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Bruce Dice, a 1948 Calvin alumnus and geologist from Houston, Texas, was an avid rock and mineral collector for as long as he could remember. From childhood digging in his backyard, to spelunking in mines in New Zealand and Mexico, Dice practiced the art of mineral collecting.

During his last 4 decades, Dice invested considerable time and effort into improving his exquisite collection. World-wide travels provided him opportunities to acquire rare and valuable samples. One of his favorite minerals on display is a sample of crocoite, an unusual and rare lead chromate (PbCrO₄) which forms into red, tabular crystals. The museum’s specimen was obtained from a small, family-owned mine in Australia.

Through the years Dice worked to improve the variety and quality of minerals in the collection. Recent purchases included a suite of stunning fluorescent specimens from Franklin, New Jersey, and a fascinating collection of fossil fish from Lebanon.

After many years of building a personal collection, Bruce Dice felt something was missing: “I decided it was time to share … so [the collection] went to the love of my life — Calvin College.” A short time later, his mineral collection was delivered to professional museum staff for mounting, photographing, appraisal and documentation. Back at Calvin, faculty, staff, and students were enthusiastic when construction broke ground in March of 2012. A new addition to North Hall was erected, and over 300 mineral, meteorite, and fossil specimens were relocated to their new home on Calvin’s campus.

Both Dice and those at �鶹�� agree that the collection is a magnificent way to marvel at God’s creation. The museum continues to change through the years as new specimens are displayed from acquisitions and storage, thereby offering fresh displays of God’s handiwork to be enjoyed time and again.