compagnie des
minéraux d'auvergne
A young company, with modern ideas, facing a strong local, cultural, historical and technical heritage to put back on the list of our national skills: this is what gave birth to the COMINAUV! We want to relaunch the extraction and carving of French minerals, and it begins with our project of the first modern amethyst quarry in metropolitan France. Welcome to our adventure.
About us
The company
The Compagnie des Minéraux d'Auvergne (or COMINAUV) was created in March 2018 at the instigation of Nicolas LEGER and Mathieu MOULIN. Its goals are, on one hand, relaunching the extractive techniques and the French lapidary art over different minerals present in the local underground, and on the other hand, to contribute to the improvement and spreading of scientific knowledge about minerals. Its missions therefore include prospecting, extracting, carving/cutting and marketing of mineral materials, as well as any scientific and cultural activity related to minerals. It started its activities in the Auvergne region, rich in mineral resources, with a first amethyst quarry project in the Puy-de-Dôme county.
Our values
Like many modern companies, we wanted to define a small number of moral values that influence our decisions. However, unlike large companies, in which values are only theoretically applied, our values play an important part in our decisions (with all the disadvantages that this generates): Honesty, Efficiency, Respect, and Local Involvement. These values are reflected in various domains of the company, as well as in the design of our projects.
The founders
We are currently two to manage this company, with our own knowledges and resources:
- Nicolas LEGER, 44 years old, Gemologist and Lapidary, President of COMINAUV;
- Mathieu MOULIN, 31 years old, Engineer-Geologist, General Manager of COMINAUV;
However, we would like to mention Christian GESLIN and Valérie AUBARD, and thank them for their support and participation during the first two years of the company.
Our projects
The “St Joseph des Mines de Poux” amethyst quarry
This is the first project based on our “micro-quarry” concept: a site of less than 3 ha, with optimized extracted resources, processing techniques and environmental impacts. The Auvergne amethyst was extracted punctually at least from the 17th to the beginning of the 20th century, for its intense purple color. It was one of the imperial and religious gemstones, and now we want to give it back its place among the fine minerals of the world. Our administrative authorization is currently being examined.
The lapidary workshop
We have the ambition to recreate a modern place dedicated to lapidary art in all its forms (cleaning, trimming, rolling, polishing, cutting, engraving, faceting, etc.) in Auvergne, in a logic of resilience and local involvement. Once built, this workshop will become the company's main site. It should rise from the ground 3 to 4 years after the quarry opening.
What will be produced
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This set of amethyst crystals was photographed just after it was extracted from the vein. The quality of the luster and the size of the crystals will make it an attractive piece for mineralogical collection.
This amethyst was photographed just after it was extracted from the vein. It will make it an attractive collectible.
Photo credit : Christian GESLIN. -
Tumbled Amethysts will be produced in several range of sizes, from gravels to pebbles, and with a rough or polished finish.
Tumbled Amethysts will be produced in several range of sizes, from gravels to pebbles, and with a rough or polished finish.
Photo credit : Renaud DANIEL. -
The art of the lapidary consists in magnifying the stones. This picture illustrates the faceting of amethyst gems, with different sizes and state of progress, as well as some tools (tweezers, indexing dop stick holder, dop stick), and a silver bail waiting for one of these gems.
The art of the lapidary consists in magnifying the stones. This illustrates faceting of amethyst gems, with some tools, and a silver pendant ring.
Photo credit : Nicolas LEGER. -
A real amethyst from Auvergne, extracted in our vein, cut by the lapidary Jacques DREHER. It has some defects (internal frosts), but its intense color is incomparable!
An amethyst extracted in our vein, cut by the lapidary Jacques DREHER. It has some defects, but its intense color is incomparable!
Photo credit: Mathieu MOULIN. -
This collectible piece of crystallized amethyst has a covering of a second variety of quartz (white quartz), as well as secondary biterminated crystals of pale amethyst (or light purple quartz).
This collectible piece has a covering of secondary white quartz, as well as tertiary biterminated pale amethyst crystals.
Photo credit : Mathieu MOULIN. -
This piece of amethyst, intended for the collectors' market, has several coverings of hyaline quartz (translucent) with goethite inclusions, of yellow goethite, and of pompoms shaped micro-quartz.
This piece of amethyst has several coverings of hyaline quartz with goethite inclusions, yellow goethite, and micro-quartz.
Photo credit : Mathieu MOULIN. -
Obtained from solid blocks by sawing and flat polishing techniques, this type of slab has an excellent rendering as a decorative object, but also as a marquetry example.
After sawing and polishing, this type of slab make fine decorative objects, but also marquetry inserts.
Photo credit : Mathieu MOULIN. -
This deep purple amethyst shows pseudo-cubic crystals, which have three overdeveloped facets. Its luster and reflections are excellent.
This amethyst shows pseudo-cubic crystals, which have three overdeveloped facets. Its luster and reflections are excellent.
Photo credit : Mathieu MOULIN.
Other minerals
Once the “micro-quarry” model has been mastered with the “St Joseph des Mines de Poux” site, we plan to apply it to other local minerals (such as sapphire, fluorite, etc.). We will thus have a representative panel of the diversity of Auvergne stones at first, and why not of the whole of France thereafter...?
They talk about us
- TV report : Amethyst : the Auvergne's pearl (to watch it with an adblocker, click here).
- My region, my action : Nicolas, prospector of fine minerals.
- Report of the Geological Laboratory of Lyon (France).
- La Tribune AURA : How COMINAUV intends to relaunch an "ethical" amethyst production in Auvergne.
- Le Figaro Economie : Two entrepreneurs want to exploit an amethyst deposit in Auvergne.
- France Bleu Pays d'Auvergne : The revivial of an amethyst quarry.
- Gemme Fashion : An amethyst quarry relaunched by two peolpe from Auvergne.
- Article France 3 AURA : A company wants to restart an ancestral mineral production from Auvergne: amethyst.
- TV report France 3 AURA : Newscast of 22/06/08 (start at 9:25min).
- Article "Le Semeur Hebdo" : Minerals - Nicolas Léger and Mathieu Moulin acquired land on the Mines de Poux site to extract amethyst.
- Article "Enviscope" : The exploitation of amethyst relaunched in Auvergne.
Contact
63500, Issoire