Review: 21362 Mineral Collection
Posted by Huw,
Dario Del Frate's LEGO Ideas project Minerals Display, which passed review in November 2024, proposed six mineral samples displayed on shelves and that's exactly what the finished model, 21362 Mineral Collection, has delivered, less than a year later.
However, there have been changes which, hopefully, have improved rather than impaired it.
Summary
21362 Mineral Collection, 880 pieces.
£54.99 / $59.99 / €59.99 | 6.2p/6.8c/6.8c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Interesting, colourful, attractive, and unlike anything LEGO has made before
- Intricate and detailed specimens
- Faithful to the original Ideas submission
- Separate shelf sections necessitate care when handling
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
This is Dario's winning submission, which is actually his second minerals-themed one to achieve the requisite number of supporters on the Ideas platform.
The main difference between it and the set is the selection of minerals included, and their finesse.
The project proposed samples of rhodochrosite, amethyst, black tourmaline, orange quartz, emerald, and pyrite. Some have been carried over (rhodochrosite, amethyst, pyrite, quartz), one has been changed (tourmaline is now watermelon rather than black), and the emerald has been replaced with flourite.
It's still an excellent and varied selection in terms of shape, form, and colour.
The overall design of the tiered shelving unit remains the same but, rather than being one piece, it comprises three separate unconnected sections designed to be butted against each other.
In his project, Dario states that "the case can be hung directly to a wall or simply put on a shelf" but, as it is, it would not be possible to hang this one without some modification, and you need to bear in mind that it's in sections when picking it up.
The shelves are 'glass', but due to the need to include a stud on them upon which to attach the stones, they have a 'wood' strip down the centre which spoils the look of them a bit.
Watermelon Tourmaline
This beautiful crystal has a pink core surrounded by green which gives it its name.
The colour transition in the model has been created with pink and green pieces in the centre, a layer of trans-yellow plates around them, then transparent elements on the sides. It's quite effective although arguably the two layers of transparent pieces have subdued the effect somewhat.
Pyrite
This fools gold sample utilises drum-lacquered gold pieces, including what I believe are Minecraft heads. They have certainly helped create a realistic shape and texture.
Amethyst
The amethyst geode is much bigger than that in the Ideas submission, and I think it looks very life-like. I particularly like the colour transition effect that the pink tiles behind the transparent pieces around the edges have created.
Just like real ones, the back just looks like a rock.
Rhodochrosite
This sample is the most complex in terms of design, with stud-reversal techniques incorporated into the base to allow the transparent handles to stick out upwards, and hinges angling the red crystals to create an organic and realistic appearance.
Tangerine Quartz
A coating of iron oxide gives this mineral its colour, and in this sample, trans-orange, yellow and clear cheese slopes attached to a core of trans-orange SNOT bricks create a pleasing colour transition from the base to the tip of the large hexagonal crystal.
A couple of smaller square ones jut out at angles from the rocky base, once again creating a very realistic appearance.
Flourite
This colourful specimen uses four of this new 4x4 corner slope piece that can also be found in the Black Pearl, in black of course.
Once again, the use of transparent parts around a contrasting colour core, in this case green, has produced an interesting colour transition.
Verdict
The mineral samples are realistic and life-sized which, like the best models of real-life objects, could be mistaken for the real thing from a distance. They are intricate and slightly fiddly to build, involving many small pieces and studs in all directions, but the effort is worth it.
It could be said that the set is more shelf than minerals, and that is certainly true in terms of volume of plastic, but without the shelves the set would just be a disparate collection of small models rather than a cohesive whole.
Changes between the Ideas submission and the set are minimal, which is testament to the quality of Dario's original model. That which has been altered -- the mineral selection and the finesse of the samples -- has only improved it.
This is exactly the sort of set that would not exist without the Ideas platform. It's like nothing LEGO has produced before, and I like it.
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18 comments on this article
I actually think he did a better job with the geode than LEGO did.
I don't know. This just looks disappointing to me and therefore will pass.
I choose to consider this the first official Breaking Bad set.
I prefer the original geode's shape, but prefer the new one's colour scheme.
Might pick it up soon, I think it will look nice next to 21313 on my shelf.
I really like the LEGO version! :)
Typo: Fl_uo_rite is the correct spelling.
Someones gonna mod this into a kyber crystal display. I'm calling it. 100% Guaranteed.
Nice! I do still like the minerals from the original design a bit better, but as a whole it still looks great. And in the earlier pictures I hadn't noticed the "glass" shelves, I actually like those!
And indeed this is Ideas at its best. Maybe not a set for everyone (but at least Ruri approves!), but indeed one that truly wouldn't have existed otherwise. Considering the number of sets I have yet to build and even more the lack of display space this is not that high on my priority list, but will likely get it some day.
Absolutely love this. Definitely a day 1 purchase, half decent GWP willing. And, of course, it could have an unsuspicious secondary use as a handy murder weapon!
I don't know if this is necessarily my thing, purchase-wise, but all the rocks look really nice.
I mentioned this before and here it is again: there should be plaques with name and composition for each of them. This would render this set quite educational. And then, you could remove all the rocks and ask your friends to put them back where they believe they belong. It is quite niche, it is reasonably well rendered but still quite niche. Hopefully for the designer, it will do well.
@ohrmazd said:
"I actually think he did a better job with the geode than LEGO did."
Same.
As a former mineral collector myself, I find the final version of the amethyst very much inferior to the original submission. The pyrite is definitely better on the final product though.
I still think that just six printed 1x8 tiles with the mineral names (and chemical formulae) on a SNOT brick are necessary to make this look good.
I assume they changed the shape of the amethyst to make it more like an upscaled version of the Lego geode piece? I kind of like that.
@ohrmazd said:
"I actually think he did a better job with the geode than LEGO did."
I have to agree, the original submission for the most part seemed more realistic and somehow also more elegant, especially the geode, and the shelves were better designed as well if they could be hung up. I understand probably the original black tourmaline used an illegal technique (?), but it looks fascinating. The trans-clear parts in the Lego version don't do it for me.
I’ll wait for animal and vegetable then make a choice.
I have a few rocks on a shelf, and this would look nice behind them!
Plus I just like the look of that geode.
I maybe in the minority, but I liked the original geode and black tourmaline better.
However, swapping out the emerald was a good idea.
I will pick this up when I see it on sale.