Welcome to Emerald Isle Minerals, specialists in Irish minerals

The world's only website dedicated to Irish minerals.

Ireland's mining traditions date back millenia but more significant exploitation of Ireland's deposits was in the 18-20^th centuries and still continues today, as Ireland is a significant supplier of lead and zinc to international markets...

The Emerald Isle has a very diverse geology from the Dalradian rocks of Connemara to the world renowned karstic scenery of the Burren which play host to scores of mineral deposits that are home to some of the world's finest minerals!

Astonishingly, mineral collecting is almost unheard of on the Emerald Isle with only a handful of collectors and a fraction of them still active-hence the dire shortage of good mineral specimens and information on the mineral localities which is a true shame as many of the localities are becoming increasingly difficult to recover specimens, be it because of weathering or sheer human ingorance... Certainly a large amount of Irish material has gone on the market from the Richard Barstow era, when he was visiting Ireland in the late 70's and early 80's. He recovered large amounts of material by buying off the miners from Silvermines and the well known ''Great Vug'' in the late 70's, he recovered so many amazing sphalerites and galenas that they still appear at most UK mineral shows albeit poor and often overpriced!

But more modern material is quite unheard of, with the exception of that resulting from the fabulous work done by Dr. Stephen Moreton, and John and Robert Lawson, who have over the years been collecting Irish minerals and preserving some of Ireland's mineralogical heritage through their efforts. 

This is also one of the main reasons for starting up Emerald Isle Minerals e.g. to provide new material from new and lesser known localities and competition in the markets but of course we will have good specimens from the classic localities like Silvermines, Tynagh and Sheshodonnell East Mine! Also Emerald Isle Minerals intend to put up a comprehensive locality guide to aid mineral collectors, but of course contact us if you intend on coming to Ireland so we can give you extra information and details!

                              Since 24/1/06