There was always a few minerals round the house from as far back as I can remember. Dad (John Clayton) explored abandoned mines as a teenager in '61, by the late 60's early 70's he had a partner in crime and had been down some of the classic Northern England mines; Carrock, Red Gill, Hilton, Murton, Smallcleugh...
As he wasn't involved in dealing only a few specimens were liberated, but I'd say some are damn fine. Family commitments must have then but a stop to such shinanigans by mid '70's...
At primary school I started having an interest in fossils and soon after was picking up rocks. The interest didn't wane and I went on to O & A level geology at school, around that time I started badgering Dad to take me to some of his old locations (mainly above ground) and started my own mediocre mineral collection. Inevitably I went on to do a degree in geology, but finding plenty of other distractions my minerals specimens were left collecting dust at my parents.

Fast forward 20 years and I'm in Hong Kong, my parents are moving house and suggest that if I want to stop my minerals going to the tip I best get them sorted out pretty sharpish. Flights were booked and my best specimens were brought back to HK. My interest is once again piqued, specimens are cleaned and put in a cabinet and a local mineralogical society is found.
After 20 years it was disappointing to find most of my old haunts are now off limits to collectors...Caldbecks, Nenthead, Florence...if only I'd known at the time...so maybe my collection is not so bad after all.

At work: checking the geology in front of a TBM somewhere under HK 2009

In the last few years, I have escaped into China or SE Asia a couple of times for mining trips; some wild goose chases; some interesting finds... check out my favourites if interested.

Have posted some photos from my old collection and recent finds mainly from Asia & northern England. You may also like to take a look at John Claytons page as my original source of inspiration and led me to become a geologist. Better specimens than mine and some interesting sketches of his mine exploration.