Minerals to Meteorites: the National Mineral & Fossil Collection

From minerals to meteorites, this presentation will delve into the amazing specimens held at the National Mineral & Fossil Collection, explore our recent work and projects, and identify our diverse stakeholders that we interact with as part of our goals of custodianship, education, outreach, and research support. The National Mineral & Fossil Collection houses world-class mineral, meteorite, fossil, and rock thin-section specimens. The collection is of scientific, historic, aesthetic, and social significance. Geoscience Australia is responsible for the management and preservation of the collection, as well as facilitating access to the collection for research, geoscience education, and public engagement. The collection contains an impressive: • 20,000 gem, mineral and meteorite specimens from localities in Australia and across the globe. • 45,000 published palaeontological specimens contained in the Commonwealth Palaeontological Collection (CPC). • 1,000,000 unpublished fossils in a ‘Bulk Fossil’ collection. • 100,000 rock thin section slides. • 200 historical geoscience instruments including, cartography, geophysical, and laboratory equipment.