In the setting of the Hotel de Vendome in Paris hides one of the most beautiful collections of minerals in the world !
The richness of the mineral world
For more than 200 years, preserved in the setting of the Hôtel de Vendôme, the mineralogical collections of MINES ParisTech are among the most complete and spectacular in the world. They contain some 100,000 samples, 4,000 of which are presented in the display case, representing around 2,900 mineral species ! If it only takes a few seconds to be struck by the beauty and diversity of these mineral treasures, decades of study were necessary to understand their intimate nature. Because this museum is not only a conservatory of species and a showcase of the richness of the mineral world, it is also a place of research.
One of the finest collections of minerals in the world
The museum has one of the largest systematic collections in the world and one of the four largest collections of type species (the type is an international reference sample of a mineral species). Claude Guillemin, curator of the museum from 1957, gave it its current presentation by exhibiting nearly 4,500 pieces. The visitor thus discovers samples which are the fruit of more than 200 years of research, sampling and inventory of the mineralogical diversity of the earth and the universe (collections of meteorites). Nearly 100,000 samples and objects are thus preserved. You can also admire collections of rocks, artificial minerals and gems.
Mineral resources and new materials
This museum is not only a conservatory of species and a showcase of the beauty of the mineral world; it is also a place of research. Indeed, in recent years, more and more industrial uses have been discovered for the elements contained in minerals. New technologies make use of rare earths and elements. For example: Tantalum or Germanium to manufacture mobile phones, photovoltaic panels, special steels for aeronautics or aerospace. It is therefore necessary to revisit all the deposits that are or have been exploited to know their potential and their richness with regard to these new uses.
