About Us

 

Mineralogical Society of Antwerp, Belgium:

The 'Mineralogische Kring Antwerpen' was founded in 1963 by a small group of mineralogy enthusiasts and has since grown to an active club with over 400 members. Our members are amateur mineral collectors, students as well as professional mineralogists, all with the same joint interest in minerals.
 

Monthly Meetings:

Every month a meeting is organized (except in July and August). 
The meetings include: help with mineral identification, exchange of all kinds of information, consultation of the library (with over 650 books and 40 different journals on mineralogy), exchange or purchase of specimens and most importantly a lecture on a mineralogical topic.
 

Workgroups:

Different workgroups are active including gemology, mineral identification, micromounts, fluorescence, photography.
 

Excursions:

Every year several excursions to mineral localities in Belgium and abroad are organized.
 

Publications:

The MKA publishes the mineralogical journal 'Geonieuws' which appears 10 times a year. Each volume includes over 250 pages with articles on different aspects of mineralogy, crystallography, gemology and mineral localities (Belgian as well as worldwide). The language is Dutch and it is distributed in both Belgium and the Netherlands.
An alphabetic index subdivided into different subjects is available. For information on how to subscribe, contact the secretary. 
 

Mineral Fair:

Every year the 'Mineralogische Kring Antwerpen' organizes the well-known 2-day mineral and fossil fair MINERANT. During each MINERANT an exhibition is organized with minerals collected by the members.
 

50th aniversary (1963-2013):

English version of our journal Geonieuws for the month of October 2013, Special issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of the MKA (free download).

Geonieuws 50th aniversary

  • Cronstedt's column : Nothing left to find?, Axel Cronstedt
  • 'Belgian' mineralogy under 'Dutch' rule, 1815-1830, E. A. J. Burke
  • Minerals with Belgian type localities, Erik Vercammen, Rik Dillen
  • Calcite crystals from Antwerp, Herwig Pelckmans
  • The mystery of the Zoological Society's mineral collection, part 2, Chris Deroo
  • Mineral finds in and around Aarschot, Erik Vercammen
  • A nightly escapade: The search for Belgian autunite, Jacques Jedwab
  • A remarkable fluorite crystal from Wellin, Herwig Pelckmans
  • The minerals of Bertrix, Erik Vercammen
  • A list of Belgian fluorescent minerals - from concept to implementation, Richard Loyens
  • Fluorescent gypsum from Betekom, Flemish Brabant, Axel Emmermann
 
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