Dr. Andreas (Andy) Stucki is a full-blooded mineral and geology enthusiast since childhood days. With a Master’s degree on high grade metamorphic rocks in the Northern Italian Alps, Andy received his Ph.D. from the Swiss Technical Institute (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, for his work on the geochemistry and mineralogy of formerly oceanic rocks in the Southern Alps. A passionate mountain climber, a passion he shares with his wife, he has visited most of the mineral producing regions of Switzerland, no matter how remote and rugged their nature. Manager and co-owner of Siber+Siber Ltd, Switzerland’s biggest mineral and gem dealerships, Andy has been a regular visitor to the major U.S. mineral shows during the last 27 years. Throughout the last 15 years, Andy has constantly expanded the share of Swiss minerals in the company’s inventory, making the selection one of the largest in Europe.
The small country of Switzerland in the heart of the Alps hosts a remarkable wealth of beautiful minerals. Most famous and spectacular of them all is quartz in several typical habits, for example gwindels, Tessin Habit and more. Both size and quality of some of the quartz finds easily rival the best in other parts of the world. Fluorite is another much sought after specialty of the central Alps occurring in rare pink colors. In addition, rose-like hematite crystal clusters (“iron rose”), sharp adularia crystals, anatase, brookite and milarite are just a few more of the mineral species found in wonderful specimens. Last but not least, Switzerland also hosts a world-class locality for rare sulfosalts named Lengenbach. It is type locality to more than 40 species of minerals. Recovering Alpine beauties is dangerous work. Andy will share some of the exciting aspects of hunting and finding Alpine treasures in the midst of towering granite peaks and glaciers.