Mr Mike Rumsey

I've been curating geological collections with a specialism in minerals since 1999, in both regional, university and national contexts. After spending 13 years as a 'hands on' curator at the NHM, specialising in the mineralogy, gems and hard rock geology, since 2016 My role has been to lead and build the team of curators, post docs, students and volunteers in the mineral and planetary science collections, We cover meteorites, minerals, gems, petrology, ores, soils, terrestrial analogues, hazardous geological materials and historic apparatus.

My curation duties focus on the development of the mineral collection, both in terms of new objects and the new data/research on all objects. My research specialism is focused around the mineral collection, particulalry the identification and characterisation of new, 'unknown', novel and unusual naturally occurring mineral phases. I have a deep understanding of the systematic mineralogical nomenclature, new minerals and have published extensively on these subject areas.

Where possible I have focused this research on minerals from the UK, with its wide range of topographic mineralogical geodiversity.

I am interested in the applications of mineral sciences across both the scientific and heritage sectors and how collections can be built within (and outside) museums to maximise the relevance of mineral sciences and how to communicate this to the public.

I have extensive experience of a number of Optical, Electron Beam and Diffraction techniques all essential in the characterisation and identification of mineral phases and am highly competent at speaking to the public. For more information on my analytical expertise please contact me directly.