The Collection

 

Broken Hill is Australia’s premier mineral locality and is in the top five mineral localities in the world with over 300 specimens found in the district; the unique geology of Broken Hill and the diverse array of the spectacular mineral specimens have been the subject of many papers and publications; including the Minerals of Broken Hill published in 1999 by Broken Hill City Council and Museum Victoria.

In 1981 Broken Hill City Council decided that a mineral collection should be assembled. In 1983 the first exhibition of minerals was displayed at the Civic Centre. The ‘centenary collection’ was comprised of minerals purchased in the 1960’s from the ‘Flossie’ Campbell collection and those of the Roy Waldren collection (purchased 1983).

Three further collections; the Max Vincent (purchased 1988), the Mine Managers’ Association (donated 1988) and the Meatheringham collection (donated 2000) as well as numerous donations of select mineral specimens have added strength to the original ‘centenary collection’. The collection now numbers some two thousand items and contains numerous world class specimens including two of extreme rarity. In 2002 two new minerals were discovered in Broken Hill; Hoganite & Paceite (named for local collectors Graham Hogan & Frank Pace). Only six specimens are known to exist and the GeoCentre was presented with one of them by Professor P. Williams (Western Sydney University).