Malachite. From Sverdlovsk, Ural Mountains, Russia. Rashleigh collection.   Botryoidal malachite. No. tag (85) attached. Old label states, ‘Malachite Russia.’ Another old label states, ‘probably from near Sverdlovsk.’ Old display label states, ‘Green malachites, in very large blisters very rare from Russia.’

Scorodite. Possibly from Carharrack, Cornwall.   Finely crystalline dark green botryoidal scorodite coating upper and lower faces of quartz rich mass. Roger Penhallurick (Curator of the museum 1964-2000) label states, ‘Scorodite. Location uncertain, but matrix resembles other specimens from Carharrack’

Siderite in ‘slipper ore’ form with pyrite. From Virtuous Lady Mine, Buckland Monachorum, Devon. Sir Arthur Russell collection.   Siderite epimorphs with pyrite. Old isplay label states, ‘presented by Sir Arthur Russell 1923.’ Previously orphaned (419) label states, ‘Pseudomorph of Chalybite after Barytes and Fluorspar, sprinkled vover with small crystal of Pyrite – From Virtuous Lady Mine, Tavistock, Devonshire. Donor Arthur Russell Esq.’ Gifted by Sir Arthut Russell in 1923.

Crystalline copper coated with cuprite. From Gwennap, Cornwall. 

Cassiterite. From Trevaunance, St Agnes, Cornwall. 

Labradorite. From unknown location.  Flat labradorite slab showing characteristic schiller, two faces cut and one polished.

Pyrope (garnet) on hornblende-schist. Probably from Botallack, St Just in Penwith, Cornwall. Carne collection.  From the collection of Mr William Carne of Falmouth. Carne’s collection was reportedly at least 50 years old by the time it was acquired by the museum in 1922.

Fluorite crystals on quartz. From Menheniot, Cornwall.   Mary Anne or Trelawney mines suggested for locality.

Tetrahedrite coated in chalcopyrite with quartz. From Herodsfoot, Lanreath, Cornwall.  Catalogue of the Minerals in the Museum of the Royal Institution of Cornwall by J.H. Collins (No.1 Non-metallic minerals (1878); No. 2 Metallic Minerals (1881) (O.M.C.)) entry 1318 round museum tag present. Collected before 1889. 

Crocoite and quartz on sandstone. From Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk, Russia. Rashleigh collection.  Crocoite and quartz on sandstone. No. tag (illegible) attached (H.H.) (Henry Heuland) No. tag (no. 34) attached Old label states, ‘A very capital rich and beautiful of Chromate of Lead from Berisoff near Catherineburg in Siberia, representing very compleat rhomboidal prisms with two, three, and four sided pyramids. No. 16. H.H.’ Old display label states, ‘A very capital rich and beautiful specimen of Chromate of Lead from Berisoff near Catherineburg in Siberia, representing very complete rhomboidal prisms with two, three, and four sided prisms.’

‘Rose’ of bladed barite crystals with black tinged edges. From unknown location. Williams collection.  Large ‘rose’ of bladed barite crystals having black tinged edges W.C. (unnumbered) square museum tag attached (black). Black square W.C. tags are identified as belonging to the Williams collection. The Williams of Scorrier and Caerhays owned extensive mining properties and rights, amassing large minerals collections. There remains a large collections on minerals at Caerhays Castle. Williams collection donated in 1893

Quartz coating calcite. From Zellerfeld, Hartz, Germany. Rashleigh collection.  Old label states, ‘Pyramidal clumps of quartz in short cristals on calcareous spar from Juliana ….. Mine, Zellerfeld.’ [Hartz, Germany] (Henry Heuland?)

Topaz and beryl. From Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk, Russia. Rashleigh collection.  R.C. (Rashleigh Catalogue) (unnumbered) A.C. (Aiken) M.C.(Museum) square museum tag attached No. tag (2.) attached (H.H.) (Henry Heuland) No. tag (1085) attached. Old label states, ‘Capital group of real Topazes in white yellowish octohedrons intermixed with prismatic modifications with a small blue beryl. from Catherineburgh H.H. No. 2.’ (Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk, Ural Mountains, Russia, from Henry Heuland).

Olivenite in hollows of quartz veinstone. From Gwennap, Cornwall. Wickett collection.  Dark green olivenite in hollows of quartz veinstone. Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached. Possibly from Unity or Gorland mines.

Chalcopyrite ‘blister copper’. From Dolcoath, Camborne, Cornwall.  Thought to be Philip Rashleigh collection, number 352. His manuscript catalogue entry for 352 reads: ‘Blisterd or long mamillary Copper Ore upon Yellow Ore the broken parts plainly shewing its being formed by different circles coats folded one over the other Do. (Dolcoath).’ 

Jasper. From Siberia. Rashleigh collection.   Jasper quartz, one face polished. No. tag (39.) attached (Henry Heuland) Old label states, ’39 Blood Jasper from Siberia with cubic sulphuret of iron.’ Heuland – Rashleigh Correspondence held at Kresen Kernow

Double-ended quartz crystal. From Delabole Slate Quarry, Cornwall.   Single large double-ended colourless quartz crystal, cloudy around its equator with clear tips. Old museum display label present states ‘Delabole’

Amethyst-tipped quartz crystals. Possibly from St Austell.   A group of purple amethyst-tipped quartz crystals to 35 mm dia.and 55 mm tall, showing modified points and ?kaolin marked flanks. Old museum display label states ‘Amethyst (Quartz) Locality unknown; doubtfully Cornish’ Suggested by others, however, that kaolin marking indicates possible St Austell Clay Country origin.

Yellow fluorite coated in quartz. From Menheniot, Cornwall. Noall collection.   Old label states, ‘Crystals of colourless quartz on cubes of yellow Fluor Spar. Menheniot or Bere Alston. Noall bequest’ and ‘R.J.Noall bequest circa 1944.’ on reverse Bere Alston, Devon is also suggested collection area.

Rubellite (tourmaline). From Pala, California, USA. C.H.T. Hawkins collection.   Old label states, ‘320 Tourmaline Var. Rubellite, Pala, San Diego County, CA.’ A.E.Foote dealer label present. Gifted by Mrs C Hawkins in 1911.

Gold on quartz. From Irgen, Transylvania, Romania. Rashleigh collection.  Gold on quartz No. tag (72) attached.Original label states, ‘Native Gold in thin laminae with serated edges upon and intermixed with small Crystallized Quartz, Irgen in Transilvania.’ No. 72 from Rashleigh Manuscript Catalogue (also contains a detailed analysis and compositional description).

Sulphur. From Sicily, Mediterranean Italy. Wickett collection.   Wickett (406) label attached

‘Fish-scale’ siderite (chalybite) on quartz. Probably from Virtuous Lady Mine, Buckland Monachorum, Devon. Catalogue of the Minerals in the Museum of the Royal Institution of Cornwall by J.H. Collins (No.1 Non-metallic minerals (1878); No. 2 Metallic Minerals (1881) (O.M.C.)) entry 1697 round museum tag attached. Old display label states, ‘OMC 1697 Locality suggested by RW Barstow.’

Stalactitic goethite. From Botallack,St Just, Cornwall.  Label with specimen states: ‘Limonite, Buzza Section of Botallack Mine, St Just, Cornwall.’ 

Malachite on azurite. From Molina, Guadalajara, Spain. Rashleigh collection.   No. tag (686) attached. Old label states, ‘Fine azure blue copper ore, strongly incrusted with green malachite from Molina in old Spain, a mine destroyed by falling in this specimen came out of the King of Spains great collection by Forster.’

Cassiterite. From Wheal Kitty (known as Porrall and Pink and Friendly), St Agnes, Cornwall. Rashleigh collection.   No. tag (285) attached Aiken (illegible) green round tag attached. R.C (Rashleigh Catalogue) (285) / A.C.(Aiken Catalogue) (99) round museum tag attached. Old label states, ‘Crystals of tin ore with square shanks and many pointed pyramid tops, very bright and of a garnet colour.’

Lazurite (lapis lazuli). From Bedakhstan, Afghanistan. Williams collection.  Lazurite (sawn specimen) W.C. (unnumbered) square museum tag attached (black). Black square W.C. tags are identified as belonging to the Williams collection. The Williams of Scorrier and Caerhays owned extensive mining properties and rights, amassing large minerals collections. There remains a large collections on minerals at Caerhays Castle. No. tag (illegible) attached Roger Penhallurick (Curator of the museum 1964-2000) rough label states ‘ LAPIS LAZULI Bedakhashan, Afghanistan’

Graphite and quartz. From Sri Lanka. Wickett collection.   Wickett (1054) label attached

Rutiled quartz. Unknown locality. 

Mimetite on quartz. From Alfred Consols, Phillack, Cornwall. Wickett collection.   Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached 

Biotite. From unknown location. Wickett collection.   Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached.

Rutiled quartz. Unknown locality.   Old label states, ‘Acicular titanium in transp. quartz.’

Quartz encasing copper. From unknown location. Williams collection.  Quartz crystal with dendritic copper inclusions. W.C. (unnumbered) square museum tag attached (black). Black square W.C. tags are identified as belonging to the Williams collection. The Williams of Scorrier and Caerhays owned extensive mining properties and rights, amassing large minerals collections. There remains a large collections on minerals at Caerhays Castle. Note recent RW label present states ‘171 (B) No.4 Quartz xtal encasing silver / dark red mesh of minerals 60x25x25’

Large blue fluorite cube with chalcopyrite. From Cornwall. Wickett collection.   Translucent large blue fluorite cube with minor chalcopyrite. Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached. No. tag (143) attached and ‘310.’ added later.

Pyromorphite. From Halkyn mine, Clwyd, Wales. Rashleigh collection. 

Double-ended quartz coated in quartz epimorph. From Dolcoath mine, Camborne, Cornwall. Wickett collection.   Doubly terminated quartz coated in quartz epimorph. Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached.

Orange opal. From Coogans Creek, Queensland, Australia.   Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached ‘Opal, Googans Creek Queensland.’ Butler dealer label present

Gold water-worn nugget. From Croaghan Kinskelly, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Rashleigh collection.  Water-worn gold nugget. No. tag (RCM 1903.1.83) attached Early label states, ‘gold Ore found at Croaghan Kinskelly in the County of Wicklow, Ireland’ Old museum display label present states, ‘Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Gold nugget weighing 1oz. 1dwt. 21grs. from Croaghan Kinshella, the “Gold Mine River”. Evidently obtained about 1795 at the time of the Wicklow gold-rush. Rashleigh Colln.’ Original label states, ‘Gold with Quartz found at Croaghan Kenskelly in the County of Wicklow in Ireland, weight 1oz, 1pw, 21gr. contains 21 Car 6/8 fine gold 1 Car 7/8 Silver, 3/8ths Copper tinged with a little Iron’ No. 76 from Rashleigh Manuscript Catalogue.

Fire opal. From Mexico  ‘Fire Opal Mexico.’ S. Henson label present 

Stibnite crystals with a ‘peacock’ sheen. From Romania. Rashleigh collection.   Needle crystals of stibnite. R.C. (Rashleigh) (unnumbered) round museum tag attached. Old, display label states ‘A fine group of Needle Antimony shining like Peacock Feathers.’

Bornite. From unknown location. Originally William Jelbert collection.   William Jelbert collection (pre-1960) ReferenceNumber 315 William Jelbert appears to have been the mine engineer for Marriott shaft, Wheal Grenville around 1915. This specimen was gifted in 1990 by another donor.

Wavellite. From Highdown Quarry, Filleigh, Devon.  Botryoidal (clusters of radiating crystals) wavellite (aluminium phosphate)

Tiger’s Eye quartz. From Jacobsdale, South Africa. Quartz pseudomorphus after riebeckite The fibrous Riebeckite crystals were replaced by silica with fine dusts of yellow goethite. These fibrous bands lead Tiger Eye to be classified as a chatoyant gemstone (classification for those minerals with a silky lustre caused by fibrous bands)

Water-worn topaz. From Jos, Nigeria.  

Aragonite on quartz. From Wheal Cock, St Just in Penwith, Cornwall. Wickett collection.  Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached 

Liroconite with clinoclase on quartz. Probably from Gwennap, Cornwall. Rashleigh collection.  Liroconite with clinoclase on quartz. R.C. (Rashleigh Catalogue) (85/941) A.C. (Aiken Catalogue) (54/24) M.C. (Museum Catalogue) square museum tag attached. Old label states, ’24. Greenish blue cunciform octohedrons with globular trihedral brown fibrous prismatic arsenate on crystallized quartz.’ Old display label states ‘no locality given by Rashleigh but must be Wheal Gorland or Wheal Unity.’

Chalcedony. From Trevascus, Gwinear, Cornwall. Rashleigh Collection.   Philip Rashleigh wrote: “The finest Calcedony ever found is supposed to have been brought from Trevascus Mine and was carried to St Jo. St Aubyn & by hime given to Mr Ric’d Phillips of Redruth…This Mineral rings like China.” Presumed to be from Rashleigh’s collection.

Stibnite crystals. From Iyo Province, Shikoku Island, Japan. Durning-Lawrence collection.   Long stibnite crystals. Old label states, ‘Stibnite, Orthombic, Province of Iyo, Island of Shikoku, Japan.’ Gifted by Mr L. Durning Lawrence in 1904

Galena covered with quartz. From Snailbeach mine, Shropshire, England.   Old label states, ‘Crystallized Galena partly covered with Quartz. Snailbeach Mine, Shropshire. C Le Neve Foster. May 1883.’

Malachite. From Sverdlovsk, Ural Mountains, Russia.   Massive and botryoidal varigated malachite, three cut and polished faces W.C. (unnumbered) square museum tag attached (black). Black square W.C. tags are identified as belonging to the Williams collection. The Williams of Scorrier and Caerhays owned extensive mining properties and rights, amassing large minerals collections. There remains a large collections on minerals at Caerhays Castle. Old label states ‘The origin of this specimen is not known, but it is like the / malachite from the Sverdlovsk region of the Ural Mountains / in the U.S.S.R. This ancient mining region produced some / of the most spectacular malachite for ornamental use.’ Another old label states, ‘362/10 / Malachite, botryoidal / massive, polished (3 faces) / Wickett? / Sverdlovsk, / Russia / 160 x 190 x 80’ Suggested to be the Williams collection due to labelling.

Labradorite. From Labrador, Canada. Probably Rashleigh collection.  Flat labradorite slab showing characteristic schiller, one face cut and polished. Roger Penhallurick (Curator of the museum 1964-2000) label states, ‘RC Labrador Stone / Presumably RC 2’ This refers to Rashleigh and his catalogue entry. Old label states ‘Labradorite Feldspar presumably from Labrador’

Specular haematite. From Elba, Italy.  label present from era of museum curator George Penrose (early 1900s) ‘R.C. no label with it. Crystallised hematite. Locality must be Elba. G.P.’ This refers to Rashleigh’s collection.

Sphalerite. From Baia Sprie, Romania. Wickett collection.   Wickett (unnumbered) square museum tag attached Old label states, ‘Radiated Blende, Felsobanya. 6.’ Felsobanya (now Baia Sprie) was in Hungary at the time of collection.

Specular hematite on quartz. From Botallack, St Just in Penwith, Cornwall. Richard Barstow collection.   Specular hematite on quartz. No. tag (958) attached.

Barite on calcite. From Babbacombe, Torbay, Devon. Cooper Collection.   Old museum marking tipex no. tag 862 attached Presented by Bryan Cooper in 1968.’ Old label states, ‘no. 862 from Bryan Cooper Collection.’ on reverse

Haematite. From Beckermet mine, Egremont, Cumberland. Richard Barstow collection.

Fluorite crystals coated with sphalerite. From Weardale, Durham, England.   Catalogue of the Minerals in the Museum of the Royal Institution of Cornwall by J.H. Collins (No.1 Non-metallic minerals (1878); No. 2 Metallic Minerals (1881) (O.M.C.)) entry 282 round museum tag attached.

Quartz on calcite and chalcopyrite. From Roman Gravels mine, Shropshire, England.   Quartz on pale pink calcite and minor chalcopyrite. Old label states, ‘Quartz on Calcite. Roman Gravels Mine, Shropshire. Arthur Waters Esq.’ Gifted by Arthur Waters, 1881

Morion quartz. FromTreviscoe Clay Pit, St Austell, Cornwall.   Original label reads: ‘Morion Quartz Treviscoe Clay Pit Treviscoe St Austell May 1983’