Excalibur Mineral Company was founded in 1974 by current owner Tony Nikischer. The company specialized in rare species from its inception and has grown to become arguably the largest supplier of rare mineral species in the world. Collectors, researchers, museums, universities and government agencies in numerous foreign countries and the United States are supplied by Excalibur.
In addition to mineral specimens, the firm stocks collecting tools, Geiger counters, microscopes, books, ultraviolet lamps, optical triplets, storage boxes and other collecting aids. The company is also the exclusive U.S. distributor for the German-designed, Russian-manufactured MBS-10 binocular microscope and other optical products.
In 1993, the company purchased the assets of the Cureton Mineral Co., its major competitor in the U.S.. The combined inventories of the two firms exceeded 200,000 specimens and now represents well over 3000 different mineral species, the largest commercial holding of its kind in the world.
In 1996, the firm opened an analytical laboratory that utilizes state-of-the-art Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy detectors and a Scanning Electron Microscope in order to assist in mineral identification for both in-house and external client servicing. Laboratory rates are far below typical industry levels so that collectors may have a reliable, relatively inexpensive, prompt turnaround for their mineral identification needs. Excalibur is the only company in the retail mineral field with this in-house service.
To learn more about Excalibur, its monthly mineral lists and other products, see their website at www.bestweb.net/~excalmin, if you are connected to the Internet, click here.