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vickyveritas.bsky.social
Vicky Veritas
@vickyveritas.bsky.social
3.1K followers 3.6K following 2.3K posts
Born in the Anthropocene
Worked at the intersection of Geology and GIS 
BS Geology, MS Earth Science

#Geosciences | #EarthScience | #Geology | #GIS | #Rocks | #TeamFluorite | #ScienceFiction | #Fantasy | 
#TwitterMigration : @morganssong
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vickyveritas.bsky.social
Copper fans, we did it! Copper is the very FIRST Ore Cup Champion & the Ore Mineral of the Year. Great job! 🙌

Thank you, Mineral Cup team. The content has been extra excellent, & another great Cup. Kudos! 290 days until #MinCup26 !

#OreCup ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🍎 🔭🪐
Lustrous wavy copper stripes this museum specimen of a copper pseudomorph where copper has replaced the sedimentary cross-bedding of Precambrian shale. More at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Native_copper-replaced_cross-bedded_sedimentary_rocks_%28Nonesuch_Shale,_Mesoproterozoic;_White_Pine_Mine,_Upper_Peninsula_of_Michigan,_USA%29_1_%2817110279879%29.jpg
November 13, 2025 at 12:05 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Copper crystals can form beautiful leafy patterns called dendrites from the Greek word dendron meaning tree. Dendrites grow due to mineral-rich fluids moving through cracks or during rapid cooling from a melt or vapor. Vote and more👇🏼

#OreCup ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🍎 🔭🪐
Aerial dendritic growth of elongated Copper crystals, with the dominant dodecahedron. From Ray Mines, Pinal County, Arizona. From: https://www.mindat.org/photo-55571.html
November 10, 2025 at 9:19 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Patinating copper is a thing apparently. Not for the faint of heart.
It involves ammonia, salt, water and a fumigation container.

www.instructables.com/Blue-Patina-...

#OreCup
November 10, 2025 at 7:07 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
1/3 Well this is a first (for me): Native #copper replaces ancient cross-bedded sedimentary rock perfectly preserving the original cross-bedding. Copper does amazing stuff in Michigan. 🤯 More below! Pinging @richardgibson.bsky.social

#OreCup ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🍎 🔭🪐
Lustrous wavy copper stripes this museum specimen of a copper pseudomorph where copper has replaced the original sedimentary bedding. From: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Native_copper-replaced_cross-bedded_sedimentary_rocks_%28Nonesuch_Shale,_Mesoproterozoic;_White_Pine_Mine,_Upper_Peninsula_of_Michigan,_USA%29_1_%2817110279879%29.jpg
November 10, 2025 at 2:59 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
This is #copper. The exquisite golden tetrahexahedral crystal glows with its own light. And the amazing bevels (look closely) and faces! Only nature could create something so beautiful. Vote for Copper Ore. It has it all. Link in ALT.

#OreCup ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🍎 🔭🪐
See details at Mindat: https://www.mindat.org/photo-359476.html
November 9, 2025 at 10:09 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
#Copper is an excellent material for crafting art due to its beauty & malleability, & allows for exquisitely detailed work such as copper hammering & tooling. Enjoy the examples below & vote for copper ore! Descriptions in ALT.

#OreCup ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🍎 🔭🪐
Copper tooling art workshop by Mr Gooi Thin Kwang of Equator College, Penang, Malaysia. Art piece has 2 elaborately finned fish. The grand prize winning of the 76th Hammered Copper Competition at the Copper Museum in Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacán, Mexico. Piece is footed pot with lid. Extremely Rare American Arts and Crafts Copper hammered/tooled Jardinière bowl/pot by Arthur Stone, Gardiner, MA, c. 1905 1970s Copper Wall Art by Hugo O’Carroll, Hand Wrought Hammered Copper, Ogham Celtic Writing, Made in Ireland, 1974
November 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Amazing, indeed. Your great coppers and anthro trade route information has made my day! Thank you hugely! I couldn’t find a good map, but this is from Facebook

m.facebook.com/groups/68448...?
November 9, 2025 at 3:41 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
#Copper is the oldest metal worked by humans, & is 100% recyclable. Nearly 80% of all copper ever mined is still in use today. Historically significant examples of its use include the Statue of Liberty, which is made of copper.

Vote info 👇🏼

#OreCup ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🍎 🔭🪐
The Statue of Liberty in Paris, France before it was transported to America. Photo taken in 1886. When the statue was originally assembled, it was copper colored.
November 7, 2025 at 12:42 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
The spacecraft will be encountered, and the record played only if there are advanced space-faring civilizations in interstellar space, but the launching of this 'bottle' into the cosmic 'ocean' says something very hopeful about life on this planet.

Carl Sagan

C👇🏼

#OreCup ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 geology 🍎 🔭🪐
Flying aboard Voyagers 1 and 2 are identical "golden" records, carrying the story of Earth far into deep space. The 12 inch gold-plated copper discs contain greetings in 60 languages, samples of music from different cultures and eras, and natural and man-made sounds from Earth. They also contain electronic information that an advanced technological civilization could convert into diagrams and photographs. The cover of each gold plated aluminum jacket, designed to protect the record from micrometeorite bombardment, also serves a double purpose in providing the finder a key to playing the record. The explanatory diagram appears on both the inner and outer surfaces of the cover, as the outer diagram will be eroded in time. Currently, both Voyager probes are sailing adrift in the black sea of interstellar space, having left our solar system.
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
The Flemish masters painted on #copper as it provided a smooth, luminous surface that allowed fine detail and durability of the exquisite works, like this self portrait of a laughing Rembrandt.

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology🍎 🔭🪐
Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (Dutch, 1606–1669) Rembrandt Laughing. Oil on copper, about 1628. 22.2 × 17.1 cm (8 3/4 × 6 3/4 in.). J. Paul; Getty Museum, Museum East Pavilion, Gallery E205.
November 7, 2025 at 12:06 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
The Flemish masters painted on #copper as it provided a smooth surface that allowed fine detail and durability of their exquisite works, like this self portrait of Rembrandt.

#OreCup25 #MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Self-portrait of Rembrandt, 1630. An example of oil painting on copper.
November 3, 2025 at 12:31 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Naturally occurring pure copper is called “native” copper & is formed in veins & fractures by super-heated mineral-rich fluids often associated with volcanic activity. My sample shown below. Get the lead out & vote #copper!

#OreCup25 #MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Native copper
November 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
And so glad for you and all many, many other rock-loving friends!
October 1, 2025 at 5:35 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Silver hematite iron roses (sculptural, tabular crystals that form rose-like petals & clusters) with prasem quartz (colored green by acicular inclusions of actinolite) forms an ocean floor seascape. Truly #EarthArt.

See comment 👇🏼

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Spectacular silver #Hematite iron roses (sculptural, tabular crystals that form rose-like petals & clusters) with prasem quartz (colored green by acicular inclusions of actinolite) forms an ocean floor seascape. From Mongolia. Photo source: https://www.ebay.it/itm/141193859226
September 29, 2025 at 6:14 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Have you ever stood on an ancient seafloor bed?

This is the banded iron formation (BIF) of Hamersley Range, Australia.

Go big #hematite !

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r3...

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Woman with a nonchalant pose is dwarfed by the background as she stands on a ridge of the folded red bands of rock of the Banded Iron Formation of Hamersley Range, Australia. Photo: Masha Pastuhov, Dronesandstones
September 29, 2025 at 5:04 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Tiger Iron is a metamorphosed banded iron formation (BIF) from Australia. It consists of shimmering golden tiger’s eye, red jasper, & jet black #hematite. My small TI.
More info @ comment.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r4...

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Tiger Iron from Australia. Picture is my sample.
September 29, 2025 at 12:54 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
#Hematite Iron Roses are sculptural, radiating tabular crystals that form rose-like petals, and clusters. I wonder if iron roses ever bloomed on Mars? More info in comment.

Vote only once: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r4...

#EarthArt #MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Metallic hematite crystals forming rose shaped from Huanggang Mines, Keshiketeng Co., Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. From: https://www.geologyin.com/2024/01/hematite-properties-uses-meaning.html
September 29, 2025 at 12:27 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Updated bracket!

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
September 27, 2025 at 12:27 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
#Perovskite Borg-like crystals can have complex faces. In fact, perovskite has a wide range of morphologies. Lots of twinning, too! Resistance is Futile. #VoteTheFuture #MinCup25

Vote here: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r3...

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Borg-like cube with complex faces and a cute little twin on the top left. Lustrous, beautiful perovskite crystals with modifed edges. Perovskite with diamond faces. A cluster of cubic perovskite crystals with twinning.
September 26, 2025 at 7:32 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Another little dendritic #perovskite eye candy for your enjoyment.

Vote for Perovskite here: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r3...

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Photo of dendritic perovskite from Mindat.org.
September 26, 2025 at 12:53 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
It is the mineral perovskite.
September 26, 2025 at 12:20 PM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
“NASA is researching #perovskite solar cells for space, because they are lightweight, flexible, & can be manufactured in space at a lower cost. Goal: Artemis Mission” #VoteTheFuture

Vote here: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r3...

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Shows astronaut using 3D printer to printer perovskite solar panels. From: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20220011245/downloads/McNatt%20SPRAT%2027%20Final.pdf Shows perovskite solar array satellite orbiting the moon. From: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20220011245/downloads/McNatt%20SPRAT%2027%20Final.pdf Shows radar on top of moon habitats beaming perovskite solar power to collectors on the moon. From: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20220011245/downloads/McNatt%20SPRAT%2027%20Final.pdf Shows perovskite solar array developed to power missions to the outer planets and moons. From: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20220011245/downloads/McNatt%20SPRAT%2027%20Final.pdf
September 26, 2025 at 1:22 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Solar cells using moon dust turned into radiation resistant “moonglass” and paired with perovskite could power future space exploration. Vote for the future. #VotePerovskite

Vote here: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r3...

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
Illustration of the process of turning the Moon’s regolith to make radiation tolerant glass to protect perovskite solar cells. From https://www.cell.com/device/fulltext/S2666-9986(25)00060-2
September 26, 2025 at 12:03 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Tiger Iron is a metamorphosed banded iron formation (BIF) from Australia. It consists of shimmering golden tiger’s eye, red jasper, and jet black hematite. More at comment below.

#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐 #hematite
Huge polished slabs of Tiger Iron (tiger’s eye, red jasper and black hematite) from Australia.
September 25, 2025 at 2:44 AM
vickyveritas.bsky.social
Updated Bracket!
September 25, 2025 at 12:06 AM