Author | Lightnews

Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · 15d

Hey @colbertlateshow.bsky.social , can we get another shout out to @brickroadcoffee.bsky.social for donating water and excellent coffee to the #NoKings rally this morning in #Tempe #AZ ?

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Oct 2

Ever wonder about who makes Mineral Cup happen?

Here’s the #MinCup25 volunteer team! www.mineralcup.org/2025/volunte...

Want to join us? We’re always recruiting more volunteers!

Volunteers — Mineral Cup

www.mineralcup.org

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Martin Hajovsky @martinhajovsky.bsky.social · Oct 2

The new Ore Cup will have entries of which Mineral Cup voters have mourned losses in the past, including copper! #MinCup25 #OreCup25

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Elysia Macht @elysiamacht.bsky.social · Oct 1

Northern lights were flaring last night already. They are doing it again tonight.

The Sun will (probably 👉👈) smite thee hard if you don't harken to its auroral message and vote 🌈🎆 Northern #Tugtupite FTW!

#MinCup25

Jan 2025 📸s:
yle.fi/a/74-20134442
Storm level aurora now:
www.softservenews.com

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦 @sambir.bsky.social · Oct 1

I was all ready to cast my final vote of support for kyanite but that plan fell to pieces when I learned about spectacular tugtupite. Tenebrescent! Fluorescent!
Phosphorescent!

Bad luck kyanite, your innate coolness is compelling but is out-matched in this final round of #MinCup25.

Toshokanin @toshokanin.bsky.social · Oct 1

Kyanite has fought long and hard these many years! Let’s get that win so it can retire with honour!

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Oct 1

#MinCup25 Final: After a month of learning and laughter, we’re at the final match to determine the 2025 Mineral Cup Champion! We have blue blades of #kyanite up against optical magician #tugtupite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r5...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Saavik Pie Ford 🥧 @saavikford.bsky.social · Oct 1

Oi! If you’ve been ballot-stuffing #MinCup25: STOP IT!

Can’t we please have this ONE NICE THING?!?

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Oct 1

Full audit complete. The final margin was just 9 votes.

The ballot-stuffing is frustrating to undo, hides the excitement of close margins or frantic comebacks, and steals glory from the coolness of these minerals.

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Dots and Lines @dotsandlines.bsky.social · Oct 1

As much as I wanted calcite, hematite, or a copper mineral to get here, these two both deserve their spots.

I may just end up campaigning for both—the only bad result for this match would be if we don't have fun and learn.

#MinCup25 #MinCup

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Oct 1

#MinCup25 Final: After a month of learning and laughter, we’re at the final match to determine the 2025 Mineral Cup Champion! We have blue blades of #kyanite up against optical magician #tugtupite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r5...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in 2025 Final Match — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Kyanite vs Tugtupite Photo credits: John Sobolewski and Parent Géry

www.mineralcup.org

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · Sep 19

I wanted to get a video of this ghost crab but every time I got close to their hole they scuttled back in, so I tried getting clever with it. I made a little sandcastle and shoved my phone into it, hit record, and walked away. Crab was VERY suspicious of this addition to their environment.

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Brendan O’Neill @permafrostee.bsky.social · Sep 23

We made the big leagues

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Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · Sep 23

Maybe send some to us in Mesa, AZ?

Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · Sep 23

True confession: I still dream of the pumpkin donuts from that little bakery in #Oberlin, OH, lo those many years ago when my #CollegeofWooster swim team went to a meet there...Especially this time of year :/

Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Dots and Lines @dotsandlines.bsky.social · Sep 23

Psst: if you like rocks, I want to make sure you know about #MinCup! We're talking about minerals over there, everything from science and history to sparkles and fun names.

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Dots and Lines @dotsandlines.bsky.social · Sep 20

When the sun fades, I fade
Though a snowy sparkle stays
When the sun's bright, I'm bright
Sudden waking, warm as life

#MinCup25 #tugtupite #MinPoem

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Sep 20

#MinCup Round 2 Match 4:
It’s a battle of mineralogical oddities as organic mineral #Carpathite battles against vs #Tugtupite, a mineral that looks like reindeer blood!

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...

Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 2 Match 4 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Carpathite vs Tugtupite Photo credits: Michael Roarke

www.mineralcup.org

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Sep 19

#MinCup25 Round 2 Match 3: It's a heavyweight match between industrial powerhouses as soft #baryte competes against rusty red #hematite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 2 Match 3 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Baryte vs Hematite Photo credits:

www.mineralcup.org

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Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · Sep 17

Darn. I was going to see if you needed a couple more banjos to occasionally join the herd. ;)

Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · Sep 16

@banjoherder.bsky.social so I saw your #MinCup25 post, and since multiple members of my family are are banjo plinkers, I would like to know about the banjoherding

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Carter's Dad @johnmckendry.bsky.social · Sep 16

#MinCup25 finally has a horse race where your vote and mine can make a difference. #mannardite for me. Neither contestant has its own Wikipedia page, and the mindat.org pages now have a banner at the top telling people to go vote in MinCup25. I am happy that they get to play a game for a month.

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Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · Sep 16

I have to say, all I could think about were the radioactive spas when I heard this. What a use for revamping sources of radioactive minerals, right?

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

FrankenGardner @glacierpique.bsky.social · Sep 16

Why is V so concentrated in crude oil and oil shales?

Anoxic waters, H2S reduction, formation of porphyrin complexes, precipitation, clay adsorption, shale deposition, mineralization.

Tiny, V-rich #Mannardite punches above its weight.
#MinCup25
#Porphyrins

Prism of black Mannardite contrast with white matrix. Image from mindat’s website, copyright Alessio Becucci

Silver prism of Mannardite contrasts with white matrix. Image from mindat’s website, copyright Chinellato Matteo

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Saavik Pie Ford 🥧 @saavikford.bsky.social · Sep 16

#Mannardite is the little goth rock who could! Jet black & found in the oldest terrestrial rocks, Hadean era crust!

This is the last bout of Round 1 so step up to vote & be counted!

#MinCup25

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Sep 16

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 16 - It's a battle of the tiny as bright green #paddlewheelite goes up against jet black #mannardite. Both are small yet mighty minerals, but only one can win!

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 1 Match 16 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Paddlewheelite vs Mannardite Photo credits: Travis Olds and Matteo Chinellato

www.mineralcup.org

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Martin Hajovsky @martinhajovsky.bsky.social · Sep 16

Don’t know how I’m going to vote here, but the name #Paddlewheelite makes me wonder if it was hastily made up as a mineral simply to get into #MinCup25 & lock down the “Cute name” vote! What’s next, kittypawite??

(And yes, I’m looking it up now & it’s actually pretty cool, but I said what I said!)

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

sgrd @selveste.bsky.social · Sep 11

This is our one and only chance to get a mineral first found and described in Norway on to the next round! Look, there's a stamp and everything:

#Thortveitite
#MinCup25

Norwegian stamp with image of dark thortveitite crystal in white matrix. Value 5 kroner 50 øre.

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Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · Sep 5

Yes, well, free speech as long as your speech is his speech-- just ask our flagship universities and museums. My advice to the UK: give Donald the 1-fingered salute for HIS opinions

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Joanna Scheffler @joscheff.bsky.social · Sep 5

Baryte is sneaky! It looks like it will be just another lightweight nonmetallic mineral, then you pick it up and it's a chonk! Also, barium enemas. What other reasons could you need?

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Reposted by Joanna Scheffler

Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · Sep 5

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 5: Are you ready for beautiful utility as sparkling #Silver competes against hefty #Baryte?

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...

Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 1 Match 5 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Silver vs Baryte Photo credit: Smithsonian Institution

www.mineralcup.org

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