Mineralis, the international exhibition for minerals, fossils and jewelry, celebrates its 35th anniversary on November 6-8 at the Messe Berlin exhibition center. The exhibition will display different types of minerals and jewelry, from coral and amber gemstones to opals from Mexico and Australia, stone engravings from Peru, carnelian and tourmaline, amethyst from Brazil and malachite from Africa.
The Mineralis 2009 exhibition is expecting some 160 attendees from 16 nations from around the world, including yours truly: I will be there taking pictures, shooting videos and sending you live feeds in English from the German exhibition via Twitter! I will be brushing shoulders with some of the world's experts on minerals and crystals, which will include manufacturers, importers and wholesalers.
I know that this blog usually focuses on diamonds (as it is, after all, a diamond blog), but one mustn't forget that diamonds are a minerals as well, and that there are many beautiful minerals out there. Minerals are solid objects that have undergone sophisticated geological processes. There are thousands of known forms of minerals, each with their own distinctive shape and color.
The second most common of all minerals found on planet earth is Quartz. Quartz is used in the production of electronics, work surfaces and glass, and of course – as a gemstone. In its pure form, quartz is colorless or white and transparent.
Citrine is a type of quartz that ranges from pale yellow to brown. However, citrine is one of the least common of minerals, and is usually made artificially. Brazil is the world's leader in the production of citrine.
The violet variety of quartz, which is called Amethyst, is often used in jewelry. The Greeks and Romans believed that these minerals can protect the persons holding it from being intoxicated! I think I'll try to get me some of those when I get to Berlin...
Agate is another variety of quartz, which has been crystallized. Agate was first found in the river Achates in Sicily. Agates are among the most ancient and precious healing stones and are found in a great variety of colors.
These minerals and many more can be found at the Mineralis 2009 exhibition in Berlin on November 6-8, along with many other fascinating rocks, stones, fossils, gemstones and jewelry. If you see me there, don't think twice and say hello!
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