FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jordi Fabre]

We have created a section on the forum: "Collection photos and Collector's page" whose aim is to allow all collectors who wish to publish pictures of specimens in their collection. The idea is for each collector/collection to have a single thread where they can, as much as the collector wishes, add new images using the "Write a response" button. Thus the images of each collection will be grouped, creating a virtual tour. That way a collector can display their collection to everybody and we will be able to enjoy it.

Please do not publish commercial photos, or repeated specimens. Like a collection displayed in show cases, this forum aims to be a place for people to exhibit the most representative pieces of their collection. They do not need to be great specimens or high quality images, just ones that represent the style of your collection (but at least crystallized specimens)

They can be collections that are private, public, institutional or whatever, and they can be photos of some specimens or photos of all the specimens in the collection. The only condition is that they are from a collection (and are not massive specimens ;-)

One more thing, with each mineral, please add as much information as is possible: size (very important), locality, related minerals, stories related with the specimen (if any)...the greater the information given, the better for everyone.

This page could be also used as a kind of personal home page where you can explain things about yourself, your thoughts, trips... everything related with minerals that you consider interesting.

The thread could be in fact a kind of meeting point where if you publish things from time to time it will be always visible in the main index page of FMF.

Jordi

[Jordi Fabre]

Just add to my previous message that we created this forum here considering the big success that the same initiative had on the Spanish Forum.
If someone wish to know the kind of collections that Spanish collectors are doing, please use this link:
https://www.foro-minerales.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=26
("Colección" in Spanish language = collection)

Jordi

[Fiebre Verde]

Jordi,
When I want to create a new message with a new series of photos in my Collector's thread, is "Write a Reply" the only way forward ? Thanks
Gérard

[Jordi Fabre]

[prcantos]

In this post we are collecting together the rules and suggestions for adding mineral collections to the FMF section 'Collection photos and Collector's page'. These particular rules and the general regulation of the Forum are needed for the optimal operation of our mineral database, our search engines and to keep and improve the great level of this section.

Maybe they appear to be too complicated, but most regular FMF users are applying them. Certainly they are familiar to you, but we think it's a good idea if we have all of them together in this single post as a form of 'style guide for FMF collections'.

* Threads. Please: only one collection thread for each user. The title of the thread should contain the user's real name or nick name. Obviously nobody but the user should add any picture to the thread, but every user can write replys or add likes.

* Pictures. Commercial or repeat pictures are not allowed. Put multiple images of the same specimen only if you think they show different interesting views or significant details. How do you look at minerals in a museum? Try to show your specimens with very few pictures! Add only photographs of minerals, not landscapes, general views of cabinets with many specimens, diagrams...

* Specimens. It is not necessary for the specimens to be exceptional, but please avoid massive specimens. Massive minerals are allowed only for a good reason: special form, typical formation at that locality, a new find for the locality... For example: in this section massive pyrite from Navajún (La Rioja, Spain) is not welcome, but of course massive turquoise is allowed. Don't show here 'rocks' or manmade materials: obsidian, ambar, silicon carbide...

* Lack of data. Uncertain species or unknown localities are not allowed with the specimens at this section. If you don't know about them please ask for some help at the 'What is it? - Where is it from?' section.

* NAMES (INDISPENSABLE). Write the names of the species that are present in the specimen and are visible in the picture (for species not visible in the picture use the 'File Comment' field). Please use always the IMA nomenclature ( https://rruff.info/ima/ ). Species should start with a capital letter ('Pyrite and Dolomite' and not 'Pyrite and dolomite'). For varieties or discredited species use lower case letters and brackets and avoid abbreviations ('Quartz (variety amethyst)' and not 'Quartz (var. amethyst)' or 'Quartz Amethyst'). Use capitals letters for groups and series when they are approved by the IMA ('Garnet Group' and 'Andradite-Grossular Series'). For pseudomorphisms write the appropriate words: 'Talc pseudomorph after Quartz' (write the actual species first, and the replaced species second). The rest of the names or features should be written at the 'File comment' field: colours, habits... Please look at the table in the picture for more examples.

* LOCALITIES (INDISPENSABLE). Pieces from unknown localities are not welcome here. Write the right locality even if it is a wide territory (as a minimum give the country). If you don't know the locality please ask for some information at the 'What is it? - Where is it from?' section. Always search for the locality in our database. Only write it manually if you cannot find it in the database. For the use of the database please read this thread.

* DIMENSIONS (INDISPENSABLE). Pictures without dimensions are not welcome here even if they include some reference object (keys, coins, hand...). Write at least width and heigth (thickness is usually not perceptible in pictures) and always write the units (cm., mm., inches...). You can use the 'field of view' or 'FOV' for detailed views, again always including the unit. If there aren't any ambiguities you can write expressions such as 'The largest crystal is 12 mm'. Micros can be labeled with the magnification (60X) or the field of view (FOV 300 µm.).

* File comment. You can write here whatever you like about the specimen: orange calcite in matrix, pyrite octahedron in sulfide matrix, doubly-terminated quartz crystals, iridiscent chalcopyrite, tabular baryte, Carlsbad twin orthoclase...

These rules need to be followed for every section that is included in FMF Gallery: Mines and Mineral Localities, A mineralogical trip through... (several sections), Collection photos and Collector's page, Women's Private Collections and MIM Museum (Beirut, Lebanon).

We express our gratitude to FMF users for taking these rules and suggestions into account.