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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 60 - Dr. Bob Downs - Mineralogist; Mars Rover: Curiosity, Tucson, AZ

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22.2K subscribers
681 views 3 years ago
And we're back with our fantastic 60th Episode now online!!! For the April 2022 show, we head back to Tucson, Arizona and get together with basically a mineral world celebrity - Dr. Bob Downs. Bob was not only a professor at the University of Arizona (now retired), but he was ALSO the Curator of the UofA Mineral Museum. During his time there, Bob helped bring the museum back from near obscurity and ushered in the era that transformed it into what it is today - the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum (see our January 2022 episode for a complete walk-through - https://go.MineralTalksLIVE.com/Episo.... As if that weren't enough Bob was ALSO the key catalyst behind the RRUFF Project (the world's largest database of Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction and chemistry data for minerals) which NASA still uses on its Mars missions. And speaking of Mars, Bob was also one of the chief scientists for the Mars Rover - Curiosity which is STILL operating on the  …...more
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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 60 - Dr. Bob Downs - Mineralogist; Mars Rover: Curiosity, Tucson, AZ
19Likes
681Views
2022Apr 20
And we're back with our fantastic 60th Episode now online!!! For the April 2022 show, we head back to Tucson, Arizona and get together with basically a mineral world celebrity - Dr. Bob Downs. Bob was not only a professor at the University of Arizona (now retired), but he was ALSO the Curator of the UofA Mineral Museum. During his time there, Bob helped bring the museum back from near obscurity and ushered in the era that transformed it into what it is today - the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum (see our January 2022 episode for a complete walk-through - https://go.MineralTalksLIVE.com/Episo.... As if that weren't enough Bob was ALSO the key catalyst behind the RRUFF Project (the world's largest database of Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction and chemistry data for minerals) which NASA still uses on its Mars missions. And speaking of Mars, Bob was also one of the chief scientists for the Mars Rover - Curiosity which is STILL operating on the Red Planet - ten years AFTER its original 23-month planned mission!!! So join us as Bob shares his stories, thoughts and accomplishments in the relaxed, nonchalant manner that is one of his key trademarks and has made his such a success. Mineral Talks LIVE is a joint-venture effort put on by BlueCap Productions, the Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University and the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals (SMMP). This LIVE, interactive interview series delves into the backgrounds of different people in the mineral world. Our guests represent the true international nature of our hobby. Our goal with these interviews is to foster a better understanding and appreciation of each individual's contribution to the mineral-collecting world. Past Episodes of Mineral Talks LIVE can be viewed on YouTube at the following URL: https://go.MineralTalksLIVE.com/PastE...

Follow along using the transcript.

bluecapproductions

22.2K subscribers

Mineral Talks LIVE
1

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 01 - Dr. Eloïse Gaillou - Curatrix; Paris School of Mines

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2

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 02 - Dr. Robert Lavinsky - Founder; The Arkenstone

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 03 - Peter Megaw - Private Collector; Mexican Minerals

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4

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 04 - Thomas Bellicam - MARCOM Mgr.; Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines Show

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 05 - Dr. Raquel Alonso-Perez - Curatrix; Min & Geo Museum Harvard Uni

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 06 - Diana and Ian Bruce; Owners; Crystal Classics, UK

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 07 - Patrick Dreher; Master Carver; Dreher Carvings, Idar-Oberstein

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8

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 08 - Dr. John Rakovan - Prof. Geology & Earth Science; Miami University

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 09 - Dr. Vera Hammer; Curatrix; Natural History Museum of Vienna

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 10 - Ryan Roney - Curator; Tellus Science Museum, Georgia

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11

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 11 - Bill Larson; Collector - Fallbrook, CA, USA

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12

Mineral Talks LIVE - Friday Happy Hour - Denver 2020 - CO Mineral & Fossil Show & Just Minerals

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13

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 12 - Jolyon Ralph; Founder - mindat.org

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 13 - Salim Eddé - Founder; mim Museum, Beirut, Lebanon

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15

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 14 - George Rossman; Prof. of Mineralogy; Caltech, Pasadena, California

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16

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 15 - The Collector's Edge; Golden, Colorado, USA

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17

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 16 - Daniel Trinchillo; Founder, Fine Minerals International

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18

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 17 - Jack Halpern; Private Collector, San Francisco, CA, USA

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19

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 18 - Stefan Nicolescu; Collections Manager, Yale Peabody Museum, USA

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20

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 19 - Sami Makki; Matrix India, Pune, India

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 20 - Dr. Terry Wallace - Director Emeritus; Los Alamos National Labs

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22

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 21 - Tama Higuchi; Mineral Artist, Dallas, Texas, USA

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23

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 22 - Katherine Dunnell; Earth Sci Tech, Royal Ontario Museum, Canada

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24

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 23 - Emanuele Marini - Founder; Nimeral Mineral Labs, Milano, Italy

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25

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 24 - Gail and Jim Spann - Private Collectors; Dallas, Texas, USA

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26

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 25 - Gloria Staebler - Lithographie, Denver, CO, USA

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27

Mineral Talks Live - 2020 Holiday Greetings!!!!

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28

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 26 - Dr. Frank Keutsch; Prof. Chemistry. Harvard University, MA, USA

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29

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 27 - Tom Gressman/Christi Cramer; The Mineralogical Record, Tucson, AZ

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30

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 28 - Fabian Wildfang - Private Collector; Müllheim, Germany

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31

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 29 - Jordi Fabre; Founder, Fabre Minerals, Barcelona, Spain

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32

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 30 - Bryan Swoboda; Founder, BlueCap Productions Hawai'i, Honolulu, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 31 - Dr. Gene Meieran - Private Collector/Intel Fellow, Oregon, USA

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34

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 32 - Jeff Scovil - Mineral Photographer; Phoenix, Arizona, USA

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35

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 33 - Dr. Federico Pezzotta - Curator; Nat Hist Museum of Milan, Italy

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36

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 34 - Paula Crevoshay - Crevoshay Jewelry; Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

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37

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 35 - Joe Dorris - Founder; Pinnacle 5 Minerals, Manitou Springs, CO, US

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38

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 36 - Stuart Wilensky - Founder; Wilensky Exquisite Gallery, New York

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 37 - Dr. Bruce Cairncross - Prof. of Geo, U of Johannesburg, S Africa

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40

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 38 - Dr Alex Schauss - Private Thumbnail Collector, Tucson, Arizona

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41

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 39 - Dr. Andreas Stucki; Owner, Siber+Siber, Zurich, Switzerland

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42

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 40 - Kimberly Vagner; Director, Perot Museum, Dallas, TX, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 41 - Alan Hart - CEO; Gem-A, London, England, United Kingdom

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 42 - Dr. Elizabeth Rampe - Geologist; NASA's Johnson Space Center, TX

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 43 - Alex Speer - Senior Fellow; Mineralogical Society of America

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46

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 44 - Shelly Sergent - Curatrix; Somewhere In The Rainbow

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47

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 45 - Edward Boehm; Founder, RareSource, Chattanooga, TN, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 46 - Barbra Barrett/Dr. Carl Francis, Maine Mineral Musem, USA

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49

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 47 - Nicolai Medvedev; Intarsia Artist, Tucson, AZ, USA

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50

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 48 - Rui Galopim; Gem Education Consultant, Lisbon, Portugal

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51

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 49 - Dr. Robert Hazen; Senior Scientist, Carnegie Earth & Planets Lab.

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52

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 50 - Wayne & Dona Leicht - Founders; Kristalle, Laguna Beach, CA, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 51 - Dr. George Harlow - Curator Emeritus; American Museum, NY, USA

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54

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 52 - Dr. Aaron Palke - Sr. Manager of Research; GIA, Carlsbad, CA, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 53 - Doug and Rich Graeme

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 54 - László Kupi - Fine Mineral Photographer - Budapest, Hungary

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57

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 55- Dr Virgil Lueth; Director, Mineral Museum NM Bureau of Geology

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 56 - Jean-Claude Boulliard; Curator, Sorbonne Museum, Paris, France

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 57 - Eric Fritz - Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum, Tucson, AZ, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 58 - Bob Jackson - Founder; Geology Adventures and 2022's AMHA Winner

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 59 - Naomi Sarna; Award-winning Jewelry Designer; New York, NY, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 60 - Dr. Bob Downs - Mineralogist; Mars Rover: Curiosity, Tucson, AZ

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 61 - Dr. Malcolm Southwood - Tsumeb Specialist, Melbourne, Australia

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 62 - Federico Barlocher - International Gem & Mineral Dealer - Bangkok

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 63 - Tomek Praszkier - Founder; Spirifer Minerals, Warsaw, Poland

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 64 - Roy Starkey - Mineral Book Author - Worcestershire, United Kingdom

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 65 - John White; Founder, The Mineralogical Record

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 66 - Dr. Aaron Celestian - Curator; Nat History Museum of Los Angeles

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Mineral Talks LIVE- Episode 67 - Ghulam Mustafa - Founder; Fine Art Minerals - Peshawar, Pakistan

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 68 - Dr. Jeffrey Post - Curator; Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 69 - Ksenia Levterova; Mineral Artist - Kyiv, Ukraine

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 70 - Bob & Evan Jones - Mineral Collectors & Authors; Phoenix, AZ, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 71 - Lord David P. Wilber; Mineral Collecting Pioneer, SLC, Utah, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 72 - Jeff Swanger; Owner/Operator, OceanView Mine, Pala, CA, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 73 - Dr. Skip Simmons; Professor Emeritus, U of New Orleans, LA, US

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 74 - Les Presmyk; Mining Engineer/Field Collector; Phoenix, AZ, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 75 - Dr. Gabriela Farfan; Curatrix, Smithsonian Museum, Wash. D.C., USA

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78

Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 76 - James & Charelle Webb - Owners; The Focal Crystal, Houston, TX

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 77 - John Cornish; Field Collector & Ambassador, Port Angeles, WA, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 78 - Dr. Martin Števko; Collector & Researcher; Bratislava, Slovakia

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 79 - John Koivula, Analytical Microscopist; GIA, Carlsbad, CA, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 80 - Rick Kennedy - Owner/Founder; Earth's Treasures, San Jose, CA, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 81 - Robert Myers - Private Collector; London, England, United Kingdom

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 82 - Rebecca Johnston - Mineral Artist; Seattle, Washington, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 83 - Joaquim Callén - Mineral Photographer; Barcelona, Catalonia, EU

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 84 - Wim Vertriest - Manager, Field Gemology; GIA, Bangkok, Thailand

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 85 - Scott Werschky - Founder; Miner's Lunchbox, Reno, Nevada, USA

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 97 - John Bradshaw; Gemologist, Coast-to-Coast Rare Stones, Nashua, NH

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Mineral Talks LIVE - Episode 98 - Dave Bunk; Owner, Dave Bunk Minerals, Arvada, Colorado, USA

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