Michigan Mineralogical Society
Michigan Mineralogical Society
Club Contests
Currently Running club competitionS
Our winning club members for 2021 have been notified. Please see the April Conglomerate newsletter for the details.
We formally announce our next annual club photography contest. We are actively taking club member photography submissions for our 3rd club-wide Millie Hurt Mineral Photography Contest. The prize for the best photo image will be awarded by the judges and announced in the club newsletter. This will run from May 1st, 2022 to January 30th, 2023.
The 2022 Millie Hurt Mineral
Photography Contest
by FreePNG.com
The Rules
Club members in good standing can submit up to five photographs of minerals in their personal collection. The photos must be submitted in electronic format and emailed to either Brad Zylman (brad.zylman@mrm-mccann.com) or Dave Lurie (dlurie2001@comcast.net). Photos must be at least 1024 by 768 pixels in order to be posted for consideration. If you're looking for some quick tips on mineral photography, just click here.
The photos must be accompanied by a document (.doc) or text file (.txt) that lists what the specimen is, where it was found and whether it was purchased or self-collected. It can also contain any descriptive information that you wish others to know. This document must have the following wording in it: “I give my permission to post this photo and information on the MMS website, Instagram, and on Facebook in perpetuity.” In return, we will not use your name or publish personal information.
When: Starting in May 2022.
Where: Material, if sent in a usable format, will be posted within a month on the MMS website (www.michmin.org), under the About Us tab. It will be public-facing with the intention to generate interest and highlight our club.
Why: To promote the interests of mineral collecting, geology and to create excitement for the Michigan Mineralogical Society. We have renamed the contest in honor of Millie Hurt's memory, and her passion to share mineral collecting with the world.
The Prize: The Best two photographs of the Year will receive the President’s Award, a substantial cash prize given to the winners.
We hope all MMS Members take out their Smartphones or Cameras and Submit your Photos Today!!
202o Winning entries
Mineral Variety:
Selenite Gypsum
Locality: Red River Floodway, Manitoba, Canada
Weight: 136 grams
Dimensions: 7.5 x 7 x 6 cm
Collection Method: MMS Show Purchase
DESCRIPTION: Golden yellow Selenite ball with swallow tail twinned tabular crystals - longest crystal is 4 cm.
Mineral Variety: Calcite
Locality: Sylvania Quarry, S. Rockwood, MI
Weight: -
Dimensions: 4.5 x 4 x 3 cm, rhomb is 2.5 cm.
Collection Method: Self-collected
DESCRIPTION: Translucent butterscotch Calcite crystal in a rare rhombic habit growing from the matrix. It has some opaque, cubic, white crystals of unknown material on the lower left side.
2021 Winning entries
Mineral Variety: Mimetite
Locality: Level 10, El Potosi Mine, Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico
Weight: 46 grams
Dimensions: 7.6 x 3.5 x 1.7 centemeters
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: Numerous small orangish-yellow Mimetite balls on Calcite and matrix host rock. It is a secondary mineral found in the oxidized zones of lead mineral deposits, and in other settings where lead and arsenic occur together.
Mineral Variety: Geode
Locality: Morocco
Weight: 5 pounds, 14 oz.
Dimensions: Approximately 5.5x 10 inches
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: Flourescent Stalagtite from Morocco. This image is of its fluorescent spectrum. The large crystals in the middle are calcite glowing red-orange, the stalactites are likely also calcite and glow a lighter orange. Most everything, except the large calcite crystals are covered with druzy quartz crystals 2mm and smaller.
Mineral Variety: Smithsonite
Locality: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Dimensions: 4 by 2 inches
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: This specimen is a great and colorful example of Smithsonite. I purchased this piece at the 2018 MMS show from a dealer. It is a Zinc Carbonate named in honor of James Smithson (benefactor of the Smithsonian Institute). Smithsonite can come in many colors – but usually not on the same piece/specimen as shown here.
2022 May entries
Mineral Variety: fluorite
Locality: Khwaye Mine, Loralai Baluchistan, Pakistan
Weight: 208 grams
Dimensions: 6.6 x 7.8 x 3.8 cm
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: Very aesthetic pale purple cubic crystals. The largest crystal, which is 3.7 cm in size has internal zoning with a blue core.
Mineral Variety: fluorite
Locality: Xianghualing Mine, Chenzhou, Hunan, China
Weight: Not Measured
Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 5.5 cm
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: Dark green centered and blue covered cubic Fluorite crystals with numerous small white Calcite crystals. A beautiful specimen!
Mineral Variety: Scheelite & Muscovite Mica
Locality: Pingwu Co., Mianyang, Sichuan, China
Weight: 129 grams
Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.8 x 2.3 cm
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: A one centemeter tangerine orange, triangular scheelite crystal is nestled into creamy white blades of Muscovite mica. It is aesthetic and beautiful!
Mineral Variety: Plumbogummite
Locality: Yangshuo Mine, Guangxi Zhuang, China
Weight: Not Measured
Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.5 x 4.1 cm
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: Blue-green botryoidal formations coating bright yellow pyromorphite on matrix. The size, rarity and composition all make it quite exceptional.