Barites, Calcites, and Lots of Fun at the 2025 Denver Gem and Mineral Show!
Denver photographer and geologist Mark Jacobson photographing our case at the show.
We recently returned to Colorado for the second year in a row to participate in the 2025 Denver Gem & Mineral Show. The show was held in coordination with the Hardrock Summit at the Westin Westminster from September 4th through 7th - and this year's theme was "Worldwide Barites and Calcites." These two neat minerals are often associated together and can be found in various situations including hydrothermal veins, replacement deposits, and bedded deposits. Both calcite and barite have widespread commercial uses: calcite is a calcium carbonate mineral used in the construction, agriculture and pharmaceutical industrials, while barite is an important source of the element barium, which is used in the oil and gas and healthcare industries. Both minerals can be very beautiful and are popular with collectors, so this was a fun theme to choose.
At the show, we installed a special exhibit of barite and calcite specimens from our museum collection, which included 24 exceptional and historic pieces from Arizona and beyond. While the Arizona specimens came from our historical collection, the smaller mounted specimens were a newer addition to our museum: they are the United States collection of Robert Weaver, who donated them to us before he passed away in 2023. The barites and calcites from the Weaver collection came from interesting localities across the country including Colorado, South Dakota, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Wyoming, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, and Indiana. We also included a small tribute to Bob that read: “We thank Bob Weaver, who passed away in December 2023, for the generous donation of his United States collection - including the mounted specimens seen here.”
Other highlights of the show included attending an open house at the Colorado School of Mines Museum of Earth Science and an informal gathering of the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals. Enjoy photos of our exhibit below, and see you at the show next year!
