Young Mineral Collectors

07/24/2026

Welcome to the twentythird episode of Under the Radar where we feature outstanding members of the mineral community with a focus on young talents and beyond!

Our next guest is Shanice McBean. She collects English fluorite and is the founder of NXT GEN Mineral Collectors. In this video, Shanice explains her collecting focus and her activity in the UK.

The host for the show is young collector and mineral photographer, Matthew Parshchikov from Bonn, Germany.

Check out Shanice here: https://www.instagram.com/beansfluorite/

Watch here: https://youtu.be/862j0_6YnAE

Welcome to the twentythird episode of Under the Radar where we feat...

06/29/2026

Our next YMC photo contest winner is Eric He eric 🎉

Amethyst scepter with blue fluorite
Gaojing Mountain, Huqiu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
FOV 21mm

Fluorite and amethyst is not a common combo, much less blue fluorite with amethyst. This is from a tiny find last year of only a few pieces - this being the best I’ve seen.

06/19/2026

On June 13, 2026, a number of Young Mineral Collector members visited the Topaz Mountain Gem Mine in Colorado for an amazing field trip that yielded beautiful topaz crystals, friendships, and unforgettable memories. Scroll to see both photos and videos of this trip!

Here is a recollection of some notable moments as described by member Jesse Sansevere:
"I think there was 19 of us. A 747.5 carat topaz was found by Anna Merritt. At least 8 topaz crystals were found as well as numerous small smoky quartz crystals. Three families attended who had one child with them - having kids on this trip or under 18 was a first I believe.
Perfect weather. Linda and Richard of Pinnacle 5 guided and supervised. Multiple “cutters” gem quality topaz were found. They had flats of available specimens to look through at 50% off price tags and they sold a good ten specimens at least. People even attended from out of state."

Big thanks to Pinnacle 5 Minerals for allowing us to experience a fantastic field trip at their property!
Thanks as well to Jesse Sansevere (Made of Minerals) for the media.

06/16/2026

We are excited to announce our next museum tour event will be Saturday, July 25th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In the morning, we’ll be heading to the Monongahela Rockhounds Show, which is Pittsburgh’s top show for mineral specimens. In the afternoon, our own Education Chair, Chris Emproto, will lead a “behind the scenes” tour at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History where attendees will get to see how CMNH’s collections are stored as well as learn how minerals are analyzed and identified. You can even bring a few of your own specimens to be analyzed during the tour! After dinner, collectors are invited to see the collection of YMC member Ray Galeza. Please fill out this interest survey if you are considering attending. Attendance will be limited to 10–12 people. Get in contact with Chris or email leadership ([email protected]) if you have any questions about this event. There is no fee to attend, although you are responsible for your own transportation, food, and accommodations. Note that you must be current on your YMC dues to take part!

Please respond through this survey if you are thinking about attending the trip. Responses must be received by July 20th.

Link in Bio!

TENTATIVE INFORMATION
Museum: Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date: 25th of July, 2026
Tour Guide: Chris Emproto

06/16/2026

Welcome to the twentysecond episode of Under the Radar where we feature outstanding members of the mineral community with a focus on young talents and beyond!

Our next guest is David Giacomini, an artist who is painting with alum and whose canvas is a natural mineral matrix. In this video, David talks about his modern view of synthetic crystals and tells some collecting stories.

The host for the show is young collector and mineral photographer, Matthew Parshchikov from Bonn, Germany.

Check out David here:
https://www.instagram.com/minerals_de_lux/

https://youtu.be/3BvG7JtboTI

Welcome to the twentysecond episode of Under the Radar where we fea...

06/04/2026

YMC ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION!

The hobby of collecting rocks and minerals originates from a scientific endeavor, but is nowadays more commonly being promoted from an aesthetic perspective instead. What's your opinion on this change in focus to rocks and minerals being pretty objects?

We’d love to hear your thoughts, so write your replies in this post! Please try to limit responses to around 150 words, though longer responses may periodically be accepted. Select comments may be featured in YMC’s “The Spotlight” Newsletter! (Comments may be edited at the discretion of staff.)

05/21/2026

Welcome to the twentyfirst episode of Under the Radar where we feature outstanding members of the mineral community with a focus on young talents and beyond!

Our next guest is Tama Higuchi, a young mineral (thumbnail) collector and watercolor mineral artist (though she is not limited to that medium). In this video, Tama shows some of her favorite paintings and gives an insight into an artists' life.

The host for the show is young collector and mineral photographer, Matthew Parshchikov from Bonn, Germany.

Check out Tama here:
https://www.instagram.com/tamaminerals/
https://www.instagram.com/tama.mineral.art/

Watch here: Welcome to the twentyfirst episode of Under the Radar where we feature outstanding members of the mineral community with a focus on young talents and beyond!

Our next guest is Tama Higuchi, a young mineral (thumbnail) collector and watercolor mineral artist (though she is not limited to that medium). In this video, Tama shows some of her favorite paintings and gives an insight into an artists' life.

The host for the show is young collector and mineral photographer, Matthew Parshchikov from Bonn, Germany.

Check out Tama here:
https://www.instagram.com/tamaminerals/
https://www.instagram.com/tama.mineral.art/

Watch here: https://[youtu.be/-308YMDr99w?is=7VaS55_KC2SOKnRp](youtu.be/-308YMDr99w?is=7VaS55_KC2SOKnRp)

Welcome to the twentyfirst episode of Under the Radar where we feat...

05/13/2026

YMC ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION!

What's a hobby without a community to share your interests with? Often the best way to get new people into the rock and mineral hobby is to share your enthusiasm and geek out about what you enjoy about it. Share some ways you've managed to get others interested or even addicted to rocks and minerals!

We’d love to hear your thoughts, so write your replies in this post! Please try to limit responses to around 150 words, though longer responses may periodically be accepted. Select comments may be featured in YMC’s “The Spotlight” Newsletter! (Comments may be edited at the discretion of staff.)

05/12/2026

Digging into adventure with the Young Mineral Collectors at Pinnacle 5 Minerals private Topaz Mountain Gem Mine. 💎⛏️
Join us for our second Colorado field trip on Saturday, June 13, 2026. It’ll be a day of topaz hunting, mineral discoveries, and unforgettable memories in the Colorado Rockies.
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All Ages welcome. Be sure to visit the link for additional information and instructions to planning your visit.

Link in bio!

05/06/2026

Our next YMC photo contest winner is Michał Ulikowski 🎉

Native Copper
Kazakhstan
29mm

"The specimen exhibits a dendritic structure typical for the species and presents an uncommon, vivid colouration attributed to the layer of secondary compounds containing copper at various levels of oxidation."