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GeneralIs a collection of every mineral species possible?

28th Jan 2022 23:49 UTCLauren Malesky

Hello, this is probably a stupid question but I’ve always wondered if it’s possible to collect every single type of mineral species. According to the most recent update of the IMA list, there’s 5780 valid species of minerals and that’s a ridiculously large number of different minerals to collect but I’ve always wondered if it’s actually possible to have every one.

29th Jan 2022 00:09 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

This is impossible of course. Dozens of minerals are known not only in a single sample or crystal, but in a single microscopic grain. Especially in past time.

For example this probable spinelide of composition Fe²⁺Ce₂O₄ from Mare Crisium. Note micrometer bar size.

29th Jan 2022 00:35 UTCLauren Malesky

Oh wow! I didn’t know that, thanks for answering my question!!

29th Jan 2022 00:44 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

Besides that a lot of unstable minerals exists, which more simple to obtain than to preserve. I am coauthor of novograblenovite, but haven't it - all its crystals on cotype samples dissolved in adhesed from an air water.

29th Jan 2022 01:07 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

As Pavel said, there are too many minerals that exist only as a single specimen, and most of those are kept in scientific institutions and won't ever appear on the market. Only the most advanced systematic species collectors achieve more than 3,000 species, and then there is the additional problem of how many of them are correctly identified - There will inevitably be some wrongly identified things, and in some collections those can be distressingly plentiful!

29th Jan 2022 13:29 UTCHarold Moritz 🌟 Expert

Agree with above comments. But, for some the joy isnt achieving the goal, but pursuing it - in other words, it is the journey - one that does not end. A species collector cannot obtain the ones described above, but also because new ones keep popping up. Think how much you'd learn along the way, though!

29th Jan 2022 14:37 UTCRolf Luetcke Expert

As a lot of systematic collectors have done in the past, at an early stage I also thought of trying to get as many samples of known minerals as possible. After reaching a small goal of 2000 plus on the list I came to a few conclusions, first off, one needs to have a ton of money when attempting even a run at this and secondly, what ended up stopping me was that when I discovered that a number of the rare species I was interested in were only available in tiny spots on a small piece that had been cut to show the things inside. These didn't look like anything when viewed under a microscope and this got me to stop my unattaibable goal I had set and my focus changed to collecting things that actually looked like something under a microscope.

The clincher that changed me was a sheet that came from a rare piece I had really wanted. It was supposed to be a photo of the piece I had purchased and when studying it at home, the photo was not even of the piece I had. Then I realized that those sheets can be run off on a copy machine and may have nothing to do with a specimen one purchased.

But as stated above, not possible to get all known species.

29th Jan 2022 19:23 UTCJamison K. Brizendine 🌟 Expert

In the early versions on Fleischer's Glossary of Mineral Species, the books actually had checklists next to mineral names. Two former club members of ours, Bill and Anne Cook, use to go to the Tucson show with a trusty copy of Fleischer's and would buy rarities for their collection, comparing the new mineral with the one they had in Fleischer's and purchasing it if it was in upgrade (they were as Rolf said, systemic collectors). I always wondered it if it was possible to make a "complete" collection of mineral species using only the first edition of Fleischer's as a guide.

30th Jan 2022 03:18 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

Fleischer's glossary it is good. However, if I believed to any label to the sample that I buy, I would have 4000 minerals in my collection long ago. Any rare mineral (especially rare) needs in checking and confirmation.

A friend of my friend (already long ago) bought a collection of rare minerals from the Cureton's for 10,000 DEM. Then he spent 12,000 DEM more for checking this material. As a result, only about 1/3 of the names were confirmed.

30th Jan 2022 04:29 UTCChristian Auer 🌟 Expert

Made the same experience over and over ...

By the way, how many species loose xx water. So its not enough to ID it once but probably every year or so.

30th Jan 2022 04:09 UTCDoug Daniels

I'm also pretty sure you wouldn't get any samples of those new species identified in the lunar samples returned by the Apollo missions (at least, not legally...).

30th Jan 2022 14:56 UTCHarold Moritz 🌟 Expert

A friend and fellow collector has a systematic collection but of course runs into the same issues described above. We have both laughed at the idea that the rarest minerals can be "collected" by purchasing an empty glass vial - the mineral is so small and rare that it cannot be seen and/or it was all used up during its scientific characterization!

He also collects elements - native and refined - and so has plenty of "empty vials" representing the various very heavy (high atomic #) elements created temporarily in labs!

30th Jan 2022 15:44 UTCAlan Pribula

The late Bob Rothenberg would occasionally say of a specimen of a rare mineral that "This mineral is so rare that it's not even on this specimen." That speaks to the problem that others have mentioned above.

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