Labeling / Inventorying

Note: this is under development.

Take some advice from someone that has been doing this for a long time....record your specimens. In 20 years, you will not remember where that specimen came from. Also, one of these days we are all going to the great rockhounding site in the sky and someone is going to have to figure out what to do with all your rocks.

First record the data and then connect the sample with the information. Typically information you will want to record:

Type / name of specimen.
Location
Physical size

Weight
Year acquired
Method acquired.

Tennessee Paint Rock Agate

Marion County, Tennessee, USA (Near South Pittsburgh)

140 x 107 x 6 mm (5.5 x 4.2 x 0.25 in)

190 g (6.7 oz)

Self collected approx. 1992 while ridge walking looking for caves.

Apatite Crystal on Feldspar Matrix with Black Tourmaline (Schorl), Green Fluorescent Phosphorescent Fluorite, Mica, Quartz, Fluorescent Calcite, and Albite

Skardu, Pakistan.

395 g

90 X 80 X 65 mm.

Crystal 25 x 5 x 4 mm

Purchased in May of 2025 from Shafiqullah Alamyar.

Labeling

The specimen needs to be tied wit the ID / inventory entry. A common method of connecting the information to a specimen. One method is to place a specimen card / tag with the specimen. Sometime the card is physically attached to the back or bottom of the sample. Sometimes a label is attached to the stand or mount. Another method is to attach an ID number to the specimen that links it to the inventory.

One method is to print clear tape label to attach to the mount or stand. Devyn Overton in The MinDat.org community recommened the P-Touch Cube Plus. Looks like the TZ 151 TZE-151 and the TZ 141 TZE-151 will produce black print on clear tape.

Fyue Fish was discussing a label maker in the Mineral Collectors SEA on January 19, 2026. They recommended the NIIMBOT N1 Label Maker. They stressed using "Thermal Transfer Labels" over "Thermal Labels" because the "Thermal Labels" fade over time.

Another method is to engrave the information onto the mount. Everett Harrinton does this with an laser engraver. He also offer the service of milling out acrylic mounts so the specimen sets into the mount. I believe his business page is Minerals Plus.

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