collecting minerals since 1978

Welcome

The family chronicle of Claeys - Van Vooren

How we started collecting minerals

History: Finding something sparkling!!!  In the summer of 1978 our family started to collect minerals during the holidays in L’Alpe D’huez , France. During a walk in the mountains our children found by coincidence some glittering crystals. The following excursions we met some rock hunters who found beautiful handpieces of rock crystals during their search in a cavity. We were fascinated by these wonderful creatures of nature. It awoke our interest. This was our first contact with the fascinating and interesting world of minerals. It would be the start of a family hobby which years later became a passion of collecting minerals. Back in Belgium we came in contact with a Belgium mineral & fossil club in Aalst. As this club was more specialised in fossils we became on the long run also member of other mineral clubs in Flanders and Wallony. Every month these clubs organised interesting lectures of famous locations and slides of gorgeous minerals. During these lectures and by reading literature we learned about the scientific aspects.

Collecting and searching in cavities...
During 1978 till 1984 we went on excursions in Flanders and South Belgium. We collected mainly fossils and some minerals. During these fieldtrips we found by ourselves fossils like brachiopod’s, teeth’s of sharks and as minerals, unusual forms of calcite crystals. Later we went visiting famous locations in the North of France and Germany. We collected more calcites, different quartz varieties like amethyst, agate, citrin and secondarily copper minerals. During our holiday in Brittany France we came in contact with a unusual geological landscape of this region. This woke my interest in primary volcanic and alkaline rocks. From 1980 till 1987 we collected mainly alpine minerals, especially from the region of "Hohe Tauern and Tirol’ in Austria. During these holidays our family experienced unforgettable rock hunting trips. We found treasures of the Alpes as emeralds and epidote crystals. Between 1985 and 1986 we became interested in a new item: collecting Micro-Mounts from the Eifel, Reichenbach Germany. In 1985 we started selling minerals. Starting from 1989 we visited famous locations around the world like: Mount Ida Arkansas USA, Mount Saint Hilaire, Jeffrey Mine, Bancroft, Yukon Canada, the Chibiny and Lovozero Mountains, the peninsula Kola Russia, Poona India and very quick we became globetrotters.

Starting with this small business we asked ourselves which name we should give our shop. Our daughter came with the idea to pick-up the 3 first letters of the first names from me and my wife. This was "geo” from Georges and "nic” from Nicole and the name "GEONIC” was born. Later on it was extended to "GEONIC MINERALEN COLLECTIE” and today this name finds resonance around the world. Next to an extensive scientific library we have a private collection of 1100 different minerals.

Why collecting minerals:
Very simply: it’s still fascinating to discover the secrets of nature. There is an incredible variety of minerals in shape and colour. For a beginner it’s important and necessary to consult mineralogical and geological books. It gives him a good possibility to find out which mineral he has and where he can find it. Because not every collector is wealthy enough for a private library about minerals and fossils, mineral societies and universities give the opportunity to answer many questions about minerals and fossils. Also very important is the international exchange among mutual mineral collectors. Thrust is often a difficult point and there must be trust and code of honour. Unfortunately some people have sometimes not always good intentions during searching minerals . Also the understanding between scientist and a common collector is sometimes not what it should be. This sometimes leads to misunderstandings and disappointments with beginning mineral collector. This problem is worldwide common. Therefore coaching is necessary. I started self like a common collector and I know this problem well. Through self-education I've learned that thrust and a fairly cooperation is important between other collectors and dealers.
The  collection
Today our collection consists of more than 1100 different minerals classified by category and alphabetically.

Classification according mineralgroups: Calcite: By unusual crystal forms Quartz: By color like amethyst, agate etc. and rock crystals Barites: According country Beryl, corundum, ruby: For the crystal form Fluorites: By crystal forms and color in combination with calcite, barite, quartz etc. Zeolites: By aesthetic and beautiful pieces from the Deccan Traps end other locations Classification according countries
Belgium: Micro-Mount minerals from locations in South Belgium Britanny,  France: Minerals from old locations specially from the island (Ile de Groix) Eifel, Germany: Micro-Mounts minerals from different locations in the Eifel region Reichenbach, Germany: Rare secondary  Micro-Mounts minerals . Other German location: Different other minerals like Barite Calcite and ect. Hohe Tauern, Austria: Rare Micro-Mounts minerals from Hoppfeldboden Tirol, Austria: Garnets Vesuvius, Italie: Rare Micro-Mounts minerals Monte Summa Russia Chibiny massif: Rare minerals Lovozero massif: Rare minerals  Dalnegorsk: Calcite, quartz, etc. Kazakstan: Bornite, calcite, stellerite and silver Canada Mont St-Hilaire: Rare Micro-Mounts minerals minerals Jeffrey - Thedford Mines: Vesuvianite, Garnet & etc. Yukon: Phosphat minerals as Gormanite, lazulite, wardite & etc. Bancroft & Madoc region: Aesthetic small cabinet minerals Cobalt region: Silver & secondary silver minerals, gold Kipawa: Rare minerals Mineralogical lectures with slides an articles written from own geological and mineralogical experiences after excursion(s) according famous locations. For example: 1/ Quartz, special rock crystal and crystal forms - Arkansas, U.S.A. .The home of the rock crystal. 2/ Britanny (France) Geological, mineralogical and touristic search in the past. .Special "Ile de Groix en Coray". Update till 2002 3/  Austrain Alps (Hohe Tauern). A search of minerals in the high mountains. 4/.Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada, "Dreamparadise for mineral collectors". With a short view from the famous locations in Quebec and Ontario and spectacular digital pictures  from more than 80 different rare minerals (slides Eddy Van Der Meersche) update 2003 5/The peninsula Kola with excursion in the Chibiny and Lovozero mountains and with a visit to the Africanda and the famous Kovdor Mine.6/Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada. The geology and mineralogy of this famous location with more then ±300 different minerals (article in the Flemisch language) update 2010 7/ Yukon, Canada: Goldfever in the past 8/ 25 years the Deccan Traps zeolites & other minerals, India 9/ 25 years The Tucson experience 10/ 2004-2009 Ruck's Pit Fort Drum Florida. The history of fossil bivalve clams wit beautifull calcite crystals inside.