Minerals of the World

Bolton Museum is fortunate to have a collection that features wonderful specimens from across the globe.
While some have been purchased, many were donated by local residents who had visited or worked abroad.

These are just a few examples.

This is a mineral called Crocoite from Mount Dundas, Tasmania, Australia.
It is also known as Red Lead and was mined at Dundas along with Silver.

This shows a green columnar mineral called Tourmaline growing with a colourless mineral called Lepidolite.
This specimen is from Araçuaí in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
The name means “General Mine” and is a reference to the extensive mineral exploration that takes place there. It is a world famous locality.

This is Vivianite, named after the English mineralogist John Vivian.
When it is first excavated it is colourless, but as exposed to the air it colours to blue or green, eventually darkening to deep blues, purples and even black.
This specimen comes from the Jos Plateau in Nigeria.