Collectors of everything unique, rare, and beautiful have often asked what all the recent fuss is about fancy ‘rocks’ or Fine Minerals. On a recent beautiful spring day, a panel of specialists on the subject of Fine Minerals gathered at the KNPB PBS affiliate studios in Reno to talk with Brent Boynton, Vice President of News & Production, about the passion behind Fine Mineral exhibits, mining, collecting, and dealing, and the explosive growth happening in this collectibles industry.
The video of this half-hour program, which aired in the Reno area on May 8th and May 10th, can be seen in the KNPB archives here: http://watch.knpb.org/video/2365486765/
The panelists include:
• Garrett Barmore, W.M. Keck Museum Administrator, College of Science, Mackay School of Earth Sciences & Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno
• Dr. Robert (Rob) Lavinsky, Owner and Operator of The Arkenstone Gallery in Richardson, Texas
• Bryan Swoboda, President of BlueCap Productions in Honolulu, Hawaii
Some highlights of the videotaped conversation include:
• How the Keck Museum at UNR makes the world of Fine Minerals and fossils accessible to everyone, including students, rock hounds, geologists and collectors
• Information about the world’s largest gem and mineral show, the annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
• Why Fine Mineral collectors are attracted to these pieces of natural art and where they come from
• 360-degree video clip examples of some of the rarest and most beautiful Fine Mineral specimens
• How newcomers to Fine Minerals can become more educated about them
• Information on an upcoming Heritage Auction of the finest collection of tourmaline Fine Minerals, from collector Gerhard Wagner
