From the sun-scorched earth of its vast Outback to the rugged island of Tasmania, Australia stands as an ancient and weathered continent, a geological treasure house of staggering proportions. For millennia, its surface has been sculpted by time, creating environments perfect for the formation of some of the world’s most spectacular and vividly coloured mineral specimens. For collectors, Australia is a land of vibrant superlatives, offering iconic species that define their class and are instantly recognisable for their sheer beauty and intensity.
The story of Australian mineralogy is written in legendary deposits. At its heart is Broken Hill, New South Wales—one of the planet’s most famous ore bodies and a true mineralogical paradise. This single locality has produced a breathtaking suite of world-class minerals, from deep red rhodonite crystals to brilliant blue azurite and glassy, twinned cerussite. Just as significant is Australia’s role as the undisputed king of opal. The nation’s deposits, from Coober Pedy to Lightning Ridge, produce over 90% of the world’s supply, yielding the mesmerising, kaleidoscopic fire that has captivated humanity for centuries.
The list of Australia’s mineralogical greatest hits is a collector’s dream. It is home to the world’s best crocoite, with its blazing red-orange crystals from the mines of Dundas, Tasmania, considered the pinnacle of the species. It has produced electric-green pyromorphite from Rum Jungle, stunning crystallised gold from the Victorian Goldfields, and deep purple amethyst from Western Australia. To acquire a fine Australian mineral is to hold a vibrant testament to a continent’s deep and colourful history, a piece of raw, powerful beauty drawn from an ancient land.
There are more than 1,550 mineral species recorded in Australia, including 194 Type Locality minerals (as at August 2025).
I am part way through publishing the Illustrated Minerals of Australia which aims to illustrate more than half of the 1,550. This undertaking is being published in parts in the Monthly Mineral Chronicles, and periodically, a separate volume is published combining a number of parts together. It includes obscure localities as well as better-known ones.
This Minerals of Australia website will include information about the minerals and localities (with more comprehensive information, and more photos, in the Illustrated Minerals of Australia publication), and other information such as publications and museums.
Steve Sorrell – Australian mineral collector, micromineral photographer, and mineral artist.
All specimens and photos are mine unless noted otherwise. My appreciation and thanks go to those other mineral collectors that have provided photos.