| It is not possible to write a chapter about the mineral galena without looking at the history of lead and silver to name two of the most important raw materials and materials of humanity. How long people processed galena as main ore for the production of lead is unknown. As lead inter alia used as a ... moreIt is not possible to write a chapter about the mineral galena without looking at the history of lead and silver to name two of the most important raw materials and materials of humanity. How long people processed galena as main ore for the production of lead is unknown. As lead inter alia used as an additive to various melts (e.g. to bronze and the salt-cementation process for gold extraction) one can assume that the properties of this mineral were known before 3000 BC. Other sources speak of a history of lead about 7000-9000 years BC back. |
| Calcite is one of the most abundant natural minerals. It is found in very different shapes, both compact as limestone as well as sinter in caves and in the crystalline state. But even in our daily life calcite is always present: in some regions it blockes water pipes as "chalk", we build our houses ... moreCalcite is one of the most abundant natural minerals. It is found in very different shapes, both compact as limestone as well as sinter in caves and in the crystalline state. But even in our daily life calcite is always present: in some regions it blockes water pipes as "chalk", we build our houses with it, it is in our food chain and without it we could not stand upright. Calcite is not rare, but the varied mineral on Earth. The variety of forms and variations of the forms of calcite are unmatched in the world of mineralogy. By 2009, more than 800 Calcit forms have been described. |
| Do you know El Tio, the ruler of the underworld? In January 2012 Stefan Schorn, administrator of mineralienatlas.de, had the chance to visit the Bolivian San José Mine. In his article he tells us about the history of the mine and shows us with over 60 pictures this adventuresome trip inside the mine ... moreDo you know El Tio, the ruler of the underworld? In January 2012 Stefan Schorn, administrator of mineralienatlas.de, had the chance to visit the Bolivian San José Mine. In his article he tells us about the history of the mine and shows us with over 60 pictures this adventuresome trip inside the mine. (Article in German) |
| Es wird auf die so genannte Feuersteinlinie, ihre Bedeutung, Erforschung, Popularisierung und Markierung hingewiesen. Vier Markierungssteine an der Feuersteinlinie am Harznordrand und zwei große nordische Findlinge im Harzvorland werden vorgestellt. Anhand aktueller Funde von Kleingeschieben wird ve ... moreEs wird auf die so genannte Feuersteinlinie, ihre Bedeutung, Erforschung, Popularisierung und Markierung hingewiesen. Vier Markierungssteine an der Feuersteinlinie am Harznordrand und zwei große nordische Findlinge im Harzvorland werden vorgestellt. Anhand aktueller Funde von Kleingeschieben wird versucht, die maximalen Höhenlagen und damit die hiesige südliche Grenze des nordischen Inlandeises an den Vorbergen des Harzes, in der „Klassischen Quadratmeile der Geologie“, zu rekonstruieren. |