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Improving Mindat.orgUnknown or poorly described minerals from known localities

24th Oct 2015 00:07 UTCHenry Barwood

I would like to see a place for images and descriptions of minerals that are either poorly characterized or are an unidentified mineral from a KNOWN locality. For instance, I have lots of "unknowns" from the Arkansas syenites. It is impossible for me to post an image of them because there is no provision for unknown in the list of minerals present in the image. Purists argue that such would be inappropriate, but I suggest that these images would represent material from those locations that needs additional work and it would alert collectors to be on the lookout for such specimens.

24th Oct 2015 00:37 UTCDavid Von Bargen Manager

Photos can be posted under "Other Photos" - "Unidentified Mineral"

Also we have a lot of Unknown minerals in the mineral database. These normally require some work, especially chemical analysis, before things can be added to the mineral database.

24th Oct 2015 21:43 UTCHenry Barwood

Just posted a photo of bastnaesite from the 3M Quarry that contains an unknown. Could not enter "unknown" in the list of minerals on the specimen.

24th Oct 2015 23:11 UTCJolyon Ralph Founder

There is a need for such a system in mindat.

25th Oct 2015 15:09 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager

"Could not enter "unknown" in the list of minerals on the specimen."

- If the chemistry or other distinctive properties are known and the phase is a unique, unnamed mineral, it can be added to the database as "Unnamed (Element A - element A ...)", e.g., "Unnamed (Bi-Al Carbonate)".

- If not , then best just describe in the photo caption.

26th Oct 2015 14:48 UTCMatt Courville

I have come across this issue many times being new to collecting, and not having enough experience at times to identify a mineral collected in the field.

I found the best way to deal with this is to identify a 'known' and common mineral, which is very often attached to the 'unknown'. Then I write a photo caption explaining my best educated guess, with at times help from the messageboard. If other unknowns which are not worth spending the money on for analysis, would have a specific area to post, this would be great as well.

26th Oct 2015 16:01 UTCHenry Barwood

I have also resorted to describing a mineral on the specimen and then adding the unknown in the comments. That sort of defeats the purpose though because someone searching for unknowns from a specific locality is not going to see the specimen, and someone searching for, say, feldspar is going to be confused!

26th Oct 2015 16:33 UTCMatt Courville

I agree Henry. My general habit is to search photos from the entire locality to spot any unknowns - but it could be very time consuming depending on the site. I also feel like many people will miss what I have possibly found in my photos. Hopefully someone wouldn't post an unknown mineral with a common one as the 'only' photo at a site, and hopefully people will take the time to read the captions.

26th Oct 2015 18:49 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager

As David wrote, photos of unknowns can be posted under "Other Photos" - "Unidentified Mineral".

People interested in specific localities and their unknowns will check all photos anyway.

So I don't see any problem.

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