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Recovered Mineral Collection
After the Museu Nacional fire, most samples from the Mineralogy collection were lost. 6.500 itens were rescued from a collection of 7.500, though in terrible conditions, physically and chemically altered. One of the most important and emblematic of our collections, the Werner collection, was deposited within the Mineralogy Collection of the Department of Geology and Palaeontology. The Werner Collection initially belonged to Karl Eugen Pabst von Ohain (1718-1784), head of the Academy of Mines in Freiberg, Germany, and was systematically organised and described by the German geologist Abraham Gottlob Werner – after whom the collection is named – during the period 1791 to 1793. At the end of the eighteenth century, the collection was acquired by Antonio de Araujo e Azevedo (1754-1817), the Count of Barca, at the behest of the Portuguese crown and brought to Brazil in 1808, aboard the Nau Medusa, arriving together with the royal family.
Its initial destination was the Arsenal de Guerra, in the former Royal Military Academy (founded in 1811), one of the first non-religious higher education institutions in Brazil. Between 1810 and 1823 the collection was the responsibility of another distinguished German geologist, Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege (1777-1855), a former student of Abraham Gottlob Werner. Following the foundation of the Royal Museum in 1818, the collection was transferred to the building located in Campo de Sant’Anna where it remained until 1892, when the entire collection was transported to the Quinta da Boa Vista Palace, the current home of the National Museum, making it one of the first to constitute the collection of the newly created museum. Unfortunately, during the fire at the National Museum in September 2018, the vast majority of the pieces were drastically modified, both physically and chemically, and few examples resisted the intense action of the fire. Today, the part of the collection that we were able to recover from the rubble is being classified and identified by the curators, technicians and interns of the National Museum, aimed at recovering, at least in part, its historical importance.
After recovery
After recovery
Before the fire
Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
Talc
Specimen number:MN 2060-M
Dimensions:3.1 x 3.5 x 2.0 (in)
Acquisition:Werner Collection
Origin:Saint Gothard, Switzerland
Most of the minerals subjected to the fire at the National Museum suffered alterations that included cracks and changes in colour and shape, but not all of them. This talc from the Werner Collection was on display and has been recovered with no visible modifications.
After recovery
After recovery
Before the fire
Fe3+O(OH)
Goethite
Specimen number:MN 0265-M
Dimensions:5.5 x 3.5 x 4.3 (in)
Acquisition:Coleção Werner
Origin:Saxônia, Alemanha
The goethite sample belonging to the collection had a habit called botryoidal or globular, an intense vitreous lustre and was black in colour. Since it is an iron hydroxide, this sample lost the hydroxyl (OH) group due to the fire, turning into an iron oxide called hematite, which is brownish-red in colour.
After recovery
After recovery
Before the fire
SiO2
Chalcedony
Specimen number:MN 0083-M
Dimensions:4.7 x 3.5 x 2.8 (in)
Acquisition:Stockholm Academy
Origin:Iceland
The mineral chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz. The chalcedony samples subjected to the fire lost their original colour, becoming white and opaque, while some were also impregnated with soot, like this sample.
After recovery
After recovery
Before the fire
SiO2
Quartz
Specimen number:MN 0271-M
Dimensions:3.5 x 3.1 x 5.5 (in)
Origin:Diamantina, Minas Gerais
This was a sample of smoky quartz, a variety of the quartz mineral known for its brown colour that comes from aluminium atoms within its structure. After the fire, the sample was colourless, because above 200-300°C this mineral loses its colour.
After recovery
After recovery
Before the fire
CaF2
Fluorite
Specimen number:MN 0172-M
Dimensions:2.1 x 0.6 x 2.1 (in)
Origin:Derbyshire, England
Fluorite is considered the most colourful minerals in the world because it can occur in a variety of colours, including black and white. The cause of the colour may be the presence of impurities or crystalline defects. The fluorite in the collection showed shades of purple and brown due to the presence of electrons out of their original position, which were removed due to the heat of the fire, leaving the sample colourless.

Recovered Mineral Collection

After the Museu Nacional fire, most samples from the Mineralogy collection were lost. 6.500 itens were rescued from a collection of 7.500, though in terrible conditions, physically and chemically altered. One of the most important and emblematic of our collections, the Werner collection, was deposited within the Mineralogy Collection of the Department of Geology and Palaeontology. The Werner Collection initially belonged to Karl Eugen Pabst von Ohain (1718-1784), head of the Academy of Mines in Freiberg, Germany, and was systematically organised and described by the German geologist Abraham Gottlob Werner – after whom the collection is named – during the period 1791 to 1793. At the end of the eighteenth century, the collection was acquired by Antonio de Araujo e Azevedo (1754-1817), the Count of Barca, at the behest of the Portuguese crown and brought to Brazil in 1808, aboard the Nau Medusa, arriving together with the royal family.

Its initial destination was the Arsenal de Guerra, in the former Royal Military Academy (founded in 1811), one of the first non-religious higher education institutions in Brazil. Between 1810 and 1823 the collection was the responsibility of another distinguished German geologist, Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege (1777-1855), a former student of Abraham Gottlob Werner. Following the foundation of the Royal Museum in 1818, the collection was transferred to the building located in Campo de Sant’Anna where it remained until 1892, when the entire collection was transported to the Quinta da Boa Vista Palace, the current home of the National Museum, making it one of the first to constitute the collection of the newly created museum. Unfortunately, during the fire at the National Museum in September 2018, the vast majority of the pieces were drastically modified, both physically and chemically, and few examples resisted the intense action of the fire. Today, the part of the collection that we were able to recover from the rubble is being classified and identified by the curators, technicians and interns of the National Museum, aimed at recovering, at least in part, its historical importance.

Mg3Si4O10(OH)2

Talc

Specimen number:MN 2060-M

Dimensions:3.1 x 3.5 x 2.0 (in)

Acquisition:Werner Collection

Origin:Saint Gothard, Switzerland

Most of the minerals subjected to the fire at the National Museum suffered alterations that included cracks and changes in colour and shape, but not all of them. This talc from the Werner Collection was on display and has been recovered with no visible modifications.

Fe3+O(OH)

Goethite

Specimen number:MN 0265-M

Dimensions:5.5 x 3.5 x 4.3 (in)

Acquisition:Coleção Werner

Origin:Saxônia, Alemanha

The goethite sample belonging to the collection had a habit called botryoidal or globular, an intense vitreous lustre and was black in colour. Since it is an iron hydroxide, this sample lost the hydroxyl (OH) group due to the fire, turning into an iron oxide called hematite, which is brownish-red in colour.

SiO2

Chalcedony

Specimen number:MN 0083-M

Dimensions:4.7 x 3.5 x 2.8 (in)

Acquisition:Stockholm Academy

Origin:Iceland

The mineral chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz. The chalcedony samples subjected to the fire lost their original colour, becoming white and opaque, while some were also impregnated with soot, like this sample.

SiO2

Quartz

Specimen number:MN 0271-M

Dimensions:3.5 x 3.1 x 5.5 (in)

Origin:Diamantina, Minas Gerais

This was a sample of smoky quartz, a variety of the quartz mineral known for its brown colour that comes from aluminium atoms within its structure. After the fire, the sample was colourless, because above 200-300°C this mineral loses its colour.

CaF2

Fluorite

Specimen number:MN 0172-M

Dimensions:2.1 x 0.6 x 2.1 (in)

Origin:Derbyshire, England

Fluorite is considered the most colourful minerals in the world because it can occur in a variety of colours, including black and white. The cause of the colour may be the presence of impurities or crystalline defects. The fluorite in the collection showed shades of purple and brown due to the presence of electrons out of their original position, which were removed due to the heat of the fire, leaving the sample colourless.