Light Is the Slowest Way to Lose a Specimen
A dropped specimen breaks in an instant. Light works the other way. It takes months, leaves no sound, and by the time you see the change, the damage is done.
A Specimen Without Its Label Is Just a Rock
Put a quartz in front of ten people and nine will say “quartz.” But which quartz? Origin is what makes a specimen individual, and it lives on the label.
Cornetite — The First Mineral Discovered in the Congo
Rare, small, and one of the deepest blues in the mineral kingdom. A closer look at cornetite, the first mineral ever discovered in the Congo.
The Invisible Risks Every Mineral Collector Should Know
The risks that damage mineral specimens are not always the obvious ones. Shock is just the beginning.
Mineral Collection and Insurance
A collector drops an aquamarine. The insurer asks for photographs. There are none. Two real stories about mineral collection insurance and what documentation actually changes.