Next week we’ll be reviewing our mineral collections at the Horniman, which means that I’ve been trying to track down the various minerals in the collection. Amongst them I found this rather lovely sample of bismuth – a non-toxic, silvery, heavy metal that can naturally grow into an intricate step-structure crystal.
As the outer surface of the bismuth crystal oxidises it becomes iridescent, creating a beautiful and multifaceted structure that is really quite gorgeous. Hope you like it!
Zygoma 
Love the bismuth photo and am glad Horniman curates its mineral collection. Sadly, Yale’s Peabody Museum gifted its mineral collection away some years back. I still mourn the loss.
Bismuth is my all time favourite mineral though I have never been able to take any spectacular photographs of it.
Think I might need to buy a macro lens. Hmm…
Also, can I work at the museum please? Thanks 😉