Photo Contest
Currently Running club competitionS
We formally announce our next annual club photography contest. We are actively taking club member photography submissions for our 5th club-wide Millie Hurt Mineral Photography Contest. The prize for the best photo image will be awarded by the judges and announced in the club newsletter. You can click on the images to magnify them for better viewing. This will run from January 1st, 2025 to March 31st, 2025.
by FreePNG.com
The 5th Annual Millie Hurt Mineral
Photography Contest
The Rules
Club members in good standing can submit up to five photographs of minerals in their personal collection. The photos must be submitted in electronic format and emailed to either Brad Zylman (brad.zylman@mrm-mccann.com) or Dave Lurie (dlurie2001@comcast.net). Photos must be at least 1024 by 768 pixels in order to be posted for consideration. If you're looking for some quick tips on mineral photography, just click here.
The photos must be accompanied by a document (.doc) or text file (.txt) that lists what the specimen is, where it was found and whether it was purchased or self-collected. It can also contain any descriptive information that you wish others to know. This document must have the following wording in it: “I give my permission to post this photo and information on the MMS website, Instagram, and on Facebook in perpetuity.” In return, we will not use your name or publish personal information.
When: Starting January 1, 2025. Ending March 31, 2025.
Where: Material, if sent in a usable format, will be posted within a month on the MMS website (www.michmin.org), under the About Us tab. It will be public-facing with the intention to generate interest and highlight our club.
Why: To promote the interests of mineral collecting, geology and to create excitement for the Michigan Mineralogical Society. We have renamed the contest in honor of Millie Hurt's memory, and her passion to share mineral collecting with the world.
The Prize: The Best three photographs of the Year will receive cash prizes.
We hope all MMS Members take out their Smartphones or Cameras and Submit your Photos Today!!
Previous Year's WInners
red River Gypsum
Moroccan Geode
Chinese Fluorite
Sylvania Calcite
Chihuahua Mimetite
Bi-Color Smithsonite
Moroccan natrolite
Epidote on Quartz
English Fluorite
Click on any Image to magnify it.
2025 january entries
Mineral Variety: Gypsum var. selenite
Locality: Samalayuca Desert, Ahumada Municipality, Chihuahua Mexico
Dimensions:11 x 10 x 8 cm
Weight: 382 grams
Collection Method: Purchased in 2012
DESCRIPTION: Beautiful, aesthetic specimen a Selenite Gypsum “Desert Rose” with large well formed crystals with frosted white edges
Mineral Variety: Calcite
Locality: Red Cliff Cave, Red Cliff Campground, Gallatin County, Montana, USA
Dimensions: 12 x 11 x 6 cm
Weight: 655 grams
Collection Method: Purchased in 2024
DESCRIPTION: Two large golden yellow dog-tooth (scalenohedral) Calcite crystals with many other small crystals on matrix.
Mineral Variety: Fluorite with barite
Locality: Elmwood Mine, Smith County, Tennessee
Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.8 x 3.4 cm
Weight: 147 grams
Collection Method: Purchased in 2024
DESCRIPTION: A beautiful and very aesthetic specimen of creamy white Barite on top of a gorgeous blue/purple cube with great zoning.
Mineral Variety: Cuprosklodowskite
Locality: Musonoi Mine, Democratic Republic of Congo
Dimensions: 2.1 x 3.7 x 0.7cm
Collection Method: Purchased
DESCRIPTION: Beautiful needles and sprays of bright green Cuprosklodowskite crystals. It is fairly large for such a rare specimen.
Mineral Variety: corundum var. ruby
Locality: Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
Dimensions: 3.9 x 3.5 x 1.6 cm
Weight: 21 grams
Collection Method: Purchased online in 2024
DESCRIPTION: A single, small dark pinkish red well-formed Ruby crystal sits atop marble matrix.
Mineral Variety: Malachite
Locality: Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa
Dimensions: 18 x 6 x 4.1 cm
Weight: 436 grams
Collection Method: Purchased in 2024
DESCRIPTION: Dark emerald green Malachite stalactite with a wonderful sparkly green exterior finish.