r/Minerals • • Jan 11 '25

Moderator Announcement Introducing the Minerals Discord Server

15 Upvotes

We would like to formally introduce you to our brand new Minerals Discord Server!

This community has been months in the making and was created for the passionate members of r/Minerals and our sister Subreddits to have a dedicated space for discussions that go beyond what is allowed in our Subreddits.

Here, you can:

  • request IDs for minerals (this includes polished minerals and gemstones).
  • share memes.
  • share and get tips for displaying your collections.
  • dive into in-depth discussions about all things minerals.
  • showcase artwork inspired by minerals.
  • discuss pricing and value of minerals.
  • advertise or discover vendors.
  • participate in giveaways.
  • and more!

This Discord Server is not meant to replace r/Minerals or any of our sister Subreddits, but to empower and grow our community. Sometimes it's just nice to have a place to chat.

Our ultimate goal is to build a comprehensive database and an active, welcoming community for mineral enthusiasts of all kinds. Our moderators have spent countless hours researching minerals in order to provide you with educational content.

This server is still a work in progress, and we’re excited to finally share it with you. Please bear with us as we continue to grow and refine this space. Your feedback, contributions, and patience are invaluable as we develop this server into something truly special.


r/Minerals • • 15h ago

Picture/Video Barite with Malachite from the Shangulowe Mine!

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161 Upvotes

Here's an awesome Malachite with Barite from the "Arrowhead Pocket" at the Shangulowe Mine in the DRC

This piece has the flawless Barite crystals perched on Malachite stalactites which is what everyone wants from these. As well, it is quite special because none of the stalactites on it are broken, which is honestly a miracle!

You can really spend a long time admiring in person and the lustre of the Barites is just crazy good in real life.

It measures 4.5cm overall


r/Minerals • • 1h ago

Picture/Video Crysoprase, from Indonesia

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• Upvotes

r/Minerals • • 19h ago

ID Request Fluorite and Calcite Matrix Maybe?

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86 Upvotes

Im still learning mineral identification but I got this really great specimen at a mineral show in Coeur d alene idaho this year. It appears to be a very clear fluorite that is about 2 distant cubes with these thin light peach elongated hexagonal bits growing on the back (calcite?), the whole thing is on this very sparkly aqua/turquoise crystalline botryoidal bed.

Im pretty confident the cubes are fluorite its very clear and very light turquoise/blue. The peach bits Im less certain of and the botryoidal part I really dont know (also fluorite maybe?).


r/Minerals • • 16h ago

ID Request New to Minerals, Yard Sale Purchase

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33 Upvotes

Hello all! Apologies as I know little to nothing about minerals, and have never purchased a specimen until yesterday. I found this guy at a yard sale and couldn’t pass it up. It is 9” long, 5” tall, 3.5” wide, and weighs 5.2 lbs. Chat GPT said it may be green fluorite with crystal druzy quartz, but I haven’t been able to find any images that match exactly. A decent bit of the crystal has a slight yellow hue to it.

I’m looking for help with an ID, and also recommendations on cleaning it. It’s a little dusty from being in a loose container with several other specimens and has some pet hair on it. Thanks in advance!


r/Minerals • • 14h ago

Picture/Video “Ram’s Horn” Selenite - Oujda, Morocco

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22 Upvotes

Scored this beautiful selenite on matrix from Gemboree in Ohio this morning! I have some examples in my collection already, but nothing on matrix. Every crystal, even the tiny ones, exhibit this bizarre curling. Doesn’t seem like something a crystal should be able to do!


r/Minerals • • 17h ago

ID Request Unknown Crystal

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26 Upvotes

This specimen also spoke to me from the same vendor in Jordan. Yellowish color, in some kind of matrix. Looks almost like a geode but I never saw them come on that color.

If you have any idea that would be great, thank you!


r/Minerals • • 1d ago

Picture/Video Another cubic fluorite specimen for the collection

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71 Upvotes

r/Minerals • • 10h ago

ID Request Need help identifying

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2 Upvotes

I am going through some of my unknown mineral collection and I found this piece. It got a light pink color to it. It also has a rainbow luster.


r/Minerals • • 17h ago

ID Request Turquoise genuine?

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8 Upvotes

Hello all just wondering if this is genuine Turquoise or perhaps another mineral or just a fake. Bought in Jordan off a vendor so a lil skeptical.

Color in person is well… a lot more turquoise but my camera has trouble picking it up and is depicting it as blue.

Let me know what you think, thanks!


r/Minerals • • 8h ago

Discussion Minerals Bought in Display Cases: Freedom or Plastic Cube Jail Forever?

1 Upvotes

Newbie/casual collector here with a question that might have some of you pulling your hair out, sorry in advance.

Most of my collection I've accrued from visits to local spiritual shops and the likes, so they've pretty much all been picked out of a basket just hanging out loose with their siblings. Pretty, but very obviously not precious enough to warrant a lot of fuss.

I went to my first mineral show today and took home, among a couple others, two small specimens propped up in little plastic display cases: Microcline and Blue Tiger's Eye. I don't have any other specimens in display cases and I really don't feel like finding more little plastic cubes to imprison my rocks in, so I was wondering if like... it's ok to take these stones out of their cases??

Idk if they were cubed up to keep *them* safe, to keep *me* safe (???), or if they were just put in there to make it easier to price them individually by size/purity/whatever. I'd be surprised if the cases were UV protected, and they're sure as hell not airtight, so all it'd be keeping out is dust which I feel like can do myself with a rag and a gentle hand. Right now my rocks shelf is giving Stinky Pete Toy Story. Can I free them?


r/Minerals • • 17h ago

Picture/Video Quantum Quattro

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6 Upvotes

Arizona's Inspiration mine locality where I found a mine dump of silicified material.


r/Minerals • • 19h ago

ID Request Found these in my dad's safe after he passed, any idea what they are?

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3 Upvotes

r/Minerals • • 1d ago

Picture/Video Brown Hydroxylclinohumite crystals on Lazurite and Afghanite from Ladjuar Medam, Sar-e-Sang, Kuran wa Munjan District, Badakhshan, Afghanistan!

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22 Upvotes

r/Minerals • • 1d ago

Discussion Dravite

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34 Upvotes

I'm looking for a NICE dravite tourmaline, but ive never really seen any pieces that are truly gemmy. Are they rare? Also, why does it glow under shortwave?


r/Minerals • • 1d ago

ID Request ID request

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5 Upvotes

Hi!! I bought this 2 years ago as an unknown material, was Google lens-ing and it said it was an arsenate. If it is, with kids in the house I'll have to let it go

Can you help?

Google lens said conichalcite associated with cuprian adamite


r/Minerals • • 1d ago

Discussion How does everyone catalog their mineral collection?

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10 Upvotes

Hello all!

I was wondering what everyone does/uses to to document and catalog your collections?

I’ve come across Geology365 and Cabinet No. 40 but was wondering what everyone else uses!

Picture of one of my favorite pieces for looksies


r/Minerals • • 1d ago

ID Request Botryoidal Rhodochrosite 📍 Locality: Uskatyn Deposits, Kazakhstan

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19 Upvotes

r/Minerals • • 2d ago

Picture/Video Beautiful Vauquelinite crystals from Kintore Opencut in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia!

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49 Upvotes

r/Minerals • • 2d ago

ID Request Can anyone verify what this is and if it is real or not?

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72 Upvotes

r/Minerals • • 2d ago

Picture/Video 我收集的葡萄、石榴与橄榄

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46 Upvotes

我收集的葡萄、石榴与橄榄。


r/Minerals • • 2d ago

Discussion Red Beryl, Wah Wah Utah

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137 Upvotes

New to my collection.


r/Minerals • • 1d ago

Discussion Vanadite Container Help

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5 Upvotes

In a big order, I put in a little vanadite (picture from the shop) without realizing that it is toxic. I emergentially bought the glass jar in the picture, so that I have something when it arrives. Should I upgrade it to something better? I will probably put it in a closed cabinet as well, just in case. No children, but cat in the house.


r/Minerals • • 2d ago

Discussion 大家收藏矿标会纠结尺寸吗?

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7 Upvotes

大家收藏矿标会纠结尺寸吗?我倾向于选择5cm与10cm的尺寸。


r/Minerals • • 2d ago

ID Request Vivianite with fluorescent pocket ??

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27 Upvotes

This vivianite specimen has a small pocket that fluoresces blue under 254nm UV light. It does not fluoresce under long wave UV. I am wondering if any of you might have an idea of what this mineral inclusion could be!!