Articles by Year

Here you can find all articles grouped by year

2024

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Mineral Photography For Beginners

Matthew Parshchikov

In this article on mineral photography, beginners will learn how to capture stunning photos of minerals using their smartphones. Simple techniques for proper lighting, background selection, and...
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Historical Amethyst Discovery At The Saurüssel

Martin Grüll

It is not only one of the most important amethyst finds in the Alps, but also an inspiring story: despite adverse weather conditions, Erika and Rudolf Planitzer made a find of the century and...
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Pala District: The Pegmatites of the Chief Mountain and Their Minerals

Mark Mauthner

The Pala District in California is home to rich pegmatite deposits that have produced some of the most beautiful gemstones in North America. Particularly noteworthy are the spectacular kunzite...
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Wolf Mine: A Famous Locality For Rhodochrosite

Markus Henrich, Matthias Reinhardt

The Wolf mine in Siegerland in Germany has had a long and eventful history. Although the Siegerland region is known for its iron mining, the Wolf mine stands out in particular for its colorful...
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The Long Life until Stability – Measuring Radioactive Quantities

Rudolf Geipel

About radioactive decay, half-life and interesting methods to make the invisible radiation visible.
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Methods of Field Collecting Radioactive Minerals

Sean Price

The search for radioactive minerals is an exciting activity that requires special equipment and expertise.
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Mückeit – a rare Mineral from the Siegerland in Germany

Matthias Reinhardt

The rare copper-nickel-bismuth sulphide mückeit was first discovered in the Grüne Au mine in Siegerland, Germany. An outline of the special discovery site and the history of the unique find.
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Goethe loved Minerals from the Zillertal in Austria

Walter Ungerank

It has long been known that the world-famous poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a passionate mineral collector. New research has now revealed that he was also interested in the minerals of the Zillertal.
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The Great Apatite Cleft at Finagl Mountain

Erwin Burgsteiner

In the summer of 1994, Erwin Burgsteiner discovered an intersting cleft with many excellent pericline-adular sphene and apatite specimens at the Großer Finagl in the Untersulzbachtal in Austria.
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Colours of the Earth in cultural epochs and modern ecological trends

Michael Götzinger

A survey of mineral pigments is given along with their availability, occurrences and uses from prehistoric times up to current ecological trends.
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A World-Famous Discovery Site: Epidotes of the Knappenwand

Erwin Burgsteiner

The Knappenwand in the Untersulzbachtal in Salzburg has been a world-famous site for minerals like epidote for over a hundred years. Over the years, many different leaseholder have tried their...
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Mineralogy simply explained: Galena from Wölsendorf

Paul Gruber

A glittering, strikingly colored or strangely shaped stone, found in nature, given as a gift or bought cheaply, is sometimes a reason to want to know more about this part of nature. The...
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The Gold of Monte Rosa and Its History

Michael Wachtler

Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, one of the most important gold finds of the 21st century was made in the Alpine region. About a treasure hunt where the truth prevailed in the end.