I’ve posted excellent new specimens in this Europe Update with many classics, including superb Alpine smoky quartz, pyromorphite from several localities, fluorite, hematite, specimens from the German silver mines and more.

I’ve posted a new update featuring the first of many specimens to come, from the collection of my friend Tracy A. Kimmel. Tracy built an excellent, substantial collection of fine minerals, and I acquired it this year. I have also written a post about Tracy (see Profiles and Tributes), and I really hope you’ll enjoy reading about her – she was a remarkable person.

High in the Andes, Southern Peaks Mining operates one of Peru’s most famous historical mines, the Quiruvilca Mine. Quiruvilca is one of Peru’s most important mineral specimen producing localities. I was invited to go to Quiruvilca, resulting in an adventure that included some amazing time underground to explore the sulfide veins as they were being mined.