Dudas, Laszlo (1919-1998 )

Laszlo Dudas was born in Hungary on February 20, 1919. He was educated in Europe and became a Professor of Mineralogy before emigrating to the United States in November 1951 with his wife, Sarolto, and sons Ladislaus and Ferenc. He became a Life Member of the Mineralogical Society of America in 1952.

Dudas settled in Butte, Montana, doing ore analyses for the Anaconda Copper Company (his daughter Csilla V. Dudas was born there in 1956). It was there that he met the legendary mineral dealer Ed McDole and collector/dealer Hal Miller. Miller was primarily a collector who sold specimens from his apartment in Anaconda, Montana, under the name of Rocky Mountain Minerals. Dudas took over the business from him in January 1957, renaming it Continental Minerals, operating out of his home and taking mail orders at P.O. Box 1206 in Anaconda. His specialty was rare massive and crystallized minerals, especially ore minerals, but he eventually developed a worldwide stock.

He continued the business in Montana at least through September 1965 (his last ad there), and in September 1969 (presumably following his retirement from the mining company) he reopened in Tucson, Arizona with a shop at 4737 E. Adams Street. In Tucson he was active in the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, and taught the Micromounting Study Group. He also had an excellent personal library. Laszlo Dudas died in Tucson on May 28, 1998.