[Rockhounds] labeling

[Johan Maertens]

This is my summary about labeling:

Labeling principles
Rock Currier: For specimens the most important is what I call a life saver label, a small label that you glue right onto the specimen.

The reason that these life saver labels are so important, is that historically it has been shown that labels have a habit of getting separated from their specimens. When this happened the specimen is in jeopardy. The identity of the mineral can always be determined by analysis, but if the label is lost the locality information is often gone forever. 

The importance of having a catalog number on the specimen cannot be stressed enough. If a specimen becomes detached from its number, it has lost most of its scientific significance.

You need to make sure your catalog will survive. If you have it on a computer, give others get access to the files.
It might pay to keep a copy of the catalog on a thumb drive and have the software version, a pdf file (I believe access will allow printing one), and a csv file in asci if all else fails.

Collectors love making catalogues, but I agree with Rock Currier that all important info must be attached to each specimen individually. I've seen many collections get dispersed over the years, but I have never seen a case where all the buyers of those specimens had access to the original catalogue or its information, so the catalogue ended up being pretty useless for the majority of people who acquired the specimens.

I would even go so far as to say that catalogues are only useful if your collection goes in its entirety to a museum and the museum agrees to keep it together and curate it, but that sort of thing happens very rarely nowadays. So my conclusion is, don't even bother making a catalogue - Waste of time and paper. Perhaps an online catalogue, like Mindat offers, would be more useful to posterity... 

Label Content
The only *critical* information to save with a specimen is the locality (+ID-number)
It is easy to identify/analyze the ID of the mineral. It is nearly impossible to identify its origin.

Label paper
•	pale tan or ivory-colored paper
•	have a neutral to slightly alkaline pH (pH 6.0-8.0);
•	have a lignin content of less than 0.3%
•	be of long-fibered cotton stock, although alpha-cellulose, ground-wood papers are also acceptable
Note: Do not use alkaline-buffered (“buffered”) paper, which has a pH of 8.5 or higher, for labels in direct contact with specimens.  
Letter sized, fit for laser printer
I sue Neenah Paper Astroparche Cardstock, 250/PK

Adhesive/Coating
Acryloid (Paraloid) B-72, clear Lacquer, SKU TPD017001
Paraloid B- 72 Glue, SKU B1500-001


On specimens I apply Gaffer Power Tape white, 1 inch wide and mark the catalog code

Label application:
Apply a barrier resin (B-72 in acetone) to the object prior to applying the label.

“Mark objects in an accessible locations that is not visible to the public when on display. Choose stable surfaces unlikely to be destroyed by abrasion. Avoid marking places where an object sits (e.g. its base), where it will be touched when routinely handled, and where the surface is flaking or damaged.”

I created a catalog using MS Excel = spreadsheet format and export its data to MS Word (home word processor and publishing tool) to create custom format labels, printed on the archival paper using a laser printer.
I print specimen box labels, collection labels and QR codes:
I use a MS Word QR code feature to print one by one inch QR codes as labels I adhere to specimens (preferred) or their box.
I can pack about 120 characters in the QR code. Most smart phones can read the information quickly.
All the label information comes from the MS Excel catalog or is manually typed in MS Word.

Johan Maertens
mr.calcite at live.com