Johan Maertens

Johan is a self-proclaimed list-aholic and collector with a lifelong pursuit of collecting. His passion for minerals, specifically calcite, has led him to invest substantial amounts of money and time in his collection. While the value of his collection is not monetary, but rather emotional, as it allows him to connect with friends, create and reminisce about good times. Johan enjoys the thrill of the hunt and considers collecting to be a quest that can never be completed. When he manages his inventory, he experiments with arranging, organizing, and presenting a part of the world. For Johan, collecting provides a safety zone and a place of refuge from the busy and demanding world.

At a young age, Johan learned that some items catch our eye and we want to hold them, look at them, and learn about them. He collects several nature-related subjects, such as earth science topic postage stamps and documented lists of plants and animals in his native vegetation garden. He combines field collecting with purchasing to enhance his collection, which has grown over the years. Now, Johan's focus is on “shrinking the pile.”.

As past President of The Pennsylvania Earth Sciences Association (PESA), he held other executive and chairman positions. He won Eastern Federation and Mid-West Federation awards as Editor of and for contributions to membership bulletins. He believes that speaking for fellow rockhounds is his way to give back to the community and make more friends. Johan is always pursuing too many interests and making lists, but he enjoys the fun of learning and sharing his knowledge with others. As an active member in local and regional mineralogical associations, Johan continues to document localities with an emphasis on crystal habits, especially calcite.

Watch here: Under the Radar: Johan Maertens, Calcite Collector