Bright yellow, delicately fibrous, and often brilliantly fluorescent, uranophane is one of nature’s most captivating uranium minerals. Discover how these remarkable crystals formed at the historic Yates Uranium Mine near Otter Lake, Québec, why they glow beneath ultraviolet light, and how they represent the final stage in a geological journey that began more than one billion years ago. Through specimens preserved in the Donald Wininger Collection, we explore one of the Grenville Province’s most fascinating mineral stories.
For more than a billion years, zircon crystals from Ontario’s famous Saranac Mine have quietly recorded the passage of geological time. Discover how these remarkable crystals formed deep within the Grenville Province, why their own natural radioactivity gradually reshapes them from the inside out, and why zircon has become one of the most scientifically important minerals ever discovered. Historic specimens from the Donald Wininger Collection offer a fascinating glimpse into one of Canada’s classic mineral localities.
Discover the fascinating story of dolomite from New York, Ohio, and Missouri, where three classic American regions reveal the beauty and diversity of one of Earth’s most misunderstood minerals. Learn the difference between dolomite and dolostone, explore how sparkling crystals formed over millions of years, and discover why historic specimens from the Donald Wininger Collection continue to captivate collectors today.
Journey deep into Earth’s ancient past through serpentine from the historic Ropes Gold Mine near Ishpeming, Michigan. Learn how some of the planet’s oldest rocks were transformed into beautiful green serpentine, discover the story of Michigan’s first successful gold mine, and explore a historic specimen from the Donald Wininger Collection, where geology, mining history, and collector heritage come together.
Discover the breathtaking sky-blue celestite crystals that made Pugh Quarry in Custar, Ohio, one of America’s most celebrated mineral localities. Explore how these remarkable crystals formed within an ancient tropical sea, why collectors have prized them for generations, and discover the story behind a historic specimen from the Donald Wininger Collection, where geology, history, and exceptional beauty come together.
Discover the remarkable story of hexagonite from Fowler, New York, the world’s classic locality for this beautiful violet amphibole. Learn how these distinctive crystals formed within the billion-year-old Grenville Province, why collectors have treasured them for generations, and explore a historic specimen from the Donald Wininger Collection, where geology, rarity, and collecting history come together.
Discover the remarkable story of South Dakota Sand Calcite, one of America’s most fascinating collector minerals. Learn how perfectly formed calcite crystals naturally grew around ancient quartz sand, explore the history of the famous South Dakota collecting localities, and uncover why these unusual specimens have captivated collectors for generations. Featuring a historic specimen from the Donald Wininger Collection, this in-depth guide explores the geology, rarity, provenance, and enduring appeal of these extraordinary sand-filled crystals.
Discover the fascinating story of fluoro-richterite from Bancroft, Ontario, one of Canada’s most celebrated mineral localities. Explore the geology of the ancient Grenville Province, the history of Bancroft’s legendary collecting sites, and the unique conditions that formed this rare amphibole mineral. Featuring specimens from the Donald Wininger Collection—a remarkable three-generation family collection spanning much of the twentieth century—this in-depth guide examines classic localities, associated minerals, collecting history, and the enduring appeal of these historic Canadian specimens.
