Collections

• Our collections
  • Systematic collection
  • Gem and meteorite collections
  • Type collection
• History
• Virtual Visit
  • Main Stairs
  • Room A: Exceptional minerals
  • Room B: Haüy room
  • Room G: Native elements
  • Room I: Sulfides, halides, oxides
  • Room J: Fischesser room
  • Room K: Carbonates, oxides
  • Room L: Carbonates, borates, sulfates
  • Room M: Sulfates
  • Room N: Phosphates, arsenates, vanadates
  • Room O: Silicates
• Panoramic Views
• Exhibits
  • Gems from the Crown Jewels
  • Meteorites
    • Canyon Diablo Meteorite
    • Martian Meteorites
    • Lunar meteorites

Room O: Silicates

Floor map of the Mineralogy Museum

Room O or Room Guillemin* is a large room at the very end of the gallery. It contains the largest group of minerals: silicates, which represent the majority of the minerals present in the Earth’s crust. Among other mineral species, are samples of tourmaline, garnet, zeolite, peridot, amphibole, pyroxene, mica, feldspar, epidotes, etc. By the windows, there are very interesting display cases of artificial minerals.

* Guillemin was the curator at the museum from 1957 to 1993.

Tourmaline

(Display case O57, specimen #5515, from Mesa Grande, San Diego Co., California, USA)

Beryl variety Aquamarine

(Display case, specimen #4709, from Rossing, Swakopmund, Namibia)

Grossular garnet

(Display case O42, sample #83239, from Sierre Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico)

Grossular garnet and diopside

(Display case O42, sample #5907, from Val d'Ala, Torino, Italy)

Spessartite garnet

(Display case O41, sample #16733, from Thomas Range, Juab Co., Utah, USA )

Olivine

(Display case O40, sample #45645, from Daso Mine, Kohestan, Pakistan)

Spodumene, variety Kunzite

(Display case O59, specimen #74133, from Konar, Afghanistan)