The Society of Mineral Museum Professionals

Happy 2022! Did you know that this is the Year of Mineralogy? It's part of the UN’s International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. Minerals are everywhere & we depend on them for almost everything (even fireworks). Come celebrate minerals! #Min2022 #IYBSSD2022

American Mineralogist: Selective adsorption of magnesium ions and structural reconstruction in acidified palygorskite Yi Zhou, et al. doi.org/10.2138/am-202… Shows: sustainable strategies for critical resource recovery (Li/Mg) and weathering system dynamics.

Happy Geologists’ Day!!! Geology is for everyone, especially those who love cool rocks and minerals like this quartz!!! #GeoscienceBluesky #GeologistsDay

American Mineralogist: Microstructural and chemical responses of lunar pyroxene to shock shearing under low-to-moderate shock conditions Jiawei Zhao, et al. doi.org/10.2138/am-202… Shock shearing: plastic deformation, frictional melting, & pigeonite exsolution in augite.

10 years ago, @Astro_Jeremy visited ROM and got up close with some of our collection of lunar meteorites. Wishing you safe travels today, friend! 🚀🌔

Thin Section Thursday! Coronitic and symplectite texture in a cpx-ilm-grt amphibolite from Precambrian basement of Southern Brasilia Orogen, city of Campinas - SP - Brazil. Shown in plane and cross-polarized light. Contributed by Helena Paiva. #thinsectionthursday

Thin Section Thursday! Rapid growth of olivine in an experiment. Features skeletal branching (thicker, higher birefringence) and progressive infilling (lower birefringence domains). Crystal is about 1mm in size. XPL From Thomas Shea, Univ. of Hawai’i #thinsectionthursday

Our exhibition Art in Earth Science opens TODAY! Featuring the work of 16 artists taking inspiration from the geology beneath our feet. Gallery 1, Scot-Art, 151 Ldn Rd, Edinburgh. Open until 18th May

It's day 2 of our three-day EDI Symposium, running from April 9th - 11th! Today's session (11:00am – 12:30pm) will explore the theme: Gender and Queer Representation in Geosciences and Museums. Please do join us if you would like to, using the link below👇 us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regist…

Alpine peaks and salt intrusions – geological windows into deep Earth’s mantle – Jonathan Turner: our next talk, later this week. All welcome, details below. wgcg.co.uk/event/alpine-p…

📸 Connellite from Colvend Connellite is a copper sulphate named for Arthur Connell, professor of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews. Connell was the first person to study this mineral, though it was first found from Cornwall, not Scotland #MineralMonday #ScottishGeology

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Often confused with turquoise, opaque green variscite is also used in jewelry and for other ornamental purposes. This specimen is from Utahlite Hill, near Lucin, Box Elder County, Utah. #utahgeology #stpatricksday

Formed during the Devonian Period (~ 390 million years ago) when Scotland was situated closer to the Equator, Caithness Flagstone has traditionally been used in building, paving, and roofing. Under the microscope, its finely layered structure and low porosity become apparent 💎

Samuel Allport (1816–1897) was an early pioneer of petrological microscopy, and the #Museum holds around 1,500 of his handmade microscope slides; along with his illustrations, photographs, and catalogues! #LapworthRocks #ThinSectionThursday #minerals #geology #geologyrocks

Did you know lightning strikes can be preserved in the geological record? This is fulgurite, a piece of sand that has been turned to glass by lightning! #LapworthRocks #MineralMonday

💜 February’s Birthstone: Amethyst 💜 Did you know that the name amethyst comes from the Greek amethustos, meaning “not drunk”? Ancient Greeks wore it & carved cups from it, believing it prevented intoxication.

📸 Strontianite from Strontian Strontianite was named for the place it was first discovered, and is the Sr analogue of aragonite. DYK the element strontium was isolated from this mineral and is ALSO named for the Scottish village of Strontian? #MineralMonday #ScottishGeology

Blue azurite and green malachite. Both are copper carbonates frequently found together. #MineralMonday #GeoscienceTwitter

企画展「全地球史」行って参りました。結論から言うと、地球科学徒は行くべし。 コマチ川のコマチアイトとか、アカスタ片麻岩とか、全球凍結後のキャップカーボネートとか、最近よく聞くメタモルフィックソールとか、38億年前の縞状鉄鉱層とか、ヤバイものが展示されててヤバい（語彙力

📸 Hemimorphite from Leadhills This hydrated zinc silicate is commonly found as fine crystalline crusts lining cavities in the lead-mining district of Leadhills-Wanlockhead, and forms through the oxidisation of sphalerite. #MineralMonday #ScottishGeology

Interested in starting 2025 with an exciting new role at one of the world's leading geological surveys? We have a variety of vacancies available which close in early January. Find out more: bgs.ac.uk/about-bgs/work…