Creating organic objects with LEGO® bricks has always been a tricky endeavour. But as the range of LEGO elements has increased and the palette of colours has improved, what can be built with LEGO bricks has become more varied. The LEGO Ideas range is a great example of what can be done with LEGO pieces. Not to mention also showcasing the amazing build skills of LEGO fans. The 70th LEGO Ideas retail set to be released may not be big or based on a popular IP, but it’s still something unique. But does being unique mean it’s a worthy addition to the LEGO Ideas range? Here’s a closer look at the LEGO Ideas Minerals set.
Product Details
Set Name: Mineral Collection | Set Number: 21362 | Pieces: 880 | Theme: Ideas
Number of Bags: Bags x 5 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: N/A | Characters: N/A
RRP: £54.99/59.99€/$59.99/99.99AUD/79.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & LEGO retailers from October 1st
The Mineral Collection set is based on the original design, called Minerals Display, by fan builder Iddf72, aka Dario del Frate. The project achieved 10,000 votes in January 2024 and was chosen to become a future LEGO Ideas set in November 2024. The original design features six mineral samples, including Rhodochrosite, Amethyst Geode, Black Tourmaline with Aquamarine, Orange Quartz, Emerald and Pyrite.
As with all LEGO Ideas sets, the original fan-created submissions act as inspiration for the final design. Sometimes the difference can be vast, but for this particular set, changes are minimal. The set still features an ornate display cabinet with its overall appearance being almost the same. But it’s been split up to create three separate display stands, with the option to slot them together. Each stand includes space to house two of the six brick-built mineral samples.
The set still includes six different mineral samples, but some have been given a slight visual tweak, whilst others have been replaced in favour of different minerals. The new line-up still includes golden pyrite, purple amethyst, reddish-pink rhodochrosite and tangerine quartz. But Black Tourmaline has become the more colourful watermelon tourmaline variant, and Emerald has been switched for blue fluorite.
Golden Pyrite – This iron sulphate mineral is often called ‘Fool’s Gold’ and has a similar sheen to the precious metal. Golden Pyrite is formed in cubic clusters. This version of the mineral is a little more organic compared to the original version and uses an element created for the Minecraft sets. The unique headpiece, often used for animals such as pigs, has been recoloured in drum laquered gold. It’s the perfect element to recreate the unique growth of pyrite. These are nestled in a small bed of brick yellow elements.
Purple Amethyst – The crystal-like amethyst is probably one of the most recognisable of the minerals. The purple-hazed crystals often form within a rocky shell, resulting in some incredible-looking samples. The LEGO version is the largest of the six minerals. The use of transparent purple elements layered on top of purple and pink coloured plates does an amazing job of capturing the vibrance of the real thing. The purple pieces are encased in various grey pieces to replicate how amethysts are normally discovered.
Blue Fluorite – When calcium fluoride mineralises, it forms Fluorite. This hazy, crystal-like mineral can be found in various colours. The colour variations are actually impurities, but they help give the mineral a more pleasing appearance. The LEGO version blends various transparent elements, many of them appearing as such for the first time. These include a pair of recently introduced triangular corner slopes. The minimal use of solid coloured elements gives this mineral sample a great finish.
Watermelon Tourmaline – A black version of the tourmaline was featured in the original fan build, but that has been switched for the more colourful ‘watermelon’ variant. This mineral is formed from molten magma, which crystallises in veins. The colour variations are achieved through the interaction with other compounds. The watermelon variant is named after the fact that it has a similar mix of colours found on a watermelon. The LEGO version is an interesting build. Its core is crafted with a new element. This is a 1×1 brick, which is two bricks high and has 2 studs on three sides. It’s a sort of half version of the brick introduced to create the BrickHeadz characters. These are green and the colouring reflects through the other transparent coloured elements, which are laid over them. These are then covered with clear plates; the layering of elements gives the tourmaline a wonderful appearance.
Reddish-pink Rhodochrosite – This is another mineral that featured in the original design, and it has changed very little in the final model. Rhodochrosite features red or pink-tinted crystals emerging from a darkened bed of oxidised manganese. The cubic red crystals are nicely angled in the bed of black and dark grey elements. Several minifigure display pegs are also used to give the minerals a more crystallised appearance.
Tangerine Quartz – The quartz crystal is another mineral to appear in the original fan design. It is also a fairly common mineral, with its appearance often portraying minerals in general. The original version of the quartz was quite uniform in its design, but this version looks more natural. The placement of transparent elements over a solid coloured core helps to give it a unique appearance. Similarly, the grading of different coloured transparent elements also helps to encapsulate the minerals’ translucent lustre.
This set will sadly be lost amongst the release of the Willy Wonka and Gremlins sets. But it’s a fabulous display piece and great fun to build, especially the minerals. These do an impressive job of recreating their real-world counterparts. The changes to the original design elevate the set and make it far more vibrant. For those who enjoy usual or unique elements, this set is filled with them. The six different minerals certainly have varying levels of detail, but together they look great. The upcoming Willy Wonka and Gizmo may have a greater mass appeal, but please don’t overlook this little gem of a set. The LEGO Ideas Mineral Collection set launches on October 1st and can be preordered now.
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The LEGO Group provided this set to BricksFanz for this review. However, the thoughts expressed in this review are those of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
