Rocks & Minerals

Bolton Museum has a good representative collection of British minerals, supplemented by specimens from all over the world, acquired through more than 100 years of collecting.
The collections contain native metals, ores, stalagmites, stalactites, crystals and gemstones representing several hundred mineral species.
Although the Bolton region is not noted for its mineralogical wealth, there are good examples of the minerals that can be found.

The museum also has a collection of rock samples, with a particular focus on building stones.
The collection provides an invaluable reference to the igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that shape our landscape.
Samples of most of the building stones that can be seen around Bolton have been collected and are used as a resource for schools.

Mineral Mining

Most of Bolton’s mineral collections come from mine-workings in the north of England. Today, minerals may be mined purely for their aesthetic value. But originally, most minerals were mined for the resources they could provide.

Building Stones

The museum has a good collection of building stone samples, many of which were donated by stonefitters working on buildings in the town centre. As a result, the collection illustrates the rock-types that can be seen around Bolton.

Northern Minerals

The mines of the North of England are renowned for their wealth of exceptional minerals.

Minerals of the World

Bolton Museum is fortunate to have a collection that features wonderful specimens from across the globe.

Desert Rose

Desert Roses usually form in arid conditions (such as deserts, hence the name) when the mineral precipitates from the groundwater, with sandy inclusions giving the distinctive texture.