Keep the first label.
Photograph both sides of the original label and store it with the specimen record. If you improve a locality name, preserve the wording you received alongside the updated interpretation.
Make one dependable record.
Assign a unique collection number. Record the mineral name, locality, dimensions, acquisition date, source and photographs. Distinguish a documented fact from a seller’s attribution or your own guess.
Collect with care.
Ask about provenance and permission before collecting or buying. Handle unknown minerals cautiously, avoid creating dust, and wash hands after handling. Lead- and arsenic-bearing species belong in secure displays, away from food and young children. A collection is something to study, not to taste.