Mineralogical Almanac volume 23, issue 1, 2018 - Mineral Observer

In this issue of Mineralogical Almanac we have summarised the main events in 2017. The main article by Eugeniy G. Gapanyuk, the curator of the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation, is devoted to this fund which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2017. This paper describes the history of this exhibition which is unique in the world and highlights the displays of the Diamond Fund. Yulia D. Gritsenko and Ekaterina I. Gerasimova report the results of a study of the unique size and perfection of crystals of morimotoite, which were recently mined at the Odikhincha alkaline pluton in North Siberia. Dmitry A. Kliemenov and Alexander L. Usov describe an exhibit of fulgurites (“petrified lightning”) in the Urals Geological Museum. A paper by Yuriy B. Marin, the President of the Russian Mineralogical Society, is devoted to the 200th Anniversary of this society. Vladimir I. Pavlishin, our frequent author, devoted his historical notes to Alexander N. Karnozhitskiy and Alexander A. Godovikov in the column “Prominent Mineralogists.” In the column “My Mineralogical Journey,” we publish an autobiographical essay by Boris Z. Kantor, a famous Russian collector, an expert in mineral ontogeny, and a talented writer of popular-science books and articles for mineral collectors. Next to that his paper entitled “Quartz Twins by Japan Law and Native Copper” in the column “Guide to the Ontogeny of Minerals” is published. As is our tradition we also publish reviews of mineral shows in 2017 in Russia and major shows around the world: Saint-Maire-aux-Mines, Denver and Munich. These were prepared by our international team.

104 pages, 272 illustrations including 133 mineral photos.