Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are ‘Your Favorites’ or ‘Favorite Lists’?

Registered users will have the ability to add items that they are interested in to their Favorites List by clicking the “Add to Favorites” button on product listings. You can add any item to a Favorite List that you are interested in possibly purchasing in the future, simply like the pictures of, or want to view at a later time. Also, six of your selected favorites will be shown on the Home Page Slider.

Essentially, by adding a product to a Favorite List you are bookmarking that item by adding it to an easily accessible and viewable list. Keep in mind that adding a product to your favorites list is NOT the same thing as Reserving or purchasing that item in any way. To view your Favorites List Login, and go to My Account à My Favorites.

Click here to create a New Registered User Account

Q: What is the ‘Archive Sold Gallery’?          

The Archive Sold Gallery consist are items that have been SOLD and they are no longer available to purchase. It is a courtesy gallery for registered users for comparing prices of previously sold items on the Dakota Matrix website as well as other mineral websites. We all know how subjective and unfair mineral prices can be and a frame of reference serves as a pricing standard. It also serves as a showcase of previously sold minerals on the Dakota Matrix website. Note that not all of the minerals sold on Dakota Matrix are transferred to the Archived gallery.  To view the Archive Sold Gallery Click Here or find it in the Galleries drop down menu. Again, you must be a registerd user to access the Archive Sold gallery.

Q: What is a ‘Want List’?       

Collectors often have a wish or Want List of minerals they are seeking. Our customers commonly request that we notify them whenever we acquire or sell a mineral species on their Want List.  As one can imagine, with thousands of customers, keeping track of different lists can quite frankly be a nightmare! On the new DMM website registered users will have the ability to create a Want List by mineral name for up to 20 different minerals. When we prepare for a web update, we will typically place the minerals on 'HOLD' for a day or two or up to a month in advance. With Want List matching, you will now get an instant notification via email that one of your 'wants" has been placed on Hold. Then you will get another email when that item is posted online. Since two or more customers may have the same mineral on their Want List, to be fair we will not advance sell a mineral. Also please keep in mind that if you add a mineral name that we commonly post (i.e. Wulfenite, Mimetite, Quartz, etc) you will receive frequent and sometimes multiple emails. To view your Want List or to add items to your Want List Login and go to My Account then to My Want List

Q: What is ‘Mineralpedia’?

Mineralpedia is essentially a huge photo database that details the basic physical and chemical characteristics of approximately 4,500 mineral species with accompanying photos taken by DMM to show the different occurrences of each mineral. The photos and data on Mineralpedia will be added as we add products to the DMM Galleries, which will make for a dynamic and ever increasing source of information and photos for minerals.

Q: What is the ‘Mineral Melange’?

Melange - n (geology) a totally disordered mixture of rocks of different shapes, sizes, ages, and origins. Etymology: French ‘mixture’. The Mineral Melange, which is one of the slides on the on the DMM Homepage slider, are typically overlooked minerals by customers. They may have some intrinsic value such as a “type locality” mineral, a signed label, or is an antique specimen for example. They may also be a random sampling of mineral specimens that are currently Available online to purchase and are selected special or featured items.

Q: What is the purpose of the slideshow on the Home Page?

The slider on the DMM Homepage will rotate through four different slides with four different categories to give users a quick glimpse of items that they may be interested in. The cagegories include: ‘Your Favorites’, ‘Reduced’, ‘Special Editions’, and ‘Mineral Melange’.

• The ‘Favorites’ slide will show up to 6 items that you have selected to add to your Favorites List – see Your Favorites FAQ for more on Favorites.
•  The ‘Reduced’ slide will show up to 6 items that have reduced sale prices and are currently Available online.
• The Special Edition slide will show a thumbnail preview for the next three upcoming Special Edition Updates. You can also view upcoming Special Editions Here.
• The ‘Mineral Melange’ slide will show up to 6 randomly selected special or featured items – see Mineral Melange FAQ for more info.

Q: What is a User Account?

A User Account is an account registered with DMM that will allow our customers to edit billing/shipping addresses create and manage Favorite and Wantlist items, manage Queued Orders, and view order histories. To create an account you will be asked to provide your email and a password, you will then receive an email to verify the account. After the account is verified a user will be able to access their User Account by Logging in on the DMM Homepage. Click here to Register a New User Account.

Q: What are tags?

Tags are essentially labels or keywords that we assign items that group them into different categories. Examples of keywords that we might use include: Christmas Sale, Inventory Reduction OR Sulfides, New Minerals, Fluorescent Minerals, etc.

Q: What is a User Account?

 A User Account is an account registered with DMM that will allow our customers to edit billing/shipping addresses create and manage Favorite and Wantlist items, manage Queued Orders, and view order histories. To create an account you will be asked to provide your email and a password, you will then receive an email to verify the account. After the account is verified a user will be able to access their User Account by Logging in on the DMM Homepage.

Q: How do I create a User Account? 

Follow this link to Create a User Account OR you can click the Login button on the top right hand side of the Homepage and then click the ‘New User? Register Here’ link.

Q: How is a Registered User Account different from a Guest User Account?

By creating a User Account users will be able to have a more personalized experience on www.dakotamatrix.com. Special features and options for Registered Users include: Favorites Lists, Wish Lists, Order Queuing, personalized DMM Notifiers, manageability of billing/shipping information, and more. For more information about these new features and more on User Account options see the New DMM Website Features section of the FAQ’s.

Q: How do I change the information in my User Account?

A Registered User can change their account information (including billing/shipping info, email, password, etc.) at any time by logging on and going to ‘My Account’, which will be located on the top right of the page at all times.

Q: Is the information I provide on my User Account kept private?  

Yes, any billing/shipping information that you provide to register or to maintain a User Account will be kept private. This information will remain in our possession ONLY and will never be sold, rented or leased to a third party. All personally identifiable information and other information supplied during registration, mailing list subscriptions, feedback, or otherwise and changes and alterations henceforth will remain confidential. DMM reserves the right to use this information for our proprietary use to complete transactions, to contact you, or for direct marketing purposes. For more information see our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Q: How do I reserve a mineral if it is Available?

To reserve a mineral specimen if it is marked Available click on the ‘Add to Cart’ button for that listing. It will then be added to your shopping cart and will be ‘Reserved’ for you until you complete the shopping cart checkout process or the page times out.

Q: What is the 30 minute timer for that begins to countdown when I add a product to my shopping cart?

When you add an item to your shopping cart a 30 minute timer will begin to countdown and can be seen at the top of the page at all times when you are on the site. This timer is to insure that items won’t remain perpetually ‘Reserved’ by someone who may have put an item in their cart and then proceeded to leave the site. Don’t worry the timer will automatically reset as long as you remain active on the site. After 30 minutes of non-activity any items will be made Available for other users to purchase.                                                                                   

Q: How do I reserve a mineral if it is Reserved?

If a mineral specimen that you would like to purchase is marked ‘Reserved’ you may still have an opportunity to purchase it if the first person deletes it from their cart. To get on the Reserve list click the ‘Add to Cart’ button and click OK when the message, which asks if you want to be on the Reserve list, pops-up.

Q: How do I complete and order online?      

You can complete an order on the website if you are a Guest User or a Registered User. To add a mineral to your cart simply click the ‘Add to Cart’ button for the specimen you are interested in and yes, you can add more than one item to a Shopping Cart. After you have selected the items you would like to purchase click the ‘Checkout’ button at the top of the page to complete the order.

Q: Can I email you an order?

Yes, you can send us an email about ordering an Available item at any time. However, it is possible that if we take too long to get the email or are slow to act on the request the items purchased by another customer. To insure that you get the items that you want it is best to complete the shopping cart online.

Q: How do I apply my discount code when I order?  

If you have a valid discount code issued by Dakota Matrix you can enter the code in the step of the checkout process where you review your order. Simply enter the code in the space provided on the form and your discount should be applied to the order total or shipping costs.

Q: Do you send minerals specimens on approval?

We do not ship specimens “on approval” without clear and prior written intent via email or postal service and prior written permission from Dakota Matrix. Please read our return policy if you are unsatisfied with your purchase.

Q: What is a Queued Order?

Essentially placing an order on Queue is placing the order on Hold, so payment and shipping are postponed until one or more Queued Orders are released by you, the customer. You can place multiple orders placed at different times on Queue and then combine them for shipment, saving you on shipping/handling charges.

The ‘Queue Order’ option is offered to registered users only and we view it as a courtesy to save our customers shipping costs. By selecting ‘Queue Order’ customers agree to purchase all of the items in the order for the amounts indicated on the invoice. Customers also agree to pay the total shipping in full when one or more ‘Queued Orders’ are released. We must receive payment in full before any items are shipped.

The maximum amount of time a ‘Queue Order’ can be held is 30 days. When a held ‘Queue Order’ reaches the 30 day limit we will send you an email to remind you to complete the order process. Additionally, if several orders are held on Queue totaling $500 or more we may send you an email to collect payment.

If you select ‘Queue Order’ when placing an order you are committing to purchase the item(s) in the order and basically asking us to hold the items to combine them for shipment with other items at a later date.

Note: selecting to Queue an order is NOT the same as Reserving a specimen, which only holds the item in your shopping cart to be purchased.

You can view and manage the your Queued Orders by logging on and going to My Account -> My Queued Orders.

Q: How is payment made for a Queued Order?

When one or more ‘Queued Orders’ are released for shipment the shopping cart process will direct you to pay with a Credit Card, Paypal or Check as usual. For more information on payments and payment methods see our Payment FAQ.

Q: How long can a Queued Order remain on hold before shipment?

‘Queued Orders’ will be held for a period of up to and not exceeding 4 weeks from the time the order is placed. At or before the 4 week period is over you will receive an email notifying you that the order will be released. If in the event a customer does not complete payment for one or more Queued Orders within reasonable time after 4 weeks we will cancel all orders and future ‘Queued Order’ privileges will be revoked for that user.

Q: How is shipping/handling calculated for Queued Orders?

Shipping/handling fees will be calculated for all the items combined when one or more Queued Orders is released for shipment and will be included in Total amount due. For more information on how we calculate shipping/handling see our S/H FAQ's.

Q: Can a Queued Order be cancelled?

By placing an order on Queue you are committing to purchasing all the items on the order. We encourage our customers to make sure they want each item before they place an order on Queue and a window will pop-up asking you to confirm that you want to Queue an order.

 If cancellation of a Queued Order is necessary and website administrators are required to delete orders and place the items back online, a service fee of $50 will be assessed. And future Queued Order privileges will be revoked for that user.

Q: What if the items in my package arrive damaged?

It is actually quite rare for items to be damaged or destroyed during shipment, however it does occasionally happen.  If your package arrives with visible damage on the box make notes (or take photos) of the damage and carefully unpack and unwrap the items. If damage has also occurred to the items send us an email right away at dmmcart@gmail.com and we will determine the best course of action. We may issue a refund, a website credit, find a replacement, or if the package was insured file a claim with USPS or other carrier.

Q: How do you calculate shipping/handling costs for packages shipped within the US?

For domestic shipments we estimate shipping prices based on several variables including, number of items, relative weight of all items combined, and size of box needed. For special items that require additional care in wrapping or heavier items  (i.e. Galena, very fragile minerals, large specimens, etc.) we will add an additional handling fee for that specimen. Additionally, 50 cents is added to the cost of shipping for each specimen and 75 cents per specimens 11 or more. To see the details on our shipping costs see our Shipping, Returns & Payment Policies.

Q: How do you calculate shipping/handling costs for packages shipped internationally?             

Calculating shipping costs for international orders can be tricky and is more difficult to formulate prices for than domestic US orders. For international shipments we estimate shipping costs based on several variables including, number of items, relative weight of all items combined, size of the box needed, and destination. For special items that require additional care in wrapping or heavier items (i.e. Galena, very fragile minerals, large specimens, etc.) we will add an additional handling fee for that specimen. Additionally, 50 cents is added to the cost of shipping for each specimen and 75 cents per specimens 11 or more. To see the details on our shipping costs see our Shipping, Returns & Payment Policies.

Q: How often do you ship orders?

We typically ship packages once a week, usually on Wednesdays.

Q: What are Handling Fees?

Because we are shipping mineral specimens that require very special care (aka lots of toilet paper) to insure they arrive safely and/or we are shipping heavy rocks, we do charge handling fees in addition to shipping. If you have questions about the handling fees please email us for details on the handling fees applied to your order dakotamatrix@gmail.com

Q: What are the extra services (i.e. insurance, Express Mail, Global Guaranteed, EMS, Delivery Confirmation, etc.) that are offered and how much do they cost?

We do have additional shipping options including: USPS Express, Insurance, Delivery Confirmation, Signature Confirmation, EMS etc, for more details and prices for these special shipping services see our S/H Policies & Prices.

Q: What type of payments do you accept?   

We accept credit card payments from all major credit cards (Master Card, Visa, Discovery, American Express), Paypal payments, personal checks from US customers only, and international bank account transfers or money orders (additional fees will apply to bank account transfers). All online credit card transactions will be handled by a secure payment service provided by Paypal – please review the Paypal Privacy Policy for information regarding the security of the information you provide on their end. You can also call us during our regular business hours 9-5 US Mtn time at 605-718-9130 to give us a credit card number over the phone and we will complete the payment personally via our paypal merchant service. View Dakota Matrix Privacy Policy

Q: How do you process payments?    

Payments by Credit Card or Paypal will be completed via a Paypal payment form and online merchant service that we provide. For details on the Terms, Conditions and Policies of Paypal see Paypal’s Privacy Policy.

Dakota Matrix Privacy Policy

Q: What are the Dakota Matrix return and refund policies?         

Satisfaction is guaranteed for most items* and we will gladly refund your money or give you a website credit if you desire to return any item, below are the terms of our return policy. We reserve the right to change this policy at any time and allow exceptions based on our discretion.

• Please inform us that you are returning the item immediately and return the item(s) within 14 days of original shipment date.
• If you have multiple items on hold there is a 10 day item/order cancellation window. If cancellation of a held item/order is made after 10 days a 10% restocking fee will be applied.
• All items must be returned in the original packaging as packaged by Dakota Matrix. If an item is damaged or lost during its return trip NO refund or credit will be offered.
• Returns must be shipped with the same terms as sent (insured, priority mail etc., delivery confirmation) at the expense of the customer.
• Returns post marked after the 14 day return policy mentioned above will be charged a 10% restocking fee. The reason for this policy is this: After 14 days, all "solds" are purged from the website. Returns must then be re-uploaded to the website. This entails possible new photographs, re-describing, re-labeling, placing it back into the accounting software and then physically placing it back into stock.

We will notify you when we receive a returned item, and given the return meets all the stipulations above, we may offer a credit to your account or a refund of the monetary amount of the returned item. If you prefer a credit to your account, toward the price of another specimen online, the credit must be applied within 90 days of the return. A refund will be credited promptly via the original payment method.

*Does not include micromounts or single $1 unmounted micros (all sales are final on micromounts), periodicals, book, magazines, microbags & random mineral bags.

Q: How can I get a refund on a specimen I returned?

Only after the terms of our Return Policy have been met will we refund the full or partial payment amount (excluding shipping/handling) via the original payment method (Credit Card, Paypal, Check etc.).

Q: What is the New Addition Gallery & when are New Additions posted?

The New Addition Gallery is updated weekly with 36 or more mineral specimens. These updates have a variety of collector quality rare species and aesthetic mineral specimens from worldwide and US localities. The date and time of the next upcoming New Addition will always be posted ahead of time on the top of the DMM Homepage and a timer will appear and begin to countdown 24 hours prior to the updates release just above the three Marquee Photos. To view the items on a New Addition update click on the New Addition Marquee photo on the DMM Homepage or click on the date of the New Addition on the drop down Gallery tab.

Q: What is the Special Edition Gallery and when are Special Editions posted?

Special Edition Updates are posted monthly or bi-monthly  and are themed updates with themes such as, famous localities, new finds, antique specimens, type-locality minerals, Pegmatite Minerals, Phosphates and more. The date and time of Special Editions will not be posted prior to the update, however if you have the DM Notifier you will receive a pop-up message immediately when the minerals are posted to the Special Edition Gallery. Follow these links for more information on the DM Notifier and to view the upcoming Special Editions.  To view the items on a Special Edition update click the Notifier Pop-up or click on the Special Edition Marquee photo on the DMM Homepage or click on the name of the Special Edition on the drop down Gallery tab.

Q: What is the Daily Five Gallery?

Every week Monday- Friday we post five mineral quality mineral specimens to the Daily Five Gallery. Also, we commonly post five items at reduced prices on Friday. To view the Daily Five click on the Daily Five Marquee photo on the DMM Homepage or click on the most recent day listed on the drop down Gallery Tab.

Q: Do you photoshop or digitally enhance your photos?

Our goal when taking photos of a mineral is to represent it exactly or as close as possible to reality by using different combinations of lights and camera settings. We mainly use photo editing software to crop, slightly adjust contrast or brightness, sharpen, and watermark photos. If we have to significantly alter the color of a photo digitally we will note why in the description of a specimen. Please keep in mind that each screen or monitor is different and there will be slight differences in color quality from one screen to another. However, we will NEVER intentionally misrepresent the color or quality of a specimen.

Q: How do you take photos of micro minerals?

Sorry, the details of how we take photos are a company secretJ Our methods of taking macro photos of micro minerals have been developed by Tom, mostly by trial and error, over the years and of course as technology changes so do techniques. However, I can say that we don’t use expensive microscopes and computer software – not to say that we won’t sometime in the future.

Q: Do you describe any damage a mineral specimen may have?

The quick answer is yes, when describing a mineral specimen we attempt to tell it like it is by disclosing any damage or issues a specimen may have, especially if it is distracting to the overall appearance of a specimen. However, we do not believe that marks or breakage that is due to a mineral being removed from where it was formed in the solid crust of the Earth to be damage. Keep in mind that mineral specimens sometimes have to be removed from cavities, formations, etc. by hammering, digging, or even by using explosives. As one can imagine these jarring collecting methods might cause breakage of matrix or scuffing etc. But, if it wasn’t for the hammering, smashing, cracking, splitting, exploding etc. 1) collecting just wouldn’t be as fun, and 2) we wouldn’t have beautiful minerals to sell, because they would remain in the ground.

Q: How do you measure a mineral specimen and what are the sizes for the categories Thumbnail, Miniature, and Cabinet?

For simplicity sake we use metric measurements (i.e. millimeters and centimeters) when measuring mineral specimens or crystals on a specimen.

For mineral specimens we measure the height x width x depth as the entire is pictured in the photo of the entire specimen (usually the photo on the left).

• Micromount – mounted specimen typically <1cm in size
• Thumbnail – 1.5-3cm largest dimension
• Miniature – 3.5-5cm largest dimension
• Cabinet – 5.5cm largest dimension or more

For individual crystals we will measure the cm or mm using a scale or for micro minerals by estimating i.e. <1mm, 0.5mm. One can also get clues of mineral sizes by the descriptive terms we use for example, microcrystalline crust – an encrustion of a microcrystalline mineral composed of individual crystals are too tiny to see, possibly even under magnification.

Q: Can I download or use the photos of minerals on the Dakota Matrix website?

All photos of minerals are copyright protected and are considered intellectual property of Dakota Matrix Minerals Inc. We realize that some of our customers use the photos for their own reference and we ask that you please respect our intellectual property rights by giving us credit and NEVER removing DMM watermarks. For more information on Copyrights see our Terms & Conditions or contact us dmmcart@gmail.com with any questions.

Q: How do you describe what a mineral looks like (i.e. color, form, displayability etc.)?

When describing a mineral specimen we attempt to communicate color, form and appearance exactly how we see it when looking at a specimen or when viewing crystals under magnification. Of course there is some subjectivity, but below are some of the ways we describe different aspects of specimens. Below are some brief descriptions of the things we consider when describing a specimen and we also have a NEW Glossary of Mineralogical Terms with descriptions of commonly used terms we use.

Color - We will describe the color of each mineral by using basic colors i.e. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, Black, White, Brown etc. Or combinations of these colors i.e. blue-green, reddish-brown etc. We may also use descriptive terms with colors like salmon-pink or sky-blue. NEW Glossary of Mineralogical Terms

Luster – Luster is usually used to describe how a mineral reflects light, but can also describe the quality or texture. For example: metallic vs. tarnished, glassy vs. pearly, adamantine, dull, vitreous, etc. NEW Glossary of Mineralogical Terms

Form – To describe the shape or form of a mineral we will use combinations of descriptive and crystallographic terms like, thin prismatic, lath-like, fibrous, cubic, thick tabular, etc. NEW Glossary of Mineralogical Terms

Appearance – We will describe the appearance of a mineral specimen by saying for example, ‘Sets well without aid’ , ‘excellent coverage’, or ‘old and crusty’ as a way to communicate additional aesthetic value or lack thereof. NEW Glossary of Mineralogical Terms

If you have additional questions about how a mineral is described feel free to email us at dmmcart@gmail.com.

Q: How do I know if there are duplicates or more than one of a particular mineral specimen available?

Most of the mineral specimens that we post online are unique and it is unlikely that we will have the exact same item or even a similar item. However, occasionally we will have more than one of a particular mineral and if so we will usually put a note in the description that additional items are available. Feel free to inquire about duplicates or additional specimens at any time by emailing us at dakotamatrix@gmail.com

Q: What are Mineral Lists?

When we have mineral specimens that are too small or are not what we would call ‘web quality’, which means they may require more work to photograph and put online than they are worth, we will release a Mineral List. These lists are not all that common, but if we have one customers will be notified via email.

Q: What are Micro-Bags?

Micro-Bags are bags full of a variety of material, for study or collecting purposes, from various localities worldwide. Micro-Bags will contain +/- the following types of material: bags of rough study material, field collected material, miniature or thumbnail sized specimens,          micromounts, envelopes with small mineral samples, or other material that may be interesting for our customers to sort through. We post Micro-Bags online as updates several times a year and they are very popular, so they sell out fast. Also, because Micro-Bags weigh several pounds additional shipping handling fees will apply.

Q: Why and when do Sold items disappear from the website?

Sold items will be available to view online or in your Favorites List for up to 3 weeks from the time of sale and then they are purged automatically from the site. This is automatically done to keep our Galleries from being over populated by Sold items. However, some Sold items that took great photos, unique items, or items of special interest may be found in our Archived Gallery.

Q: What is the DMM Notifier?

The DMM Notifier is a handy little application that we created that is designed to pop-up on your PC’s screen when a Special Edition or other special update releases. For more information and for instructions on how to download the DMM Notifier Click Here.

Q: How do I download the DMM Notifier?

For instructions on how to download the DMM Notifier see the DMM Notifier Info Page. Currently we only have a PC friendly Notifier, so if you are a Mac or smartphone user send us an email dmmcart@gmail.com to receive emails when the Special Edition updates release.

Q: How do I shut the Notifier Off?

To turn off a Notifier pop-up click the Red ‘x’ button in the pop-up window. For more information see the DMM Notifier Info Page.

Q: Do you buy collections?

The simple answer is YES! For more information on our acquisitions policies in information see out ‘We Buy Collections' Page.

Q: Do you take minerals on consignment?

Yes, we do take minerals on consignment provided the ‘fit’ our requirements at the time. The commission for each consignment account is determined on an individual basis and ranges from 20% to 40%. Please, feel free to email us dmmcart@gmail.com or give us a call M-F 9:00 – 5:30 US Mtn time at 605-718-9130 with questions.

Q: Does Dakota Matrix sell at shows?

We are sorry, but only occassionally will we sell at shows. Shows that we do sell at are likely to be small, such as the Seattle Mineral Market show in May. We find small shows to be more intimate. Most large shows are cost prohibitive and the fees are much too expensive. It is also very disruptive to our usual routine of weekly updates. We do travel to shows to buy however and if you would like to meet us, please feel free to contact us and we can get together. We always enjoy meeting our customers.

Q:  How do I use the Search Function to search by size, locality, price etc.? 

There is a quick search bar located on the top right hand side of the DMM Homepage where you can search by Mineral Name Only. For more advanced search options leave the search box empty and click the magnifier icon. Additionally, the back galleries (Rare, Over $50, Under $50, Reduced) have a search bar at the top of the page to search within that specific Gallery.