Nathan Martin (left) and his wife Barbara were among more than a dozen special guests at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum last weekend.
Nathan Martin is a member of the Boston Mineral Club. Nine of his fellow club members and other associates from across the country attended a four-day tour of what was once known as the fluorspar capital of the world. While in Marion, they group went on a field trip and dig to the old Columbia Mine area off Crittenden Springs Road. A mineral museum board member, Bill Frazer, hosted the dig, where the "rock hounds" scratched and milled around for precious minerals.
Martin has made the 1,300-mile trip to Marion five times over the past few years. He said the Clement mineral collection is better than the Harvard University collection at the Mineralogical Museum on the Boston campus.
Pictured with the Martins is Ed Clement Jr., whose father collected almost all of the specimens on display at the museum.
"What makes this collection so special is that all of these items came from this immediate area," Martin explained.
You can access the Clement Mineral Museum's Web site any time from The-Press.com.
