The Dobšiná is a small (about 5300 citizens) former mining town in eastern Slovakia. All mines are shut down. But some of the abandoned underground mines turned into awesome aragonite caves in the past decades.
Magnetite is an iron rich mineral from the spinel group. It is the most important industrial source of iron and a natural ferromagnetic substance. Magnetite is common, but it is a very nice and interesting mineral.
Graphite is a very important mineral, although it is not much to look at. It has a lot of uses in the world today, and it may be closer to you than you think! It is a direct opposite of its close relative, diamond.
Munich show is the largest show in the Europe and visited by many international dealers. Many nice worldwide specimens were available as well as many minerals from European collectors. It is also a nice place to meet friends from all over the world.
Brilliant green color makes malachite a very popular and widely-recognized stone. Bright color, aesthetic specimens and reasonable price make this interesting mineral very popular among collectors.
Halite may not be very well-known by its official name, but it is more easily recognized as naturally-occurring salt. This common rock salt can form incredible crystals and even huge salt caves in nature.
Of all sedimentary minerals, calcite is probably the most widespread, contributing a full 2% to the volume of the Earth's crust. It occurs in endless crystal forms with many different colors. With such variety it is not surprising that some collectors specialize on calcite alone.
Agate is a beautiful and very popular gemstone that is widely recognized for its unique and varied colors and banding. It is a type of microcrystalline quartz that is commonly used as an affordable alternative to pricey gemstones in jewelry. It may also be carved into figures or statues, or used in handles for knives.
Chalcopyrite is the most important copper ore, and it is the primary source of many popular secondary copper minerals. It can occur in a variety of environments and forms, from hydrothermal veins to sedimentary layers. Nice chalcopyrite crystals are highly sought after by collectors.
Chalcedony is very variable and versatile stone and occurs in many environments. It was used since prehistoric times for stone tools and became one of the most used gemstones. Despite its abundancy, chalcedony still has some secrets.
Galena, historically also named lead glance, is among the most abundant sulfides. Besides forming aesthetic mineral specimens, galena is the primary lead ore. And galena itself was a first semiconductor ever used.
Mineral frauds and fakes can be found at any mineral show, large or small. This guide to common scam practice is far from complete, but it will help you to avoid being fooled by dishonest dealers.
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