October 1, 2026 at 12:19 AM
#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 8:
It’s a pair of soft and lovely minerals as Stichtite and Talc compete for your votes.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
It’s a pair of soft and lovely minerals as Stichtite and Talc compete for your votes.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
September 8, 2026 at 12:54 AM
#MinCup26 SEMI-FINALS!!!
It's showdown of the soft and cubical as coppery #Cuprite and salty #Halite compete for a spot in the finals! Both are worthy, but only one can have your vote.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
It's showdown of the soft and cubical as coppery #Cuprite and salty #Halite compete for a spot in the finals! Both are worthy, but only one can have your vote.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
September 29, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Riebeckite: curling stones and asbestos.
Gadolinite-(Y): rare earths and radiation. Also thermoluminescence.
Gadolinite seems to have a slight edge in Cool Stuff factors — but curling stones outweigh them. So I'm #TeamRiebeckite.
#MinCup #Mineralcup2026
Gadolinite-(Y): rare earths and radiation. Also thermoluminescence.
Gadolinite seems to have a slight edge in Cool Stuff factors — but curling stones outweigh them. So I'm #TeamRiebeckite.
#MinCup #Mineralcup2026
#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 14
Average hardness and dark colours are camouflage for crystalline oddness lurking within blue asbestos #Riebeckite vs rare earth element #Gadolinite-(Y).
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
Average hardness and dark colours are camouflage for crystalline oddness lurking within blue asbestos #Riebeckite vs rare earth element #Gadolinite-(Y).
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
September 14, 2026 at 12:34 AM
Riebeckite: curling stones and asbestos.
Gadolinite-(Y): rare earths and radiation. Also thermoluminescence.
Gadolinite seems to have a slight edge in Cool Stuff factors — but curling stones outweigh them. So I'm #TeamRiebeckite.
#MinCup #Mineralcup2026
Gadolinite-(Y): rare earths and radiation. Also thermoluminescence.
Gadolinite seems to have a slight edge in Cool Stuff factors — but curling stones outweigh them. So I'm #TeamRiebeckite.
#MinCup #Mineralcup2026
Seriously? Asagiite is beating quartz in #MineralCup2026? Do people not realize that amethyst is quartz? Vote for the purple! #MinCup
September 6, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Seriously? Asagiite is beating quartz in #MineralCup2026? Do people not realize that amethyst is quartz? Vote for the purple! #MinCup
I voted for azurite, but I acknowledge the colorfulness of smithsonite. Sherbet rocks! #MinCup #MineralCup2026 #MineralCup.
Y'all doin' smithsonite dirty with that photo! The rainbow display case at the Tucson show is something to bebold.
September 1, 2026 at 6:59 PM
I voted for azurite, but I acknowledge the colorfulness of smithsonite. Sherbet rocks! #MinCup #MineralCup2026 #MineralCup.
Julienite may change color like Sleeping Beauty's dress.
But calcite is thermoluminescent and sometimes fluorescent. I've always liked calcite, so I'm totally #TeamCalcite. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
But calcite is thermoluminescent and sometimes fluorescent. I've always liked calcite, so I'm totally #TeamCalcite. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
September 11, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Julienite may change color like Sleeping Beauty's dress.
But calcite is thermoluminescent and sometimes fluorescent. I've always liked calcite, so I'm totally #TeamCalcite. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
But calcite is thermoluminescent and sometimes fluorescent. I've always liked calcite, so I'm totally #TeamCalcite. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
I'm 100% Team Gypsum. It makes such weird and wonderful shapes. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
September 10, 2026 at 12:24 AM
I'm 100% Team Gypsum. It makes such weird and wonderful shapes. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
Seriously, gypsum looks like Dale Chihuly sculpted it. I love Chihuly's glass art, so I'm all in for gypsum. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
September 10, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Seriously, gypsum looks like Dale Chihuly sculpted it. I love Chihuly's glass art, so I'm all in for gypsum. #MinCup #MineralCup2026
"Do not lick" is always persuasive ("do not even breathe nearby" is downright compelling), but... SALT! This time I'm going with "Yes, lick!"
I have many reasons to be #TeamHalite, and one of them is that there's a giant salt mine underneath Detroit. How cool is that?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
I have many reasons to be #TeamHalite, and one of them is that there's a giant salt mine underneath Detroit. How cool is that?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 13
It's a match between a mineral you want to be cautious breathing near and one you eat every day as arsenic-rich #arsenopyrite is against table salt #halite.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
It's a match between a mineral you want to be cautious breathing near and one you eat every day as arsenic-rich #arsenopyrite is against table salt #halite.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
September 13, 2026 at 9:53 PM
"Do not lick" is always persuasive ("do not even breathe nearby" is downright compelling), but... SALT! This time I'm going with "Yes, lick!"
I have many reasons to be #TeamHalite, and one of them is that there's a giant salt mine underneath Detroit. How cool is that?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
I have many reasons to be #TeamHalite, and one of them is that there's a giant salt mine underneath Detroit. How cool is that?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
Cassiterite — tin — its usefulness going back to ancient times.
Graphite — its usefulness going back to ancient times.
How to decide?
I just glanced up and noticed my desk lamp — the base is shaped like a pencil. So, I'll vote for the pencil mineral. Graphite it is!
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
Graphite — its usefulness going back to ancient times.
How to decide?
I just glanced up and noticed my desk lamp — the base is shaped like a pencil. So, I'll vote for the pencil mineral. Graphite it is!
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 16
It's a pair of industrially-vital minerals for the final match of the first round as tin ore #Cassiterite is up against elemental carbon #Graphite.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
It's a pair of industrially-vital minerals for the final match of the first round as tin ore #Cassiterite is up against elemental carbon #Graphite.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
September 16, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Cassiterite — tin — its usefulness going back to ancient times.
Graphite — its usefulness going back to ancient times.
How to decide?
I just glanced up and noticed my desk lamp — the base is shaped like a pencil. So, I'll vote for the pencil mineral. Graphite it is!
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
Graphite — its usefulness going back to ancient times.
How to decide?
I just glanced up and noticed my desk lamp — the base is shaped like a pencil. So, I'll vote for the pencil mineral. Graphite it is!
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
Sorry, Asagiite, but I'm completely Team Quartz, and not just because amethyst, my favorite gemstone, is quartz.
This is quartz. How could I not vote for it?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
This is quartz. How could I not vote for it?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
September 6, 2026 at 12:36 AM
Sorry, Asagiite, but I'm completely Team Quartz, and not just because amethyst, my favorite gemstone, is quartz.
This is quartz. How could I not vote for it?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
This is quartz. How could I not vote for it?
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
I voted for graphite, but I'm having voter's remorse because I keep thinking about how cassiterite is tin and tin was really important in Roman Britain, my favorite historical time and place.
So if there's a last-hour surge for cassiterite, I'll cheer it on.
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
So if there's a last-hour surge for cassiterite, I'll cheer it on.
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 16
It's a pair of industrially-vital minerals for the final match of the first round as tin ore #Cassiterite is up against elemental carbon #Graphite.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
It's a pair of industrially-vital minerals for the final match of the first round as tin ore #Cassiterite is up against elemental carbon #Graphite.
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
September 16, 2026 at 11:10 PM
I voted for graphite, but I'm having voter's remorse because I keep thinking about how cassiterite is tin and tin was really important in Roman Britain, my favorite historical time and place.
So if there's a last-hour surge for cassiterite, I'll cheer it on.
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
So if there's a last-hour surge for cassiterite, I'll cheer it on.
#MinCup #MineralCup2026
I went to the Cranbrook Institute of Science (Oakland County, Michigan) to look for minerals that are in #MineralCup2026. I found lots of quartz, which is winning today's match. I love quartz's infinite variety.
September 20, 2026 at 10:34 PM
I went to the Cranbrook Institute of Science (Oakland County, Michigan) to look for minerals that are in #MineralCup2026. I found lots of quartz, which is winning today's match. I love quartz's infinite variety.