This website is dedicated to creating a centralized database of specimen-producing mineral localities around the
world.
| This website is NOT intended to serve as a field guide to mineral collecting
sites. The listing of a locality here DOES NOT convey to users of this website
permission to collect at that locality. In fact, MOST of the sites listed here are
NOT accessible to collecting, either by closure, reclamation, posting, or active
mining. |
CONVENTIONS USED ON THIS WEBSITE
- Every effort has been made to make certain that mineral names conform to IMA nomenclature, or at least
to the most recent edition of Fleischer's "Glossary of Mineral Species". Some errors have inevitably
slipped past the webmaster (usually when its after 2 a.m.); it would be appreciated if you report 'em when
you find 'em.
- Inadequately characterized minerals are in quotation marks. As an example, many of the older write-ups of
mineral localities were done long before the differences between hydroxyl-apatite, fluor-apatite and
carbonate-apatite were fully appreciated, and commonly the existing (old) chemical data is not adequate to
make the call on which species is/are present. Therefore, "apatite group mineral," "amphibole group
mineral", or "tourmaline group mineral" is about as accurate as is humanly possible. If anyone has any
newer, more accurate data based on modern analyses, please share it!
- Uncertain or questionable observations are followed by a question mark in parentheses. Not infrequently,
mines produce one-time finds of minerals which are never seen to occur there again; just because a modern
survey team failed to observe the species doesn't mean it was never there. Equally, modern analytical
techniques have invalidated identifications made by many geologists working a hundred years ago
(mineralogy's toybox has grown considerably in the past fifty years).
- Applicable type locality data is noted where known.
- When a mineral species has previously been reported from a locality, but has subsequently been identified
as a different species, the change has been noted as follows: "siderite" = rhodochrosite. The same
convention is used for reports of obsolete (discredited) species and "local" mineral names. While such
names are generally best forgotten, for the sake of clarity and the convenience of users the modern
equivalent is provided.
- The secondary chemical compounds derived from the weathering or other chemical alteration of industrial
slags are, for all intents and purposes, man-made compounds. The IMA has announced that no new mineral
species will be approved from slags. Notwithstanding, the considerable interest by collectors in slag
"not-minerals" (such as the fascinating "not-minerals" of the ancient slags of Laurion, Greece) has
resulted in the decision to incorporate information on secondary slag compounds into this site. Every effort
will be made to differentiate minerals from "not-minerals" by labelling such webpages with the words SLAG
MINERALS just above the list of not-species.
- Void where prohibited by law. Batteries not included. Mileage may vary.
While this website is not a "guide to field collecting", accurate locality information is vital. Considerable effort
has been exerted to make certain that each entry contains the name of the locality, as well as synonyms by which
the locality is known; the municipality (or nearest "population center" such as village, town or city); county; state
or province; and country. It is also hoped that this feature will help collectors in their labeling of specimens. Please
notify the webmaster of any inaccuracies found.
E-mail the Webmaster
[email protected]
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