance and abundance of mineral resources to the country.  The four stamps  included: petrified wood, tourmaline, amethyst, and rhodochrosite.