The vibrant colors in a fireworks display are made possible by various rocks and minerals.
There would be no fireworks without rocks and minerals. An aerial fireworks burst is produced by launching a fireworks shell high into the air, where an explosion occurs. This explosion propels brightly burning particles (known as «stars») in many directions. Each streak of light in the firework is a burning «star» flying through the air. Coal and saltpeter (potassium-nitrate) are used to create gunpowder, the fuel that allows the stars in the firework to burn. Nitratine, a highly reactive mineral, is the natural form of sodium-nitrate and serves as an oxidizer for fireworks. Oxidizers are added to produce oxygen to support the fuel’s combustion. The vibrant colors in a firework don’t come directly from the burning fuel, but metal minerals that are deliberately added in very small amounts to the mix. As the fuel burns, the metal atoms in the crystal structure absorb energy, become excited, and emit a specific color of light. The element barium will produce green light. Barium is obtained chiefly from the mineral barite consisting of barium-sulfate. The baryte group also includes celestite, or strontium-sulfate, used to produced purple fireworks. The elements strontium and lithium will produce red light.
