Second Geeses

Page from fox in socks by dr seuss. Drawing of weird little four legged bugs with faces. Text reads: What do you know about tweetle beetles? Well When tweetle beetles fight, it's called a tweetle beetle battle.

michael?
peter.

Have minerals you want to see run in #MinCup26? The nomination form is open! www.mineralcup.org/nominations

I also really loved this #Geothite.

#MinCup25SideQuest

A large, shiny, bubbly, blue Smithsonite

I am stoked that #Kyanite won #MinCup25!

I also got to see so many cool minerals at the Smithsonian that weren't a part of the bracket this year. #Smithsonite maybe takes the cake and I hope to vote for it next year!

#MinCup25SideQuest

Vote in 2025 Final Match — Mineral Cup Click here to vote in Kyanite vs Tugtupite Photo credits: John Sobolewski and Parent Géry

#MinCup25 Final: After a month of learning and laughter, we’re at the final match to determine the 2025 Mineral Cup Champion! We have blue blades of #kyanite up against optical magician #tugtupite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r5...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

#TeamPoison needs your vote!

"Copper-rich #dioptase dust is toxic, leading to vomiting and liver or kidney damage if accidentally ingested."

#MinCup25

Go vote #Tugtupite!!!

Team hematite! Because sometimes it forms an ominous orb. Hematite is well known for its botryoidal (lumpy, grape-like) habit #minerals #MinCup25

I don't boil them first when I pan fry and they come out golden brown and delicious!!

10 samples of radioactive minerals on public display. They range in color from brown to greenish to bright yellow.

Either #mannardite has no votes or the results are glitchy :(

I don't have either #cuprosklodowskite or mannardite, but I do have the #radioactive minerals display from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History!

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

5 pieces of kyanite, the one on the left is tall and rough. The other four are much smaller and cut into rectangular gems.

The Smithsonian has a bunch of #kyanite! A lot of it is cut like gems but there is also this cool tall piece.

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

Vote in Round 2 Match 7 — Mineral Cup Click here to vote in Kyanite vs Taenite Photo credits: Harold Moritz

#MinCup25 Round 2 Match 7: It's high-pressure #kyanite against deep-space #taenite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

The lights are turned off and a UV light illuminates neon green and oranges in a collection of florescent minerals

With the lights on, this display looks like a basic collection of grey and brown rocks.

For #carpathite vs #tugtupite I don't have photos exactly but I want to share the florescents display!

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

Vote in Round 2 Match 4 — Mineral Cup Click here to vote in Carpathite vs Tugtupite Photo credits: Michael Roarke

#MinCup Round 2 Match 4:
It’s a battle of mineralogical oddities as organic mineral #Carpathite battles against vs #Tugtupite, a mineral that looks like reindeer blood!

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...

Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

White flaky-looking layers at odd angles with dark specks throughout

I promised a closer look at this #baryte if it moved on to Round Two and I keep my promises to this self-imposed side quest.

I would love to hear how professionals would describe the flaky layers and speckling. I'm sure "halva" isn't the right comparison?

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

Vote in Round 2 Match 3 — Mineral Cup Click here to vote in Baryte vs Hematite Photo credits:

#MinCup25 Round 2 Match 3: It's a heavyweight match between industrial powerhouses as soft #baryte competes against rusty red #hematite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Two samples of stibnite, on the left is taller with dark grey/black columns and on the right is shorter, covering a brown rock like a bed of moss.

How is #stibnite losing???

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

Vote in Round 2 Match 2 — Mineral Cup Click here to vote in Stibnite vs Perovskite Photo credits: Gianandrea Ghirri and Enrico Bonacina

#MinCup25 Round 2 Match 2: It's all about how minerals interact with humans as dramatic #stibnite faces off against futuristic #perovskite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Thank you! Still feeling well enough to pun, so that's a good sign!

A very neat gray rock with the middle kinda hollowed out and crystals growing inside!

Mental health is still rocky but improving. I haven't yet been back to the museum, but! I found #haüyne a couple of days after its first match and grabbed a photo.

Round TWO!!

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

#MinCup25 Round 2 Match 1: It's a pair of striking blue beauties as #pectolite the uncrushable faces off against #hauyne, the phoenix from volcanic ashes!

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

A small 3.7 carat, blue gem cut kyanite.

Also the world's smallest(?) kyanite. There are more of these too, so whichever moves on will get brand-new photos for Round 2.

I'm not gonna post over the weekend, I hope everyone has a great one.

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

A large gem cut, light blue sparkling topaz. 146.4 carats.

Posting Round 1 Match 13 early because I need to spend time away from social media, but these are REALLY good ones!

So much #Topaz! There is so much topaz and I'm a sucker for gems.

#MinCup25
#MinCup25SideQuest

A white rock with some darker pointy crystals near the top center. The sign includes the name Zuynite, the chemical formula and "Electric Meatball mine, Quartzite, Arizona"

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 12

Just #zunyite today! I think this is the best mine name I've seen yet.

Someone tell me if I should look again for #molybdenite but I don't think it's on display.

#MinCup25SideQuest

Vote in Round 1 Match 12 — Mineral Cup Click here to vote in Zunyite vs Molybdenite Photo credit: Smithsonian Institution

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 12: It's the visually-unmistakable #zunyite vs the physically funky #molybdenite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Team #titanite today even though thortveitite seems like a good mineral. Titanite has a cute and identifiable shape in thin section and its name tells us right away it has titanium in it. Though I admit that its old name of sphene is more fun to say. #MinCup25

A small club shaped rock. That seems like an inelegant way to describe it but it's the best I can do.

After finding #titanite I thought my luck was going to run out, but #thortvietite was waiting in a display near the back of the gallery.

#MinCup25
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Yellow-ish gems of varying sizes are mounted and arranged in a circle

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 11

I was so stinking excited to find BOTH of today's minerals at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

#titanite is displayed in this gorgeous circle of cut stones (and there's more if it moves on!)

#MinCup25SideQuest

Vote in Round 1 Match 11 — Mineral Cup Click here to vote in Titanite vs Thortveitite Photo credit: Smithsonian Institution

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 11: It's a pair of T-minerals with as versatile #Titanite faces off against the home of rare earth elements #Thortveitite.

VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...

Check results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

This piece of wavellite has a seam running horizontally with some round crystals protruding off the face. In the face around the spheres, there are rays.

And #MinCup25 Round 1 Match 10, #wavellite

I am loving the habit of the crystals in this, looking like rays coming out of a star!

#MinCup25SideQuest