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@silicatefondue.fosstodon.org.ap.brid.gySep 7, 2026, 3:02 PM

Andalusite thin section in cross-polarized light. Faint chiastolitic (is that an adjective?) inclusion trails link the corners of the crystal. From an unknown locality, in our teaching collection.

#MinCup26 #MineralCup #Andalusite #Chiastolite #ThinSection

A rectangular grey crystal of andalusite (~ 3 mm diameter) surrounded by mica. Black trains of inclusions (graphite?) link the corners to the central core.
@salvaterra.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 2:38 PM

Round 1, match 7!

monazite-(Ce) VS andalusite in the #minerals sketchbook

#MinCup26 #SciArt #sketchbook

sketchbook page photo with a double-page spread of ink drawings of two minerals: monazite and andalusite, one in each page. black and white. a pen rests in the middle of the pages.
@minouette.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 1:33 PM

This round isn’t obvious for my art and/or physics voting scheme.

Andalusite gets arts points as gem & physics points for pleochroism & as index mineral.

Monazite-(Ce) get physics points as source of rare earths, radioactivity & as possible storage for radioactive waste.

#scicomm #mincup26

Monazite sample image, looking like an opaque olive x-shaped crystal against a black background. Via https://www.le-comptoir-geologique.com/monazite-encyclopedia.htmlRing with large oval cut andalusite gem surrounded by tiny cut stones and diamonds in a silver setting via Natural Gemstones.com
@andersonmineral.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 11:49 AM

I present to you on this Mineral Monday a very fine crystal of monazite, one of today’s Mineral Cup challengers. This one is from Joaquim Felício, Brazil. #MineralMonday #GeoscienceBluesky #MinCup26 ⚒️🧪

Brown crystal of monazite in a tray lined by white foam. At the Canadian Museum of Nature.
@mexporg.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 10:54 AM

Large #Monazite crystal from Iveland, Norway.

#MinCup26 #MinCup #mineral #crystal #mineralogy #mineralexpert #pegmatite

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@naturaelapides.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 7:26 AM

Two photos of delicate Franklinite crystals for this #MineralMonday, showing their striations and the contrast with the white matrix.

And don’t forget the Mineral Cup! #MinCup26
www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...

#MinCup #mineral #crystal #macrophotography #focusstacking

Cristaux métalliques de Franklinite noire sur une matrice blanche, arêtes arrondies et stries de croissanceCristaux métalliques de Franklinite noire sur une matrice blanche, arêtes arrondies et stries de croissance
@mexporg.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 7:20 AM

Columnar aggregate of #Andalusite from pegmatite near Sklené nad Oslavou, Czech Republic.

Size: 8 x 6.5 cm

#MinCup26 #MinCup #pegmatite #mineral #crystal #mineralogy #mineralexpert

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@ksircombe.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 2:25 AM

Vote #Monazite: the phosphate with the most-est for #MinCup26 ⚒️🧪
* Hangs out on beaches
* Provides rare earths for your phones and earbuds
* Sophisticated #geochronology mineral
* Fascinating crystal structure
* Beautiful shades of yellow & orange
* Has a street named after it (Mount Garnet, QLD 🇦🇺 )

Yellow street sign reading “MONAZITE ST” with a black left-pointing arrow mounted on a metal pole. The sign stands beside a dry grassy roadside in a rural or suburban area. A light-coloured building is visible on the left, a narrow road and scattered trees extend into the background, and part of a green vehicle is visible on the right. Above, a partly cloudy sky with patches of blue fills most of the image.
@mineralcup.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 2:16 AM

After a full audit triggered by the extreme disparity between campaigning vs apparent votes, #Quartz won by a margin of 2 votes over #Asagiite.

Please don’t ballot-stuff. #MinCup26 is about about joy, curiosity, & shared enthusiasm. Forcing a win is unfair to the minerals.

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@crystallised-cricket.comSep 7, 2026, 12:19 AM

Tough call for the #MinCup26 today - I do like that in #Andalusite the Al and Si atoms have their own places and stick to them (they often try to hog the same spot!), but I think that #Monazite-(Ce) just pips with its 9-coordinated Cerium atoms (talk about spreading the bonding love!).

Image representing the crystal structure of monazite-(Ce)- here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, lime-green spheres/polygons represent cerium atoms and purple spheres/polygons represent phosphorus atoms. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #1698 in the American mineralogist databaseImage representing the crystal structure of andalusite- here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, light blue spheres/polygons represent aluminium atoms and dark blue spheres/polygons represent silicon atoms. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #728 in the American mineralogist database
@sorosilicate.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 12:17 AM

Pink #andalusite intergrown with blue #kyanite — which came first? #Mincup26 #mineralcup

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@mineralcup.bsky.socialSep 7, 2026, 12:00 AM

#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 7

It's a color-changing match of informative minerals! Time-tracker #Monazite-(Ce)'s yellow in sunlight darkens to orange in incandescent light while index mineral #Andalusite is pleochroic

VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...

Split photo with yellow andalusite, backlit to show its color and its growth patterns, which have four-fold symmetry with branching dark streaks in each direction and a glassy amber-yellow crystal point in a craggy setting of smaller, lighter yellow crystals.
@bkania.bsky.socialSep 6, 2026, 9:57 PM

One last slide show of some of some amazing #Quartz specimens
#TeamQuartz
#Mincup26

Don't forget to vote, Anyone can participate.

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@mexporg.bsky.socialSep 6, 2026, 8:52 PM

Perfect natural #Citrine crystal from Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

This yellow #Quartz variety is very popular, but most of the specimens on the market is heat treated amethyst.

#MinCup26 #MinCup #mineral #crystal #mineralogy #mineralexpert

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@uselaine.bsky.socialSep 6, 2026, 8:45 PM

Everyone loves the February #Quartz known as Amethyst, but have you met her baked (complimentary) sister Citrine? #MinCup26 voters should keep in mind ALL the colors, and lay it down for Quartz.

A chunk of amethyst crystal next to a larger chunk of crystal citrine.
@eos.orgSep 6, 2026, 6:55 PM

The power of the Crystal Skull compels you … to vote for #quartz in this #MinCup26 face-off. (More on this beauty from @britishmuseum.bsky.social here www.britishmuseum.org/collection/o...)

A rock crystal skull, likely Brazilian quartz and carved by Mexican artists in the colonial period for a church or market. It’s not aliens.
@catwithgeologists.bsky.socialSep 6, 2026, 6:23 PM

Today it's #Quartz vs the newly discovered #Asagiite 😻 Sorry for the new #mineral but quartz makes the #clocks tick that remind our humans to serve us breakfast, lunch, dinner & the other meals & there are many.
#DoesItCat ? Yes
#MinCup26 #geologwithcats #geology

Jasper is reading his watch to figure out how many seconds he needs to wait until the next meal is served