About the Mineralogical Record

Congratulations! In arriving at the Mineralogical Record website you have made a connection with people who love minerals as much as you do, whether you are a beginner or an advanced mineral collector, a mineral museum curator, a professional mineralogist or a dealer in mineral specimens. You’ve come to the right place!

The principal product of the Mineralogical Record Inc. is The Mineralogical Record magazine, issued six times a year. This is the most authoritative and widely respected mineral collector’s journal in the world; no serious advanced collector would be without it. Over the years many newcomers to the field have learned from it the extensive information they need to go from novice to expert—and to have fun in the process. Readers learn about important mineral localities old and new, about the fascinating history of mining and mineralogy, and about new mineral species being described. They see reviews of public and private collections, market reports from contemporary mineral shows, columns on special topics, and oversized special issues devoted to entire mineral-rich states and countries. And all of these articles and features are illustrated by abundant top-quality color photography of fine mineral specimens. (See the Sample Articles page for some typical examples.) Copies of the magazine are never discarded like old newspapers, but are carefully saved and collected as reference works of permanent value.

The Mineralogical Record was founded in 1970 by John White, who was at that time a curator in the Mineral Sciences Department of the Smithsonian Institution. White perceived a need for a journal to serve the serious mineral collector and the amateur mineralogist, a magazine to bridge the gap between the highly technical journals such as American Mineralogist and the “rockhound” publications such as Rocks & Minerals, Rock & Gem, and Lapidary Journal. With the initial help of a financial backer, Arthur Montgomery, White succeeded in launching and bootstrapping the fledgling publication to the point where it was marginally self-sustaining. After seven years as editor and publisher, White stepped aside for a new Editor, Wendell Wilson. In the following years the Mineralogical Record grew steadily in quality and prominence, thanks to the contributions of over 700 authors, photographers, artists, advertisers and donors. It became a collective labor of love on the part of the entire mineralogical community worldwide.

In 2001 Wilson was joined by staff editor Thomas P. Moore, who has made significant contributions of his own to the magazine. In 2009 Thomas M. Gressman joined the staff as Associate Publisher.

Today The Mineralogical Record continues to set the standard for quality content for the serious mineral collector, and each copy is carefully preserved and collected in its own right by faithful subscribers around the world. Many of the valuable back issues are still in stock and available at a modest price (see the Back Issues section), whereas others form the basis for a thriving market in out-of-print back issues. It is widely accepted in the world of mineral collecting that no one can consider himself well-informed if he does not subscribe to “The Record” This fact was formally recognized in 1982, when The Mineralogical Record became the first (and is still the only) journal ever to be honored with the naming of a new mineral species (minrecordite), and again in 1994, when it became the first (and is still the only) journal ever to win the prestigious Carnegie Mineralogical Award.

At the Mineralogical Record, book publishing has always been an important adjunct to magazine production. In 1971 the company published the first edition of Michael Fleischer’s Glossary of Mineral Species.. Now in its 10th edition under the authorship of Joseph Mandarino and Malcolm Back, Fleischer’s Glossary is still a must-have reference work. A stable of other books has grown over the years, now including Peter Bayliss’s Glossary of Obsolete Mineral Names, with over 30,000 entries; Quintin Wight’s The Complete Book of Micromounting (no longer available on this website); Bob Jones’ A Fifty-Year History of the Tucson Show; thirteen volumes in the Antiquarian Reprint Series; and numerous others—see the Mineralogical Record Bookstore on this website. At the same time, the editorial reference library has grown to become one of the finest antiquarian and general mineralogy libraries in the United States, a resource drawn upon regularly by the editors and authors.

We hope you’ll enjoy exploring our website. There is much to read, all of it designed to inspire and enhance your enjoyment of the world of mineralogy and mineral collecting. And if you have any questions, we’re here to help (see the Contact Us page). Whether you are just getting interested in minerals or are a seasoned connoisseur, you’re always welcome at The Mineralogical Record.

The Mineralogical Record is published bimonthly by Mineralogical Record, Inc., a 501c(3) non-profit organization,  Special second-class postage paid at Tucson, Arizona and additional mailing offices. Send address changes to: The Mineralogical Record, 10694 Hiker Peak View #207, Colorado Springs, CO  80921, or email address changes to tom.gressman@minrec.org

All material is Copyright © by the Mineralogical Record Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

Affiliated with the Friends of Mineralogy an independent, non-profit organization devoted to furthering amateur and professional interests in mineralogy.

Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Mineralogical Record Inc., its editorial staff or directors.

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Wendell E. Wilson  minrecord@comcast.net

Associate Publisher and Circulation Director
Thomas M. Gressman  tom.gressman@minrec.org

Senior Editor and Advertising Manager
Thomas P. Moore  tpmoore1@cox.net

Editor 
Christopher J. Stefano  cjstefanoxls@gmail.com

All other editing, advertising
4631 Paseo Tubutama, Tucson, AZ 85750 (520) 299-5274
E-mail: minrecord@comcast.net

Staff Photographer, Website, Social Media
Christi Cramer  gemgypsy@bellsouth.net

Associate Editors
Malcolm Back, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
Bill Birch, Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Bruce Cairncross, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Anthony R. Kampf, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
George W. Robinson, Seaman Mineral Museum, Houghton, Michigan

Associate Photographers
Jeffrey A. Scovil

Board of Directors

Paul Geffner, Chair, Email: pgeffner1@gmail.com

Jim Gebel, Vice Chair, Email: j.gebel@att.net

Stephanie Snyder, Email: stephanie@stonestrust.com
Thomas A. Gressman, Email: tom.gressman@minrec.org
Anthony R. Kampf, Email: akampf@nhm.org
Chris Stefano, Email: cjstefanoxls@gmail.com
Wendell E. Wilson, Email: minrecord@comcast.net  

Design
Wendell E. Wilson

Printing
Sheridan Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Return Policy
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