FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Matt_Zukowski]

Perhaps it is the engineer in me, but I want to express a bugaboo I have concerning the way seemingly most people pack mineral specimens in boxes for storage and shipment. My experience is that most people create a nest for the specimen, put the specimen in the nest, put some more plastic on top, and call it good. This I believe is not the best way to pack mineral specimens, especially for shipment.

Before understanding my opinion, please understand that what I refer to here is not the most delicate, acicular specimens, for which there is no "good" way to pack a specimen, but instead I refer here to most specimens, with xtals that can survive very slight differential forces induced by having plastic sheeting packed against then.

We can all agree that a specimen in shipment is subject to shocks from random orientations. Therefore, what we want is something that can: 1) cushion the specimen and prevent any DIFFERENTIAL forces from acting on any part of the specimen; and 2) isolate, to the extent possible, the external shocks from acting upon the specimen. This means we want the specimen to float within its packaging, but prevent the packaging from producing differential forces on any part of the specimen.

I argue that the way to achieve both objectives is to bunch up dry cleaner bag plastic (DCBP) against the best part of the specimen, then wrap this with more DCBP so that the bunched up plastic does not move RELATIVE to the individual xtals on the best part of the specimen, and then put this stabilized ball into a nest in a box lined with more DCBP. This creates a "unit" supporting all elements (and preventing differential forces from acting upon xtals within the unit) of the specimen that then floats inside a nest created by the "second-line DCBP." If the box endures an external shock, the xtals on the specimen do not experience any relative stresses, and the "first-line-DCBP-specimen-unit" moves independently of the outer packaging, or second-line DCBP, within the box.

If one simply puts a specimen in a nest of packaging, then, with external shocks, the specimen may move RELATIVE to the packaging. This creates differential stresses across the specimen which could result in damage. Again, we want the specimen to move as a coherent unit withing its packaging in response to external accelerations.

This is my opinion for packaging most specimens. Please comment if you want.

[Pierre Joubert]

Hi Matt. For smaller specimens, we use the type of plastic containers (see photograph). We wrap in paper towel, and if necessary, again in bubble wrap. If only a few containers, we post it in a padded envelope, otherwise in a strong box, filling loose space up with bubble wrap or sponge. Wider specimens, like clusters, we use different, wider plastic containers. The containers must be able to take a fair amount of pressure from all sides, with no movement after packaging. We use masking tape on most wrapping materials, except on the plastic containers, padded envelope or box (where we use broad sellotape).

We often receive parcels from the source and no matter how many instructions (and warnings), we often have considerable damage because of very poor packaging.

A method that might be very effective, but which I dislike, is the mummifying of specimens with rolled toilet paper. It takes ages to unwrap and there is the danger of dropping the specimen with all the turning (especially at the end).

With regards to packing large/r specimens, of which we have very little experience; we use thick sponge, and a strong cardboard or wooden box. Needless to say, there should be no movement in the box after packaging.

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
According to Matt: usually I pack my acicular specimens with an excess of cutton wool and then I envelope them in a bubble wrap, or in a paper towel. I use it also for shells. For the other specimens, I usually take them in small boxes (i.e. the "micromount" small boxes, you know what I mean!), and for bigger specimens I simply envelope them in big newspaper sheets and/or in bubble wraps. I moved my collection three times in the last 15 years and I had no problem in getting my stones ans settling them in their new place without any crash or fracture.
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Pierre Joubert]

[Matt_Zukowski]

I probably did a poor job making my main point. My main point is that you don't want to package specimens in a way that the packaging material is able or likely to move RELATIVE to the specimen.

If you bunch up DCBP against the best part of the specimen, and then wrap this with more DCBP, then what you will have is a "unit" that includes the specimen and its first line of packaging. If you put this in a box with more DCBP, or bubble wrap, or whatever, you minimize the RELATIVE stresses on any part of the specimen. This will minimize any damage during shipment.

[Pierre Joubert]

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi Pierre!
It's very easy: I envelope the whole stone in this cotton "bed", thus preventing it to break if it falls or it's hitten during the travel, Then I put it in a small box or envelope the whole packaging in a newspaper sheet or in a paper towel. I always did it with my zeolite and rutile specimens and they all came to destination safe.
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Jordi Fabre]

[cascaillou]

When I collect some mineral in the wild, I wrap the specimen in toilet paper, and then in crumpled aluminium foil (it's important to make it very crumpled). Then place it in my bag, heavier specimens first, lighter ones on top, separately from hammers and chisels.
The only problem is that toilet paper can grip thin crystals while you unwrap it, and that might break these if you don't proceed very carefully.

For acicular crystals someone suggested me to fill a box with some light and low hardness fine powder (talc, flour, or cloth washing powder), add the specimen in the middle, and then fill the box to the top with powder and seal it. If the powder is well packed, the specimen shouldn't move.