Mineral Monday is a weekly video series exploring the many amazing minerals, fossils, and historic objects on display at the W.M. Keck Earth Science and Mineral Engineering Museum as told by museum curator Garrett Barmore. Opal is known for its unique iridescence which makes it very popular amongst collectors and jewelers. This week, learn about common opal, precious opal and Nevada's state mineral, black fire opal! Pictured above is an opal matrix. Any guesses how this unique arrangement of opal was formed?
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More about the Keck Museum and Mineral Monday
Located in the Mackay School of Mines building at the University of Nevada, Reno, the W.M. Keck Earth Science and Mineral Engineering Museum is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first Saturday of the month from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
The Keck Museum houses an outstanding collection of minerals, ores, fossil specimens, and photographs, in addition to mining related relics. The museum is also home to some of the spectacular Mackay Silver Collection, created by Tiffany & Co., for John Mackay and completed in 1878.
For directions and museum details, visit unr.edu/keck.
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See you next Mineral Monday!
