I’ve added great new specimens in a new update of pieces from the Steve Szilard Collection. Steve is a well-known and highly respected Canadian mineral collector and this update includes fine mineral specimens from all over the world.

The Rochester Mineralogical Symposium is one of the best mineral events of the year. Here’s my report from RMS 2019, with lots of great mineral photos.

I’ve posted a small number of excellent pyrite iron cross twins from Colombia in this update.

I’ve added excellent specimens from two great Peruvian localities in this Peru Update – tennantite specimens from Mundo Nuevo and pyrite specimens from Huanzala.

The Tucson Gem and Mineral show was great this year! This report includes photos of mineral specimens from many new finds.

I’ve posted some beautiful new specimens in this Morocco Update, includingazurite from Kerrochen and Bou Beker, vanadinite from Taouz, pyrite-coated fluorite from El Hammam, purple fluorite from Tounfit, twinned cerussite from Mibladen and quartz on siderite from Gourrama.

I’ve added some great new French specimens in this France Update. Several are recently-collected from the Mésage Mine, Saint-Pierre-de-Mésage, Isère, France, along with a bournonite from Saint-Laurent-le-Minier and a gem-clear calcite from Pau, Aquitane.

Every summer, for a few days, the quiet town of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines transforms into a bustling mineral and gem extravaganza. This is the most beautiful major mineral show setting, and attending is a great experience. This year’s show included some excellent minerals, including some great new finds.

I’ve added a group of diverse minerals in this Peru Update. I have selected these out over various trips – each is a beautiful specimen for the mineral! This update includes a gorgeous rhodonite from Chiurucu, a brilliant alabandite, a super specimen of bournonite cogwheel twins on matrix, a specimen of scheelite coated with bright green stolzite, fluorescent fluorapatites and more.

I’ve added an Egypt Update, featuring excellent new goethite pseudomorphs after marcasite crystals from the White Desert, north of Farafra Oasis, Egypt.

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.

We have all had that moment when looking at a pyrite from Navajún, Spain: “No way are those cubes natural!” Well, if you’d like to adventure to the remarkable place where they do in fact come out of the ground, this post will take you to this beautiful region of Spain, and to the Victoria Mine.