This final posting of items the Smithsonian gem and mineral collection features phosphates, molybdates, and silicates in the collection.
Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up.
![Two Fluorapatite Crystals with Quartz from Panasqueira, Portugal](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-phosphates-molybdates-silicates-s-01.jpg)
Two
Fluorapatite Crystals with
Quartz from Panasqueira, Portugal
Wulfenite with
Mimetite from Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
![Sparkling Wulfenite Crystal Cluster from Tsumeb, Namibia](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-phosphates-molybdates-silicates-s-03.jpg)
Sparkling
Wulfenite Crystal Cluster from Tsumeb, Namibia
![Giant Apatite Crystals with Calcite from Otter Lake, Quebec, Canada](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-phosphates-molybdates-silicates-s-04.jpg)
Giant
Apatite Crystals with
Calcite from Otter Lake, Quebec, Canada
Turquoise Vein from Los Cerillos, New Mexico
![Crystallized Turquoise from Lynch Station, Virginia](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-phosphates-molybdates-silicates-s-06.jpg)
Crystallized
Turquoise from Lynch Station, Virginia
Inesite with
Apophyllite from Broken Hill, NSW, Australia
![Pink Zoisite Spray from Spruce Pine, North Carolina](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-phosphates-molybdates-silicates-s-08.jpg)
Pink
Zoisite Spray from Spruce Pine, North Carolina
Chondrodite with
Chlorite from the Tilly Foster Mine, Brewster, New York
Meionite with
Diopside from La Pachita Mine, Ayoquezezco, Oxaca, Mexico
Rhodonite with
Calcite and
Franklinite from Franklin, New Jersey
Continuing our picture gallery of minerals and gemstones in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History collection, this post features some exceptional carbonate minerals on display in the museum.
Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up.
![Large Calcite Crystal on Calcite from Shullsberg, Wisconsin](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-01.jpg)
Large
Calcite Crystal on Calcite from Shullsberg, Wisconsin
Calcite with Duftite Inclusions, Resulting in Green Color, From Tsumeb, Namibia
![Pink Manganoan Calcite from the Idarado Mine, Ouray, Colorado, Namibia](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-03.jpg)
Manganoan
Calcite from the Idarado Mine, Ouray, Colorado, Namibia
![Brown Calcite with Goethite Inclusions from Santa Eulalia, Chihuahhua, Mexico](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-04.jpg)
Brown
Calcite with
Goethite Inclusions from Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico
![Large Calcite Scalenohedron from Joplin, Missouri](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-05.jpg)
Large
Calcite Scalenohedron from Joplin, Missouri
![Deep Red Rhodochrosite from N'Chwaning Mine, Hotazel, South Africa](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-06.jpg)
Deep Red
Rhodochrosite from N'Chwaning Mine, Hotazel, South Africa
![Large Concentric Rhodochrosite Slab from Catamarca, Argentina](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-07.jpg)
Large
Concentric Rhodochrosite Slab from Catamarca, Argentina
![Huge botryoidal Malachite Blob from Shaba, D.R. Congo](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-08.jpg)
Huge
botryoidal Malachite Blob from Shaba, D.R. Congo
Smithsonite Stalagmites from Tsumeb, Namibia
![Nest-Shaped Malachite Formation from the Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Arizona](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-10.jpg)
Nest-Shaped
Malachite Formation from the Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Arizona
![Prismatic Azurite Crystal from the Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Arizona](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-11.jpg)
Prismatic
Azurite Crystal from the Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Arizona
![Giant Calcite Crystal Cluster from the Woodchuck Mine, Cardin, Oklahoma](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-carbonates-s-12.jpg)
Giant
Calcite Crystal Cluster from the Woodchuck Mine, Cardin, Oklahoma
When we made our visit to the Smithsonian gem and mineral hall, we took hundreds of photos. After going through all of them, there are over 60 we felt worthwhile to post. Instead of making one long post with all of them, we divided then into several posts of related items. We had to think of a common grouping method, so we chose to separate the posts by mineral type classification. This post shows some of the oxides, sulfides, and halides in the Smithsonian collection.
Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up.
![Cubic Halite with Calcite from Eisleben, Thuringen, Germany](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-oxides-sulfides-haldites-s-01.jpg)
Cubic
Halite with
Calcite from Eisleben, Thuringen, Germany
Magnetite Octahedrons in Matrix from Binnantal, Valais, Switzerland
![Green Fluorite Crystal and Cut Gems from Westmoreland, New Hampshire](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-oxides-sulfides-haldites-s-03.jpg)
Green
Fluorite Crystal and Cut Gems from Westmoreland, New Hampshire
![Cumengite Crystal from the Santa Rosalia MIne, Boleo, Mexico](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-oxides-sulfides-haldites-s-04.jpg)
Cumengite Crystal from the Santa Rosalia Mine, Boleo, Mexico
![Etched Purple Fluorite Cubes from the Spar Mountain Mine, Cave in Rock, Illinois](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-oxides-sulfides-haldites-s-05.jpg)
Etched Purple
Fluorite Cubes from the Spar Mountain Mine, Cave in Rock, Illinois
Cuprite with
Malachite Coating from the Onganja Mine, Seeis, Namibia
Quartz with
Rutile Inclusions from Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
![Skull-Shaped Marcasite from Montreal, Wisconsin](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-oxides-sulfides-haldites-s-08.jpg)
Skull-Shaped
Marcasite from Montreal, Wisconsin
![Manganese Oxide Dendritic Crystal Growths in Matrix from Solnhofen, Bayern, Germany](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-oxides-sulfides-haldites-s-09.jpg)
Manganese Oxide
Dendritic Crystal Growths in Matrix from Solnhofen, Bayern, Germany
![Complex Pyrite Crystal in Calcite from Franklin, New Jersey](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-oxides-sulfides-haldites-s-10.jpg)
Complex
Pyrite Crystal in Calcite from Franklin, New Jersey
Zincite Crystals and Cut Gems from Franklin, New Jersey
Molybdenite Crystal in Matrix from Chelan, Washington
Our next post on the Smithsonian Natural History Museum gem and mineral collection features some of the exhibit cases that showcase minerals in the Smithsonian collection. There are many different types of exhibit cases in the museum, and they are are grouped by themes such as mineral type, mineral group, or locality. Our selection is by no means a full representation of all the exhibit cases; there are many more than those shown here. Our selection is just some of the more photogenic cases where our pictures came out well.
Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up.
Wulfenite Exhibit Case
Calcite Exhibit Case
Corundum Exhibit Case
Beryl Exhibit Case
Fluorite Exhibit Case
Zeolite Minerals Exhibit Case
![Misc Exhibit Case](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-cases-s-07.jpg)
Misc Exhibit Case. I am not sure what the theme for this case is.
Gypsum Exhibit Case
![Crystal Twins and Other Interesting Crystal Habits](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-cases-s-09.jpg)
Crystal Twins and Other Interesting Crystal Habits
Tourmaline Exhibit Case
Topaz Exhibit Case
![Minerals from Bisbee, Arizona](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-mineral-cases-s-12.jpg)
Minerals from Bisbee, Arizona
The Smithsonian gem and mineral collection contains an amazing array of Gold, Silver, and rare metal compounds. Many of the Gold and Silver specimens are among the finest for their localities, and there are also many examples from unusual localities. While not all the minerals show here are composed of precious metals, they are still rare and unusual examples of metallic compounds, especially sulfosalts.
Click the pictures below for a larger version pop-up.
![Jordanite, Lengenbach Quarry, Binntal, Switzerland](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-01.jpg)
Jordanite, Lengenbach Quarry, Binntal, Switzerland
Jamesonite with
Calcite, Cavnic, Maramures, Romania
Bournonite, Quiruvilca, Peru
![Dyscrasite with Stibarsen from Pribram, Czech Republic](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-04.jpg)
Dyscrasite with
Stibarsen from Pribram, Czech Republic
![Hessite with Quartz, Botes Transylvania, Romania](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-05.jpg)
Hessite with Quartz, Botes Transylvania, Romania
Enargite with Pyrite, Butte, Montana
Polybasite from the Las Chispas Mine, Arizpe, Sonoroa, Mexico
![Exhibit Case of Silver and Copper](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-08.jpg)
Exhibit Case of
Silver and
Copper
![Thick Silver Wire with Calcite, Batopilas, Chihuahua, Mexico](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-09.jpg)
Thick
Silver Wire with
Calcite, Batopilas, Chihuahua, Mexico
Silver "S" Wire from Dreikonigsstein, Lahr, Baden-Wurttenberg, Germany
![Exhibit Case of Gold](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-11.jpg)
Exhibit Case of
Gold
Gold Nugget, Whitehall Mine, Spotsylvania Co., Virginia
![Large Gold Nugget, Telegraph Mine, California](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-13.jpg)
Large
Gold Nugget (898.4 grams), Telegraph Mine, California
![Hoppered Gold Crystal, Amador Co., California](/image.axd?picture=%2f2015%2f11%2fsmithsonian-museum-precious-metals-gold-silver-s-14.jpg)
Hoppered
Gold Crystal, Amador Co., California