Mineral Identification and Database Software
The Photo-Atlas of Minerals DVD - New Version 2.0 Available!
This is the ultimate computerized mineralogical reference for Windows users, providing descriptive data, Dana and Strunz classification for all the known minerals, nearly 16,000 high-resolution specimen images, cross-indexing for searching and specimen ID, a hyperlinked glossary of mineral terms and much more! So, can you say widgiemoolthalite? The Photo-Atlas can... Further Details
Lithos Mineral Database Freeware
Lithos is a database tool too keep track of your mineral collection. It is available for Windows 95 and later. Lithos offers the following features:
- Integrated database with all IMA acknowleged mineral species up to December 2000. The information available for each species include name, crystal system, crystal class, hardness, density, color, streak color, cleavage, fracture and crystal grid parameters.
- Links from over 1000 trade names, old or obsolete names, and mineral groups to the real acknowleged species.
- Quick identification of mineral species after physical properties with powerfull search capabilities.
- Over 1000 crystal drawings of approx. 600 species.
- Database for your own collection. Keep track of the specimen in your collection and where they come from.
- Search facillities for your own collection allow: extracting all localities that you have a specific mineral from, listing all specimens from a locality or region, listing all specimens in a storage space.
- Printing out on numerous label formats.
- Wherever you need to enter a mineral name inside Lithos there is a assistent that helps to prevent spelling errors.
MinSearch Shareware
The shareware version of Don Peck's MinSearch for Windows 95 and later is available: Download MinSearch (1.11Mb)
MinSearch is a mineral database application developed by earth science educator Don Peck for classroom use in identifying mineral specimens. MinSearch is designed to use your observations of an unidentified mineral specimen to search a large number of possible species and reduce them to a handful. Further, you may quickly review the properties of a given mineral merely by typing its name or browse the entire database through the index. The shareware version contains a short mineral database of 215 common and representative minerals, locations in the USA only, and about 150 crystal figures. A registered version ($25.00) is available from Don with a long mineral database of nearly 2000 minerals, over 450 crystal figures, and a locations database with approximately 3000 locations world-wide, including USA and foreign locations.
MinSearch provides straight forward and easy to use interfaces for searching mineralogical data including hardness, specific gravity, habit, color, cleavage, luster, streak, crystal system, chemical composition, optic character, refractive index, diaphaneity, birefringence, fluorescence, dispersion, 2V. Shown above is a (non-functional) screen graphic illustrating a MinSearch species properties screen. Below is a screen graphic illustrating MinSearch's pull-down driven GUI for specifying physical properties for a database search. Similar screens are provided for specifying optical properties, locality and/or chemical composition as search criteria.
MinSearch also provides straight forward GUIs for user addition of species to its database, as well as for editing existing data if desired. It also incorporates optional password protected data locks for use by instructors to prevent students from inadvertently or maliciously tampering with the database information in classroom environments.
To install MinSearch, simply run the setup.exe program after downloading it to launch its standard Windows installer. Don has done a particularly thorough job with MinSearch's online help, so be sure and consult that for a primer and how-to for using MinSearch.
MINERAL (available in Windows and Macintosh versions) is a computerized mineral reference book in a relational database format containing data for more than 4800 mineral species. The data have been assembled and evaluated by E. H. Nickel, former Vice-Chairman of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names, and M. C. Nichols, Aleph Enterprises. The data contained in MINERAL will be updated annually. An electronic user manual accompanying the computerized reference contains readily understandable instructions for installing and using the system plus examples of typical searches.
MINERAL is designed to allow extremely rapid searches of the more than 7400 entries in the database. Searchable information includes:
Name/Synonym; Elemental and Polyatomic Data; Type Localities; Strunz Classification; Measured and Calculated Densities; Hardness; Reference to Name Origin and Date; Crystal System and Space Group; Unit Cell Data including c/a, a/b; IMA Status; Mineral Group Name; X-ray Powder Data (strongest lines); Luster and color; Optical Data (transmitted or reflected); General references including one or more crystal structure reference; A notes field for other data or comments; ICDD number; Appearance; Date of the most recent update and the Chemical Formula. There is also a link to the MSA site containing entries from the Handbook of Mineralogy.In addition to simple searches, MINERAL allows multiple field searches and complex search criteria (e.g. not equal, less and greater than, contains etc.). It is also possible to print or view on screen summaries of those minerals that meet elemental or other criteria established by the user.
MDI provides the MINERAL database on CD to all interested parties at a nominal price (production and shipping cost) and plans to make MINERAL available for downloading from their website.
Geolib is a mineralogical database that contains:
This searchable database is structured into fields containing information about the mineral name, systematic index code, crystal system, formula, habit, color, luster, streak, cleavage, hardness, density, etc. Geolib can generate various reports. It provides the collector with a complete mineral database with systematics, a collection inventory and a searchable quick reference tool
- All minerals approved by the IMA, and some not yet approved
- Mineral systematics, Strunz, with later extensions
- Literature references to mineral descriptions
- Variant names and descriptions
- Companion minerals (mineral associations)
- Mineral Images
- Cataloging system for your collection, with automatic reference to mineral
More information concerning the Geolib CD is available on the Geosystems Home Page. A trial shareware version of Geolib is available for download.
Topaz is a mineral database management system running under Windows’95 and later which provides descriptions on thousands of mineral species, synonyms, varieties and generic terms as well as querying, editing and many other facilities.
Topaz mineral database constitutes a true on-line mineral encyclopedia with detailed descriptions which, together with the querying facility, are of great value for macroscopic identification. The detailed descriptions comprehend mineral images and crystal/habit pictures.
Topaz editing facility makes it an open, updateable system, by the user. Also Topaz is constantly being updated in order to be supplied with newly IMA (International Mineralogical Association) approved species, together with more and improved mineral images and crystal pictures.
Minrls Mineral Database CD
Minrls is a mineral program developed by mineral enthusiasts for mineral enthusiasts! Minrls is both educational and enjoyable. It can be used by anyone from the beginning novice to the expert mineralogist. Acclaimed by both students and teachers, it is in use in a number of schools.
- Mineral Pictures from Around the World - Minrls mineral software will provide those special mineral pictures you need! Beautiful pictures of several hundred minerals are included in this software.
- Mineral Identification Made Easy - Can't identify that mineral? This mineral program provides unique, easy to use identification routines, even if you are a beginning rockhound or mineral collector.
- Mineral Descriptions - Mineral collecting and need mineral descriptions? This software covers 1000 minerals, with properties, mineral photographs, crystal forms, and much more.
- Minerals having a Particular Property - Want to know all pink minerals? Minrls software will provide a list of minerals with this property and many others. Simply click on a property, get a list of minerals
- Properties of a Given Mineral - Have a mineral and want to know its properties? Simply click on a mineral name, get its properties.
- Crystallography - Have you ever wanted to know how crystals are organized or how they form certain shapes? The mineralogy section covers crystals and many other mineralogy subjects.
- Mineral Families and Series - Need a quick way to find where a mineral fits into a family or series? This mineralogy software will tell you that, too!
- Environments for Finding Minerals - Are you a rockhound and want to find what minerals occur in what environment? Minerals are listed for over 40 environments. More complete list of mineral locations than any other source we've seen!
- Mineral Identification Tests - How anyone can measure mineral density; one of the hardest earth sciences topics to teach!
- Mineral Shapes - Minrls mineral software describes nearly a hundred shapes (in addition to crystal shapes) and the minerals that have them.
- Strange Things about Minerals - Minerals are the craziest things! We have a collection of strange things that even experts are unaware of!
- Mineral photo slide show - Need a mineral slide show? This software includes a series of 80 stunning mineral pictures that will turn your computer into a mineral museum.
- Mineral Kingdom - Most aspects of the mineral kingdom are covered that are of interest to earth sciences teachers, mineral collectors, geologists, rockhounds, and prospectors.
- Mineral Links - See our mineral links section for other quality web sites.
Digital Rockhound's Companion CD
The Digital Rockhound’s companion for Windows 95 and later is a relational database application designed store mining locations, mineral occurrences, mineral data, and personal mineral collection information. Features include:
- Over 260,000 mining locations from North America and the world.
- Chemical and physical data for more than 3800 mineral species.
- Bibliography with over 17,000 mineral and mining related references.
- Personal address to organize dealer contacts includes fields to store e-mail and World Wide Web addresses.
- Mineral collection catalogue to organize your collection.
- Publish your mineral collection HTML pages.
- Manage the location where specimens are stored.
- Digital Map file database to help organize ArcView Shape files and georeferenced image files provided with DRC 1.05.
- Browse or search the databases from easy to use forms.
- Summary page that shows the total number of mines, minerals, specimens, and references currently in the database.
- You can edit all existing data and add you own data.
- Add your personal mineral collecting locations.
- Search minerals from the Periodic Table.
- Add your own mineral occurrences to mining locations.
- Add mining location cross references to your mineral collection data.
- Create custom lists of mines, minerals, specimens, and bibliographical references for quick access to commonly used information.
- Print labels and index report for your mineral specimens.
- Print reports for specific mine locations.
- Export mine data to text files that can easily be imported in street map making programs like ‘Select Street Atlas Pro’ to create road maps for mine locations.
- Build and view custom maps using ArcView Shape files included with DRC 1.05.
- Streets for all 50 states are included as ArcView Shapes with DRC 1.05.
- For users with high speed Internet connections, you can search EBay Auction and search Microsoft's Terraserver site for Aerial photos, relief maps, and topographic maps with a simple click of a button.
- Export your mineral collection data to HTML for display online or simply to store on CD-R/CD-RW.
Index of Software for Rockhounds
