I’ve added new specimens in this new Worldwide Update, including specimens from the Pete Richards collection and the Steve Szilard collection. I hope you enjoy them!

I’ve posted new worldwide mineral specimens from the Gerald Panneton collection. This update features spectacular pieces, some of which are right up with the best I’ve offered on the website.

I’ve posted a small number of excellent new specimens in this Pakistan-Afghanistan Update. This group includes colourful brucites from Killa Saifullah, a superb matrix diopside from Sar-e Sang, twinned titanite from Alchuri, topaz from Shigar, and one of my favourite zircon specimens, from Astor Valley.

There is a great new book out, Crystal Mountains – Minerals of the Cairngorms, by Roy Starkey. This post offers a glimpse (including photos by the author) and a few thoughts about this fine work.

After a long, harsh northern winter, most people in this part of the world look to the arrival of the red-winged blackbirds and robins, buds and flowers to mark the arrival of spring. But let’s be honest, spring only truly arrives with “Rochester” (the annual Rochester Mineralogical Symposium). Rochester is for people who love minerals and mineral collecting – if you’d like to see more about this year’s symposium (including photographs from the presenters), I hope you’ll enjoy this post.