> Which is the heaviest of the minerals? And the lightest?

Great question dubdub!

I don't know if it's THE lightest (or, more correctly, that with the lowest specific gravity) but Evenkite would have to be right in there with a chance. It's SG of 0.87 (ie 0.87 grams per cubic centimetre) puts it in a class of its own in comparison to its nearest competitor (that I'm aware of) Sassolite (SG 1.45).

Evenkite is a rare mineral found only in the drainage area of the Tunguska River (former USSR) and at a couple of places in Czechoslovakia. It's a mixture of carbon and hydrogen (formula C24H50).

Mercury (the only liquid mineral at standard temperature and pressure) has the highest SG. At 13.6, it is also in a class of its own, the nearest competitor (Hessite - a silver telluride) has an SG of 8.4.

stales