Rock and Minerals Collection Manual (1)

1. Collection’s Manual for the Rocks and Minerals in the ROM’S
Learning Department.












July 2015

Carly Seguin 
 

2. 2
Table of Contents



Definitions……………………………………………………3-4

Proper way to Handle and transport Objects…………….5

Best Methods to Mark the Specimens……………………..6

How to Catalogue the objects…………………………….7-8

How the Rock and Minerals will be organized….………..9

Agents of Deterioration………………………………...10-11

Proper way to Store the Specimens…………………..11-12

Appendix
Table for Light- induces colour
changes………………………………………………………...…….
13-14
Table for Light-accelerated surface reaction with air, moisture and/ or
pollutants……………………………………………………………... 14-15
Table for the Effects of exposure of minerals to timber…………….. .15
Table for Minerals affected by water………………………………. 15-18
Table for some Absorbent and Porous minerals………………… .18-19
Table for Moderate to Highly Toxic Minerals……………………...19-21

References and Additional Reading……………………………...…22

3. 3
Definitions
1


Crystals: are solids with regular three-dimensional repetitive arrangements of atoms,
these atomic arrangements are called crystals structures. Natural crystals formed by
geological process are called minerals.

Minerals: encompass a great variety of chemical compositions and
crystal structures. Each unique combination of elements and crystal
structure is called a mineral species
2
.

Rocks: consist of crystals of one or more minerals species that grew
together are were together naturally. The crystals in rocks are usually
small, with interlocking and irregular shapes. There are three major classes of rocks-
igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

Igneous Rocks: form when liquid rock (magma) cools and solidifies. The faster the
magma cools, the smaller the crystals in the rock.

Lava: formed when magma has escaped from below the Earth’s surface. Lava on the
surfaces cools much faster than magma beneath the surface.

Volcanic Igneous Rocks: formed from lava, and have small crystals.

Plutonic Igneous Rocks: form when magma cools and solidifies deep below the Earth’s
surface.

Sedimentary Rocks: can form from eroded bits of other rocks and minerals.
These fragments of rocks and mineral are deposited in layers at the bottom of
rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Clastic Sedimentary Rocks: form when particles are cemented together,
over a long period of time.
Sandstone is an example of clastic sedimentary
rock
3
.

Organic Sedimentary Rocks: for from the bodies of once-living
creatures. For example, many creatures that live in the sea make
shells from calcium carbonate. When the creature dies, their shell
skink to the floor of the ocean, where the calcium carbonate can
eventually form limestone
4
.

Chemical Sedimentary Rocks: sedimentary rocks can form
chemically. If water in an ocean evaporates the chemicals in the
remaining water become more concentrated. Eventually the chemicals


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become so concentrated that they form crystals and fall to the bottom of the ocean. When
these crystals are pressed together to form rocks, they are known as chemical
sedimentary rocks.
Iron Ore is an example of chemical sedimentary rock
5
.

Metamorphic Rocks: form deep within Earth, often beneath mountain belts. When
igneous or sedimentary rocks are heated or subjected to immense pressure, their
appearance and mineral content can change.

Extrusive Igneous Rock: forms when magma is brought to the
surface by volcanic eruption, such as basalt
6
.

Intrusive Igneous Rock: forms when magma solidifies slowly
beneath the Earth’s surface, such as granite
7
.

Meteoroids: are the bits and pieces that fall off an asteroid when it
collides with another asteroid.

Meteors: is the name given to meteoroids when they hit the Earth’s
atmosphere, which is during the white-hot phase, similar to when a
space shuttle is re-entry the Earth’s atmosphere
8
.

Meteorite: is the name given to the meteoroid when it falls to the
ground
9
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5. 5
Proper way to transport and handle the collection

• Make sure you lift a drawer or tray with both hands. If it is too heavy ASK FOR HELP
you won’t impress anyone if you drop and break everything in the drawer.
• Hold an object with both hands.
• Make sure everything in the cart is secure and cannot fall during transportation.
• Push the cart slowly so if you have to stop all of sudden you will not bump into someone
and break something.
• It is good to always be two people during the transportation of the objects, that way
some one can be on the look out for any of the visitors not paying attention and prevent
any accidents.
• Its better to use bare hands when moving or handling an object since gloves can be
slippery and the object is most likely to fall and break.











How to properly hold the cart when in
transportation.







How to properly hold the tray, with both
hands.

6. 6
Best Method to Mark the Specimens

In order to ensure that a specimen does not get separated from its data, the catalogue
number should be permanently attached to it somehow. Always place a clear base coat of
lacquer on the specimen, in most cases you can write the catalogue number on top of the
base coat and there will be no need to apply a top coat of the lacquer. Make sure the
number is visible; however, make sure that the number does not distract from the
appearance of the specimen. The point is to showcase the specimen not the object
number.
In some cases, if a specimen is hard or non-porous you do not need to apply a base coat
of lacquer and you can write directly on the specimen; however, it might be
difficult to remove the number if ever you need to write a new object number for
whatever reason.

Following supplies for marking rocks and minerals
• permanent, waterproof black ink, India or drawing ink
• clear lacquer for rocks and minerals (Acryloid B-72® acrylic
resin/acetone)
10

• white lacquer for rocks and minerals (Acryloid B-72® acrylic resin/acetone
with titanium dioxide white pigment)
• acetone ( for removing Acryloid B-72 and liquid paper ( White Out)

What NOT to use for marking specimens
• Liquid paper (White Out), as it tends to soak in the specimen, and when dry it
flakes easily
11
.
• Nail polish, may change over time, and may react with some minerals.
• Commercially available felt-tipped pens, markers, or ball-points, even if
they are called “permanent”. That term refers to their being waterproof.
They often fade quickly and may dissolve when painted over with clear
resin.


If a specimen is marked with more than one number do not remove the previous number
as it is part of the specimen’s history, and it might belong to an older catalogue within the
museum.

If a specimen is to fragile or small to write an object number, place it in a container or
high-quality plastic bag and place a label on the container or bag, either using a label
sticker or putting a coat of B-72 on the container and writing the number
12
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7. 7
How to Catalogue Objects

Login Details
Novell Services Login password: guestedu (also computer login password)

Finding Catalogue
My Computer > Common > EDP > 2_Teaching > Catalogue > Natural History

Files
The files are arranged under different headings (minerals, birds, fossils etc.). Each specimen has
a number e.g. MI 4011. The “MI” tells you the folder to put it in, in this case Mineral, and then
each specimen has an individual number.
Your job is essentially to make sure everything we have in the cupboards appears in these files as
well as in the excel spreadsheet (the spreadsheet is a full list of the specimens that people can
search through easily).

In the Files
Each specimen must have a word document in its correct folder (minerals, mammals etc.). You
will notice some folders are (new template) folders. These are the templates we want to be
creating for each specimen; the goal is to eventually delete all the files in the old template. Follow
these steps:

1. Pick a specimen
2. Check the number and look it up in the PAPER catalogues as well as the electronic
catalogue.
3. Does the specimen have the species name? If yes go to step 5 if no follow step 4.
4. This specimen needs to be identified to species level. You can attempt to do this online if
you feel confident with this mineral OR you can look it up in a book called Gems and
Minerals: Earth Treasures from the Royal Ontario Museum by the Associate Curator of
the Mineralogy at the ROM, The Smithsonian Rock and Gem: The definitive guide to
rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils, by Ronald Bonewitz, or Online
. Do not classify the
species unless you are sure!
5. If you have the species information you can start creating a new word document for it.
6. First make sure the number (e.g. MI 4011) is on the specimen or there is a tag
attached to the specimen that has the number on it. When writing on the specimen
paint a clear coat of the B-72 on the specimen, let it dry, than write the object
number always starting with ROM ED (e.g. MI 4011).
7. Take photo of specimen on blue yoga mat.
8. Ok the specimen is ready! Now go into the correct folder (make sure it is the correct
classification, I have seen frogs with a number RE … frogs are not reptiles so the number
had to be changed to put them with the amphibians).
9. Open the “blank template” in the folder. This is what you will fill out for the specimen. Make
sure to ‘Save As’ the specimen number and name (e.g. MI 4011 Gneiss)
10. Make sure you always use reputable site like Google scholar abstracts are great or
government websites. Avoid Wikipedia!
11. As you fill in the information you need to say where you got it. Look at some of the files
that have already been done. Each comment shows where I got that information from.
This allows whoever is vetting the card to look up your information and check it.
12. Interesting Facts: Sometimes I get these from the sites listed above, other times I Google
the animal in “Google News” and see if there are any interesting news articles about it. Try
and find unique facts but again the information needs to be reputable.
13. Facilitation Ideas: These are created by you. Take a look at some of the examples. It is
best to choose low-risk questioning where the learner does not need to know the “correct

8. 8
answer”. This allows students to feel successful and it allows them to share their own
knowledge.
14. Gallery Links: These are suggested by you. I did not have a very in depth knowledge of
what the galleries had so in my free time I spent time wandering round the exhibits that
include Natural History specimens. You may only have one link or two but that’s fine.
Including Photos
1. You need to include the photo YOU took of the specimen on the yoga mat as well as a
photo of the animal from an online image into each word document.
2. “Photo:” In this section just denotes the website you got the animal photo from.
3. Each photo must be compressed. Simply click the photo and click the button with the
arrows pointing in (see below) and then press enter when the additional dialogue box
appears.



4. I find the photos move around easiest when you make them “behind text”. Click the
symbol with the dog and select “behind text” for each of the photos.


In the Spreadsheet:
For each specimen check the number and information for the specimen BOTH in the electronic
files AND the paper folders in the learning department. Sometimes this information (e.g. species
name) does not match and then it needs checked.

It is simply a case of inputting the right information into the correct column; you can do the
spreadsheet before you do the word document but remember to do BOTH for each specimen
13
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9. 9
How the Rock and Minerals will be organized

The minerals will be organized based on their chemical formula
• Native Elements
• Sulphides & Sulfosalts
• Oxides & Hydroxides
• Halides
• Carbonates
• Phosphates, Arsenates & Vanadates
• Borates & Nitrates
• Sulphates, Chromates, Tungstates & Molbdates
• Tectosilicates
• Phyllosilicates
• Single-Chain & Double-Chain Inosilicates
• Cyclosilicates
• Sorosilicate
• Nesosilicates

To find out which minerals are categorized under which chemical formula consult the
book Gems & Minerals: Earth Treasures from the Royal Ontario Museum, by
Kimberly Tait.

The rocks will be organized based on weather they are:
• Intrusive Igneous Rock
• Extrusive Igneous Rock
• Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
• Organic Sedimentary Rocks
• Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
• Metamorphic Rocks
• Meteorite

To find out which rock falls under which category you can consult the book
The
Smithsonian Rock and Gem: The definitive guide to rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils, by

Ronald Bonewitz

10. &
Agents of Deterioration

The agents of deterioration identify 10 primary threats specific to heritage environments
and encourage their prevention at the collections level first, by avoiding, blocking and
detecting possible damage, and then by responding and treating damage. This integrated
approach to conservation has also led to developments in risk assessment
14
.

• Physical forces: include vibrations, mechanical shock, and failure of supports or
storage.
• Thieves and vandals: can cause many types of damage.
• Custodial neglect: includes physical lack of appropriate care and handling, and
dissociation, which is the loss of specimens, data, or the ability to associate one
with the other.
• Fire: includes damage from soot, heat, and actual burning, and can lead to water
damage.
• Water: includes immersion and wetting or drenching, as from fire sprinklers.
• Pest: includes all types of animals plus fungus
• Pollutants: includes airborne gases and dust as well as compounds that have
been added to specimens or that are intrinsic to objects or materials.
• Light & Radiation: includes both natural and manufactured types.
• Temperature
• Humidity

Damage to specimens and other materials in a collection can be divided into 3 basic
categories:
• Physical: includes changes in shape (shrinking, swelling, warping) and various
forms of structural damage, such as breakage, tearing, or abrasion.
• Chemical: metals may oxidize or tarnish.
• Biological: is caused by the activity of animals like rodents and insects, and by the
presence of fungi ( mould, mildew)

Moisture
Moisture content in the environment is usually expressed in term of Relative Humidity or
RH. Most mineral do well in a dry, cool environment, with an RH of about 50%.

RH= Amount of water present in a given volume of air
------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum amount of water that volume of air can X 100%
Hold at a given temperature

A common result of moisture in a collection is the alteration of the common iron sulphides
pyrite and marcasite. The process, known as Pyrite Disease or Pyrite Decay, produces
alteration products that include sulphuric acid, hydrogen sulphide gas ( rotten egg smell),
and highly poisonous iron sulphate compounds. Specimens suffering from pyrite disease
should be removed from the collection. Specimens already diseased, even if there is no
longer any deterioration visible, should be stored in a closed container.


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Light
Light damage takes different forms, depending on the nature of the l light and the mineral
species involved. Fading occurs in a number of species, including fluorite, amethyst,
spodumene, rose quartz, and topaz. This is most noticeable in transparent or translucent
specimens, but may occasionally be evident on the surface of opaque specimens (Table
a 1.1). Damage due to light is largely attributable to the effects of Ultraviolet radiation
(UV). The strongest and most common source of UV radiation is sunlight. Some other
forms of artificial light also give off high levels of UV:
• Halogen
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent bulbs.

Common forms of protection from UV radiation include
• Sleeves on tube-shaped bulbs
• Coatings on windows and exhibit glass.


Temperature
Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air. An increase in temperature can cause
some materials to change shape, either because of shrinking caused by moisture
evaporation or by expansion in non-absorbent substances. Rapid and repeated changes
in temperature, which are often accompanied by changes in moisture content, can cause
more damage, more quickly than if the environment remains static.

Stability
It is more important to have a stable storage environment than to stick exactly to the
ideals.

Pollution
Air may contain gases and particulates that can affect minerals and other minerals in a
variety of ways. Dust and other hard particles in the air can act as abrasives when they
come in contact with some materials.

The best defences against pollution in a collection area are good housekeeping and
adequate well-filtered air flow.
• Vacuuming and wet-mopping should be considered in place of dry dusting
• Air coming into an area should be well filtered.
• Air going out should go outside, not just into another storage or office
area.
15




Proper way to Store Minerals

In general, for most mineral collections, a stable environment in the range of 45-55% RH
and 15
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Ideal cabinets from minerals are made of powder-coated steel, with adjustable drawer
and locking doors with seals. However, most institutions can not afford this type of
storage so there a few alternatives that are more affordable.

Wooden Cabinets
Old wooden cabinets are not necessarily bad, but precaution should be taken, as some
types of wood and wood products release gases as they age and/ or dry out. The
addition of moisture or heat may accelerate this progress, which is known as out gassing
or off gassing.
• Oak : has a reputation for being a wood that outgases and is commonly used for
Furniture
Woods to avoid in your collection area
• Plywood
• Oriented strand board
• Particle board

Can produce a toxic gas, since they can be made with formaldehyde. Most out gassing
happens within the first year after it is harvested or created. As long as natural wood is
kept in a cool, dry, consistent environment, out gassing will not be a problem.

Old cabinets
Usually they have a seal and they can be made out of rubber or wool felt. Rubber
deteriorates with age, usually become smaller and more brittle. Rubber also outgases.
Wool felt attracts pest and shrinks with age. It can also absorb moisture if the RH
becomes too high, and then may become mouldy.

Drawers
Drawers should be of a moderate size, when filled with specimens, so they will not be too
heavy to lift. In some cases you will only have a limited amount of space to store certain
rocks and minerals and this might mean splitting up the collection. It is also best to place
the heaviest specimens on the bottom drawer so in case the draw breaks due to too
much weight it will not cause damage to other specimens on shelves below it.

Drawers and shelves should be lined with foam or acid-free tissue paper, this will protect
the collection from any gases, varnish, or paint, and also the foam will keep the
specimens from moving around.

Shelves
Open shelves should have a barrier to prevent specimens from falling. It might best to
place the specimen on a tray or in a container to avoid the collection from falling off the
shelf due to vibrations from people walking or door closing.

Security

The doors to the cabinets should always be locked when not in use, and this includes the
cabinets in Lab 6 and the wooden cabinets in the Collection’s Room. Also the lights in the
rooms should always be turned off when not in use
16
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13.
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22.
References

Bonewitz, Ronald L. Rock and Gem: A Definitive Guide to Rocks, Minerals, Gems and
Fossils. New York: Dk Publishing, 2008.

Definition of Agents of Deterioration found on the website of the Canadian Conservation
Institute. https://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/resources-ressources/agentsofdeterioration-
agentsdedeterioration/index-eng.aspx.

DeMouthe. Jean F. “Care & Documentation of Mineral Collections”, California Academy of
Science.

Graham, Nathalie. Guide to Catalogue for Interns. Found on the Common Drive in the
Learning Department’s computers, minor changes made by Carly Seguin July 16, 2015.

Howie, Frank M. The Care and Conservation of Geological Materials: Minerals, Rocks,
Meteorites, and Lunar Finds. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1992.


Tait, Kimberley. Gems and Minerals: Earth Treasures from the Royal Ontario Museum.
Ontario: Firefly, 2011.


Additional Reading

National Parks Services Museum Handbook. The handbook is a PDF file online and is
divided into three sections along with detailed appendices for the preservation of the
specific types of materials found in a museum’s collections.
http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/handbook.html.

Minerology4Kids, is a website designed by the Mineralogical Society of America. This
website is useful if you want to get some quick facts about the rocks and minerals and
written in a way that is easy to explain the information to people with either little to no
knowledge about rocks and minerals. http://www.mineralogy4kids.org/.