The Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum is a 501(C)3 organization committed to the preservation of minerals and mining history for the purpose of educating students, educators, and the general public as it relates to the Kentucky/Illinois Fluorspar District and the effect minerals have on the daily lives of the general public.
At the museum, you will find the largest display of fluorite crystal specimens in the United States, most of which came from Ben E. Clement’s decades of work. It is also home to a wealth of other mineral samples, fossils, mineral carvings, and turn-of-the century mining equipment, as well as a treasure of historical pieces related to the mining industry, such as photographs, journals, tools and other artifacts. Boasting thousands of specimens, the mineral collection is a huge draw for rock hounds, crystal collectors, geology enthusiasts and adventurers looking for America’s rural hidden gems (pun intended!). When you walk through the museum, you’ll see names of miners or their descendants alongside tools and artifacts and minerals lovingly donated or placed on loan to the museum in honor of our heroes that braved a career in the mines. This museum is a tribute to these mining companies, their workmen and families, and a way for us to keep their memory alive, what tremendous odds they faced and overcame, their ingenuity and, lastly, how they served the surrounding communities and contributed to our national safety, industry and our economy through mining.
We have the distinct honor of housing the Charley Ruble Collection. Charley Ruble was a man whose giftings made room for him everywhere he went, including landing him in the audience of the heads of nations! He was a United States Navy Veteran 1948-53 served on the USS San Pablo performing Geodetic Survey. Attended University of Illinois 1953-57 attaining a Bachelors in Geology. He was hired by Amoco Oil Company as a petroleum geologist and retired in 1986. Charley worked on or visited all eight continents with the last being the continent of Antarctica at the age of 77. His mineral collection includes some of the finest specimens from around the world, Persian rugs and beautiful artwork. He was even an artist in his own right. We have two of his own paintings!
There is another important collection our visitors absolutely LOVE… the one you can take home! Our gift shop has an incredible collection of local specimens and district fluorite for sale. We also feature crystal specimens from other collectors and vendors from around the country, making our gift shop a great resource for crystal collectors and rock hounds of all ages and interests. Our gift shop is so well stocked, many visitors think it’s part of the exhibit!
Makenna Rose Photography
The Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit. Your kindness is what keeps our doors open! If you’d like to donate to the museum, become an exclusive member (with perks!) or volunteer to help at the museum in any capacity, you can do that by clicking the link below. We thank you for visiting us!