Micromount Club Zoom Sessions

Early in 2020, when Covid first hit, and the world went into varying degrees of lockdown, I set up a Zoom session for members of the Facebook Micromount Club Group. It was attended by people all around the world and...

Subscribe to Mineral Matters (and Index!)

Mineral Matters is a new regular newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox. News items may include any topic relevant to minerals or related subjects. Recipients can comment or like individual posts. And it is free! You can subscribe to...

The Illustrated Minerals of Australia – Volume 1 – Electronic Edition

Now available here. There are more than 1,500 species recorded in Australia, and this publication aims to illustrate more than half of those. Australia also has 186 Type Locality minerals (and counting). There are 715 full-colour pages in this first volume...

Mimetite – A Collector’s Guide

Mimetite is a popular mineral among collectors, and is a lead arsenate mineral. It is usually found in the oxidised zone of lead ore deposits, and occurs a variety of habits including flat tabular hexagonal crystals, long prismatic hexagonal crystals,...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 6 issue 2…

…is now available here.This month, in this 77 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Illustrated Minerals of Australia Volume 2, Part 5 – Erionite to Evansite. The next installment of a significant undertaking documenting the 1,500 or so...

The Beauty of Corundum – a Look at Sapphire

Many civilizations throughout history have treasured the precious gemstone sapphire. As a matter of fact, Royalty have coveted its deep blue hue making it one of the most sought-after gemstones in the world. It is incredibly scratch resistant and durable...

Rhodochrosite, N'Chwaning Mines, Kuruman, Kalahari manganese field, Northern Cape, South Africa

Rhodochrosite, a Collector’s Guide

Introduction Rhodochrosite is a pink or red mineral with a long history of appreciation by mineral collectors. It is also popular with jewellery artisans. Its unique colour makes it a favourite for many. This blog post will discuss what makes...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 6 no 1

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 6 Issue 1 is now available here. This month, in this 82 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: New and Redefined Minerals, November 2022, and Tucson! Illustrated Minerals of Australia Volume 2, Part 3...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 5 no 12

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 12 is now available here.This month, in this 72 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Minerals and Elements: Aluminium – The next in the series on elements and minerals. This month, we...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 11…

…is now available here. This month, in this 91 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Southwest Mine, Bisbee Arizona. This month, Rolf takes us to an old historic mine very close to the township of Bisbee, Arizona. Minerals...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 10

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 10 is now available here. This month, in this 69 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Locality Snippet – Wheal Remfry, Cornwall. A look at the China Clay industry in Cornwall, and...

2023 Mineral Calendars

2023 Mineral Calendars are now available. This year, they are being produced in two sizes: Ledger size (11″x16.5″) for US and Canada A3 (29.7x42cm) for the rest of the world These calendars contain a selection of my photos that have...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 9…

…is now available here. https://sorrellpublications.com/index.php/2022/09/15/monthly-mineral-chronicles-volume-5-issue-9/ This month, in this 64 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: 2022 Ballarat Gem and Mineral Show Gold on Copper from the Carmen de Andacollo Mine, Chile. Rolf tells us about some interesting...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 8…

…is now available here. This month, in this 88 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: In case you missed it… Locality Snippet – Ma’ale Adumim, Palestine, a locality with some interesting and unique minerals and geology. Mineral Snippet...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 5 issue 7…

…is now available here.  This month, in this 93 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Mineral Snippet – Henmilite. Hardness and the Hardness of Minerals. Do you know the difference between indentation hardness, rebound hardness, and scratch hardness?...

The Platt Mine, Dundas, Tasmania

This video is focussed on the Platt Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, best known for its specimens of crocoite and pyromorphite. It takes me back. I collected underground here at the Platt Mine many many years ago. I was in the pyromorphite...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 5 issue 6…

…is now available here. This month, in this 63 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Locality Snippet – French Guiana. Illustrated Minerals of Australia Volume 1, Part 16 – Clausthalite to Cobaltaustinite. The next installment of a significant...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 5 issue 5…

…is now available here https://sorrellpublications.com/index.php/2022/05/15/monthly-mineral-chronicles-volume-5-issue-5/ This month, in this 67 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Minerals and Elements: Boron – The next in the series on elements and minerals. Boron occurs mainly in borates and borosilicates. Locality...

Micromount Club Zoom Session 22 07

Micromount Club Zoom Session 22 07 – Introduction to WordPress is now available here. I walked through the basics of WordPress and explained how I set up and use my site, pebblecollection.com, for cataloguing minerals. Check out previous videos here.

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 5 issue 4…

…is now available here. This month, in this 70 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Locality Snippet – Bieber, Germany. The Bieber area is the Type Locality for bieberite and rösslerite. Mineral Snippet – Newberyite. James tells us...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 5 issue 3…

…is now available here sorrellpublications.com/index.php/2022/03/15/monthly-mineral-chronicles-volume-5-issue-3 This month, in this 91 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Editorial Sample Mineral Collection – Rolf tells us about the different types of collections he used to make. Minerals and Elements: Lithium...

Gold in Victoria

Gold, n.:“A soft malleable metal relatively scarce in distribution. It is mined deep in the earth by poor men who then give it to rich men who immediately bury it back in the earth in great prisons, although gold hasn’t...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 2…

…is now available here https://sorrellpublications.com/index.php/2022/02/13/monthly-mineral-chronicles-volume-5-issue-2/ This month, in this 81 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Minerals and Elements: Helium. – The next in the series on elements and minerals. A Location Named China Camp near Wickenburg Arizona...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 5 Issue 1…

…is now available here https://sorrellpublications.com/index.php/2022/01/14/monthly-mineral-chronicles-volume-5-issue-1/ This month, in this 85 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Minerals and Elements: Hydrogen – The first of a series on elements and minerals. Washington  Camp – Duquesne, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 4 issue 12…

…is now available here https://sorrellpublications.com/index.php/2021/12/16/monthly-mineral-chronicles-volume-4-issue-12. This month, in this 121 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Editorial The Graulai Quarry in the Volcanic Eifel in Germany. Henk describes recent finds from this prolific micromineral-producing locality in Germany. Mineral...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 4 Issue 11…

…is now available here sorrellpublications.com/index.php/2021/11/12/monthly-mineral-chronicles-volume-4-issue-11. This month, in this 79 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Mineral Snippet – Genthelvite. James tells us everything we need to know about this rare beryllium mineral. Illustrated Minerals of Australia. Volume...

Monthly Mineral Chronicles vol 4 issue 10

Monthly Mineral Chronicles Volume 4 Issue 10 is now available here. This month, in this 80 page full-colour issue we have the following articles: Editorial Scottish Mineral Show. Been missing mineral shows? Dagmara reports on the recently-held Scottish Mineral Show....

Byaduk Caves, Western Victoria

Went out for a drive today to see the Byaduk Caves on the western slope of Mount Napier, western Victoria. Mount Napier is thought to have erupted around 40,000 years ago, so geologically is still young. The volcano is mainly...