| Description | Earliest letters in the series are addressed to Charles Konig and George Waterhouse, and predate the foundation of the Department in 1857. From this date the series is truly departmental, and contains letters addressed to all members of the scientific staff of the Department of Mineralogy. The correspondence has always been held in the Keeper's office. These letters deal principally with the acquisition, exchange and identification of specimens, the development of equipment and scientific techniques, and with the research projects of individual staff members. Invoices, lists of specimens and dealers' catalogues are included in the collection |