One of the oldest, most beautiful and culturally significant mineralogical collections, the Zois collection. Comprising approximately 5,000 specimens of minerals and rocks. The collection includes about 300 specimens, others are stored in the depot, the area where the museum houses exhibited objects.
This is the founding collection of the first Slovenian museum. Even a quick glance at the collection shows that minerals differ in color, shape, size and splendor. There are also differences in hardness and Razi.
If you look close minerals, we can see that some fully shaped crystals. These are the body bounded by the flat surface. Crystals of individual minerals are different as a result of the internal structure of the mineral, its chemical composition and the conditions in which they are incurred. Large and perfectly shaped crystals formed when their inception prevailing favorable conditions. Most important is that the mineral has enough time and space to be smoothly crystallized.
Dismantled minerals are classified according to today's classification. Their arrangement is based on the internal structure. At the beginning of classified components or elements which are naturally occurring autochthonous. They are followed by sulphides, then oxides and hydroxides, various salts, silicates and organic compounds.
The collection also mineral zoisite which is named after Sigmund (Žiga) Zois, the original owner of the collection. As a connoisseur of minerals Zois noted that it is a new, until then completely unknown mineral. Therefore, it was later named after him.