#MineralMonday Pyromorphite, Bunker Hill Mine, Idaho USA, 1.3 cm⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Rhodochrosite, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, quartz, brown dolomite on top of everything, Butte, Montana USA. Overall 14,5 cm wide. richardigibson.substack.com/p/one-butte-... ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

One Butte Specimen

Dolomite, siderite, something in between, or something else?

richardigibson.substack.com

#MineralMonday Native copper in skarn, Silver Star, Montana USA. Overall cut slab 27 cm, FOV of main image 8x6 cm. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Purple coquimbite aluminum-iron sulfate, yellow copiapite, Javier Mine, Peru. richardigibson.substack.com/p/coquimbite ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

Coquimbite

Pretty in purple

richardigibson.substack.com

#MineralMonday Quartz, Boulder Batholith, Montana USA, 122 mm. Some might call this jacaré quartz (from Portuguese for alligator), or maybe some variation of fenster (“window”). ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

500 bike miles is less than previous years for me at this point, largely because of wind and smoke here in Montana (I’ve said I’m a fair-weather biker), but given my age I’m pretty happy that that number, reached yesterday, is so much more than zero.

The T-shirt I had made for the party to celebrate Krakatau's centennial is now 43 years old.... design by Roxi.

For no particular reason, I compiled this list of US import dependency on Canada for various mineral commodities. Those highlighted in yellow and marked with an asterisk are those for which Canada is the leading source of imports to the US.

#MineralMonday Chalcosiderite, CuFe6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O, San Salvador Hill Pit, Tyrone Mine, Grant Co., New Mexico. FOV 5 mm ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Mimetite on coronadite, Mt. Bonnie, Northern Territory, Australia. Largest hexagon = 5 mm ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Fluorite, Cholla Cat Mine, Alamo Mining District, La Paz County, Arizona, approx. 35 mm vertically ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Purple apatite, probably from Pulsifer, Maine, 7 & 9 mm. richardigibson.substack.com/p/classic-ap... ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

Classic apatite

From Maine

richardigibson.substack.com

This is a perfect description of everything right now. The dissonance between disaster and tragedy and having to continue with normal things like work.

@twitchypaws.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Everything is on fire. It's cold here. The sky is grey. The birds are chirping. Everything is on fire yet I still must go to work. Yesterday was the busiest day in a long time at the restaurant. I don't know what to do. I have to go cook. #spokane #wildFires

#MineralMonday Galena, barite, quartz, and little orange balls of sphalerite (analyzed), Butte, Montana USA. 3 x 2.5 cm ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Multicolored chrysocolla coating hemimorphite crystals; blue-green balls = chrysocolla coated thinly with malachite fibers. 40 mm, probably 79 Mine, Arizona USA ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Covellite, Butte, Montana USA. Left edge of large blade is 12 mm. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Calcite in the form of molar-tooth structures. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience richardigibson.substack.com/p/molar-toot...

Molar-tooth structure

Not exactly fossils

richardigibson.substack.com

#MineralMonday Anatase, White Mountains, California USA. 1.1 mm. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Cylindrite, Pb3Sn4FeSb2S14, Santa Cruz Mine, Poopó, Bolivia. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience richardigibson.substack.com/p/cylindrite...

Cylindrite and Franckeite

Sulfosalts from Bolivia

richardigibson.substack.com

After yesterday’s snow in #Butte, #Montana, today we have full-on summer. The snow didn’t accumulate, although it’s typical for the second week of June to have an inch or two more often than not.

#MineralMonday Yellow mimetite and colorless hemimorphite, Ojuela, Mexico. About 9 cm. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

“A warmer world is not simply today’s world with better air conditioners and more sunscreen.” liafailwallaceterrycjr.substack.com/p/the-miocen...

The Miocene Trap: Why the distant past is not a comfort for rapidly warming planet

The Earth as seen from the Artemis II mission; the image is lite by moonlight.

liafailwallaceterrycjr.substack.com

#MineralMonday Okenite in a basalt cavity, Kandivali (Malad) Quarry, Mumbai, India, 25 cm. richardigibson.substack.com/p/okenite ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Unknown for now: possibly philipsbornite (a lead-aluminum arsenate) or zincolivenite (copper-zinc arsenate) from Black Pine Mine, Montana USA. Crystals are about 1.0-1.5 mm ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Rhodochrosite on green botryoidal caryopilite, Potosi Mine, Santa Eulalia, Mexico, overall ~5 cm. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

Nice tribute to my friend Mike Stickney, retired after 45 years at the #Earthquake office of the #Montana Bureau of Mines & #Geology. #Seismology www.usgs.gov/observatorie...

A tribute to Mike Stickney, Montana’s earthquake expert!

Mike Stickney was a one-person earthquake hazards show in Montana for 45 years and a valuable contributor to the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. His retirement in 2025 is a good excuse to celebrate h...

usgs.gov

#MineralMonday Conichalcite, calcium-copper arsenate hydrated, Black Range, New Mexico USA, FOV 1 cm. ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

#MineralMonday Clinoptilolite, Bald Mountain Skarn, Rader Creek area, Montana. richardigibson.substack.com/p/bald-mount... ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

By my friend Rob Thomas.

The Geological Society of America (GSA)@geosociety.bsky.social · 5mo ago

NEW in the Geology Rocks! series: “Montana Rocks!” coming soon! Explore 60 top geologic sites across Big Sky Country with Robert C. Thomas. From iconic landscapes to hidden gems—perfect for rockhounds, travelers, educators, and geology fans. 📚 Pre-order: Geosociety.co/MontanaRocks

#MineralMonday Three spodumenes - richardigibson.substack.com/p/a-tale-of-... ⚒️ #geology . No MAGA! Science = Resistance! #standupforscience

A tale of three spodumenes

A source of lithium

richardigibson.substack.com