Explore 56 Minerals Collections - Atlas Obscura
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Asbestos Mine
Val-des-Sources, Québec

Asbestos Mine

Little remains of the once flourishing Asbestos' asbestos mine.
Purple fluorite similar to this specimen mined in China can be found at the Museum of Minerals and Crystals.
museums

Podcast: Museum of Minerals and Crystals

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team December 7, 2021
Bubble Beach
Soufriere, Dominica

Bubble Beach Spa

Thermal springs underneath the seabed provide the heat and bubbles for these beachside natural hot tubs.
Remains of old Mill demolished years ago
Twisp, Washington

Alder Mine

Gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc were once extracted at this abandoned mine near Lookout Mountain.
Soufriere, Saint Lucia

Sulphur Springs

Come for the springs; stay for the mud bath.
PulpĂ­ Geode
PulpĂ­, Spain

Geoda de PulpĂ­ (PulpĂ­ Geode)

Peek into a cave of giant, glimmering crystals.
Collio, Italy

Miniera Torgola

This decaying complex from the early 1900s was once the site of massive iron and fluorite mines.
Surf's up—or not—in this microscopic view of a prase opal gemstone.
mines

This Rugged Coastline Is Not What It Seems

An avid microscopist captured an unusual image that has nothing to do with surf and sand.
Gemma Tarlach May 26, 2021
Uranophane from the German site of Menzenschwand in Baden-Wùˆrttemberg.
abandoned

A DIY Guide to Collecting Radioactive Rocks Gets Glowing Reviews

The free how-to dispels myths and minimizes the hazards of hunting and hoarding these special specimens.
Sarah Scoles May 20, 2021
Many people in Piedra Parada mine amethysts for sale to visitors and dealers.
mines

The Mexican Mountain Town Feeding the International Crystal Market

In Piedra Parada, amethysts are everywhere.
Dylan Taylor-Lehman May 18, 2021
In Russia's resource-rich Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), dredging for gold near the Aldan River leaves behind a long curve of maze-like squiggles.
mines

There's Gold In These Here Strange Squiggles

Mining operations at one of Russia's largest gold deposits includes a method that leaves twisty tracks on the landscape.
Gemma Tarlach May 17, 2021
These "Yooperlites" would fit right in in a game of laser tag.
collections

The Spectacular Science of the Great Lakes' Glowing Rocks

Under UV light, some of them look downright magical.
Jessica Leigh Hester October 13, 2020
Jade collected from the coast of Itoigawa.
Itoigawa, Japan

The Jade Coast

You can still find treasures on the pebbly beaches of one of the world's oldest jade-producing areas.
Red Lodge, Montana

Chromium Mill Ruins

Operational for less than a year, this mill produced more than 11,000 tons of chrome concentrate in its short lifespan.
It's a snake! No—it's gypsum.
objects of intrigue

This Mexican Mineral Looks Like a Shimmering Serpent

Gypsum is common, but this specimen is remarkable.
Jessica Leigh Hester February 7, 2020
The "great wheel" at Killhope
Lanehead, England

Killhope

An iconic waterwheel in the Pennine Hills marks the location of one of Britain’s most profitable lead mines.
Denio, Nevada

Royal Peacock Black Fire Opal Mine

Mine your own precious stones.
Chamarel, Mauritius

Seven Coloured Earths

This small group of sand dunes manages to pack in a strange rainbow of colors.