Mineral Show March 2008: Clifton New Jersey

This past weekend I visited the annual Mineral show in Clifton, New Jersey, put on by the North Jersey Mineralogical Society. The show ran over Saturday and Sunday with an average turnout out of about 350 people each day.

Mineral shows are an excellent way for the novice to get started 

in mineral & crystal collecting. Door prizes and mystery bags (mostly for kids) add to the fun.

Professional mineralogists and amateur rockhounds abound and usually are from the region of the show. This gives the opportunity to learn about and purchase local specimens.  Many local specimens were featured including stilbite, phrenite and calcite as well as garnets from far off India, topaz and aquamarine from Brazil. 

Each show is like a mineral museum, except you may handle (some items) and purchase anything you wish. It's a great place to take your kids or students where they can look, touch and 

learn. Every year is different and no two minerals are alike, so if you like shopping for rocks - this is defintly a good show to visit.

If you're interested in digging for your own minerals or want to learn more about mineralogy and are from New Jersey, Check out the North Jersey Mineralogical Society's website http://www.nojms.org.