At Our Meeting: Monday, March 14, 2005

Program: A guided tour of the University of Delaware's mineral collection.  We met at Penny Hall, the Geology Department at 7:30 PM.

Location: The March meeting was held at the University of Delaware's Irénée du Pont Room in Penny Hall on Academy Street, Newark, DE.

University of Delaware's Penny Hall		Plaque

Administration: The business portion of the meeting was limited to a very brief summary of the 2005 show results.  Full details will be covered at the April meeting.

Time: The tour was from 7:30 - 9:00 PM.

Parking: Parking at the University of Delaware Geological Survey (DGS) was very limited.  The mineral curator validated parking tickets from the PARKING GARAGE located on Academy Street just south of Penny Hall and the Student Center.

Information: More information and directions to Penny Hall can be found at: www.geology.udel.edu.   Go to the Irenee Du Pont Mineral Room Link to find visitor directions, photos of the minerals and much more.

Background: The collection of the late Irénée
du Pont forms the core of the University Mineralogical Museum.  Mr. du Pont had been interested in minerals for a number of years when, in 1919, he purchased the remarkable mineral collection assembled by George Kunz, which Tiffany & Co. had on display in their Fifth Avenue showrooms in New York City.  Throughout the 1920's he continued to add to this collection and by 1929 the collection was largely complete.  Upon his death in 1963, his will specified that the collection was to go to a University for use as an educational aid.  The collection was offered to the University of Delaware who gladly accepted it.

[Eric Meier]

Program Review:  Just around 7:30 PM we were met by Kim, Irénée du Pont Mineral Museum Researcher, and our guide for the evening.

Kim shared with us a brief history of the Museum and collections, then showed us how the display cases are laid out, according to Dana's Mineral Classes.

She told us stories behind some of the more famous specimens, such as the famous Kunzite pictured in many geology texts. 

In another story she says, "The large Amazonite cluster arrived at the University in the mail alongside a copy of the mineralogical magazine in which it was featured on the cover.  When Dr. Leavens opened the mail, he was impressed."

Kim related some tips on curation, what some of the most popular minerals are, and how school students react to the first view of such curiosities as 'kidney ore'.

Our guide entertained questions from the 25 or so members who arrived for our private tour.  She entertained some lively questions on conservation, curation, and crystals.  On a lighter note, we couldn't talk her into parting with 'free samples' for every participant.  Some favorite choices, though, were the large, faceted Kunzite, the Peruvian Rhodo crystals, and gold.  Two of our club's lapidaries preferred the near perfect beryllium crystals.  Tom pointed out the areas of potential yield as to finished, cut stones.  But, he relented that as 'gem rough', he wouldn't sacrifice such beautiful specimens.

At the end, we thanked Kim for her delightful tour, and she and the Museum were officially invited to setup and share a display case at our March 2006 Show.

[Ken Casey]

Past Programs

Larry Krause's Collection

"Rhodochrosite: Red Treasure of the Rockies"

Don Miller's "Fossilpalooza!"

Eric Meier's "Tool Time at the Rock Club"