Mineral Cup & Ore Cup
@mineralcup.bsky.social
Which mineral is the best of them all? Campaign & vote in #MinCup each September. #OreCup starts November 3, 2025! www.MineralCup.org Kyanite photo credits: Smithsonian Institution
The Climate Science & Communications Fund (CSCF) has provided emergency funding support to 31 scientists & science communicators across 18 American institutions in 14 states. These unconditional gifts are designed as flexible, rapid-response interventions in extraordinary times.
You are going to be simultaneously excited & enraged with our 10th anniversary @mineralcup.bsky.social competitors list. 😅
That’s Yoto Daily is on diamonds. I keep optimistically sticking diamonds in @mineralcup.bsky.social, but it never survives the first round. Apparently “really hard & sparkly!” is insufficient to overcome the ick of heavy-handed marketing.
It’s Rock Day: Rock Check! Do you have your rock? Do you need a rock? Can you find a rock? I found this lovely porphyritic basalt in my washing machine. I love how the different crystal sizes tell a story of an eruption rudely interrupting cozy subterranean cooling. Photos & stories welcome.
Happy International Rock Day! (Fire Wave in Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, USA, ~150 Ma Aztec sandstone paleodunes) ⚒️
This is the kind of story that makes a good @mineralcup.bsky.social competitor, yeah? (Does someone want to nominate it?)
Geoscientist magazine@geoscientistmag.bsky.social · last mo.Anna Grayson tells the story of an unusual blue mineral that challenged experts, attracted international attention and ultimately revealed new insights into Aerinite, now on display at @nhm-london.bsky.social. geoscientist.online/sections/fea... #geology #geoscience #mineral #morocco
#MinCup26 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 sci fi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐 Get those great minerals on the lineup! Nominate the now!
Mineral Cup & Ore Cup@mineralcup.bsky.social · last mo.58 days 😬 Nominate now because we’ll be setting the lineup sometime very, very soon.
58 days 😬 Nominate now because we’ll be setting the lineup sometime very, very soon.
Mika McKinnon@mikamckinnon.bsky.social · last mo.I just realized it’s 59 days until Mineral Cup #MinCup26 and I AM NOT READY. We need to lock in the competitors early this year Because Reasons, so nominate NOW: www.mineralcup.org/nominations Tip: Reasons make us more likely to pick a mineral as it’s easier to imagine how it can campaign.
This is beside the point but I met a very good dog named Moly, which turned out to be short for Molybdenum. Weirdly enough she was owned by an MD, not a geologist.
🚨Funding for 2yr postdoc w/ me & @geocron.bsky.social on landslide-tsunami-jökulhlaup project, but (this is the ridiculous part) I need to select someone NOW or I lose the $. If you're NOT in Canada (can be any nationality) and interested, send me your CV and transcripts by midnight MT, June 12. 🧪⚒️
Are you already waiting for September, for #MinCup26 and the 10th anniverary of #MinCup? To shorten your waiting time, have a look at this article on the history of MinCup 😍👇
Mineral Cup & Ore Cup@mineralcup.bsky.social · 2mo agoWe did a thing: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
For your geo-bracket cravings:
Dr. Erik Klemetti Gonzalez@eruptions.site · 2mo agoWelcome to the 2026 Volcano World Cup! Here's a little introductory post about the Volcano World Cup for the uninitiated. Look for Group A coming out at the end of the week to start us off. eruptions.site/2026/06/08/w... #volcanoworldcup
Very nice article about #MinCup - talks about its joy and utility for #geoscience outreach as well as some of the challenges. (Pssst: if you've never participated, follow the @mineralcup account and prepare for fun and learning this September!)
Mineral Cup & Ore Cup@mineralcup.bsky.social · 2mo agoWe did a thing: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Which minerals could compete this September? Nominations are open! www.mineralcup.org/nominations All nominations are read. Providing reasons why a particular mineral is appealing makes us more likely to select it.
Nominations — Mineral Cup & Ore Cup
mineralcup.org
⚒️🧪 Hey Norway! Did you feel that earthquake in the Oslo area? This isn't a common thing there, so letting scientists know what you felt is super helpful for understanding the effects and their extent! You can click the "I felt this earthquake" link here! www.emsc.eu/Earthquake_i...
Earthquake= Magnitude 3.0 - SOUTHERN NORWAY - 2026-04-26 07:24:54.0 UTC
Earthquake information= Magnitude: 3.0, Region: SOUTHERN NORWAY, Date time: 2026-04-26 07:24:54.0 UTC, Location: 59.9977 ; 11.1329, Depth: 5 km.
emsc.eu
Help? We’re applying for a geoscience outreach award. We need nomination letters. Are you someone working in geoscience education or outreach, think Mineral Cup is worthy, and are willing to write us kind words by May 22? Please drop a note to hastagmincup@gmail.com for details. Thank you!
Today: during #hedgewatch on #Fuerteventura we found this #granite that was greeting us with a #heart made of #feldspar - interior & rim are feldspar. The other #mineral's are #quartz & #mica. We wish a wonderful Sunday #PawForScale #geologywithcats #geology #rocks #rock @mineralcup.bsky.social
So, we have not only a meat rock aka Rhodochrosite, but also a chocolate rock - Xocolatlite. @mineralcup.bsky.social, can we have some food for next year? Well, this year already :) #mineral #mineralnames www.mindat.org/min-38843.html
Xocolatlite
Probably related to kuranakhite.
mindat.org
Congratulations to the 2025 Denison Mineral Cup Champion: Tourmaline! Natalie dispatched Matt's Olivine in the Finals by a slim margin. Great job by all.
Introducing our #OreCup winner and IMA Ore Mineral of the Year, #COPPER!
Ore Mineral of the Year Copper — Mineral Cup & Ore Cup
Native copper in a prehnite-lined vug from Michigan, USA. Credit: David M. Maietta
mineralcup.org
2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate? Copper! Copper! Yay!! Congratulations to #OreCup winner and IMA Ore Mineral of the Year #Copper!
Ore Mineral of the Year Copper — Mineral Cup & Ore Cup
Native copper in a prehnite-lined vug from Michigan, USA. Credit: David M. Maietta
mineralcup.org
Congratulations to #OreCup winner and IMA Ore Mineral of the Year #Copper!
Ore Mineral of the Year Copper — Mineral Cup & Ore Cup
Native copper in a prehnite-lined vug from Michigan, USA. Credit: David M. Maietta
mineralcup.org
