CHILDHOOD COLLECTION LEADS TO CAREER IN MINERALS

 Recently I interviewed a mineral collector, Lauren Megaw, from the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. She had just returned from a geology work trip in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Megaw said she had a lot of opportunities to go to mineral shows when she was young and see some great rocks and minerals because her father was a geologist. She seriously started collecting minerals when she was six years old. Since then, she has continued collecting minerals. It’s been 22 years! It is surprising that her fun hobby turned into her profession.

Megaw’s father used to bring home mineral specimens from Santa Eulalia, a historic mining area that has been in operation since the 1700s. This is where she went on a geology work trip in Chihuahua. She said this place has interesting colors because it produces a lot of calcite and weird minerals. The many kinds of minerals she collects come to shows like the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, where people from all over the world bring their special minerals to share with the community and sell and buy, too.

When I asked what her favorite mineral was, Megaw said it was difficult to pick one, but that collecting chlorites from a mine called Roger Lee in England was the best. She described that it was covered with electric blue cubes and they have special properties. “When we take them into sunlight, they turn like true ultramarine, and when we shine a black light on them, they turn purple,” says Megaw. She will show them at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. Megaw also likes pyragyrite, with its ruby-silver color. I personally have collected mierals such as Quartz, Topaz and Brazilian Agate, but I would like to see and collect more.

 Speaking with Megaw, I learned a lot more about rocks and minerals and how to collect them. I look forward to going to the TGMS and see the minerals she described to me and I want to make a list of great minerals.

The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is Feb. 10–13 at the Tucson Convention Center. This year’s theme is “The Show That Glows.” Visit www.tgms.org  for more information on the exhibits and displays.

PHOTO CREDIT: youngmineralcollectors.org (There story about Lauren).

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