About Tom Kapitany
Crystal World founder Tom Kapitany is an Australian geologist, published palaeontologist and natural history specialist with more than 25 years of international experience in geological science and natural history. He is the founder and director of Crystal World Exhibition Centre and a director of the National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra. Through these roles, he has curated, sourced and developed significant collections of geological and palaeontological material for public exhibition, education and research.
Tom is one of Australia’s most highly recognised experts in the valuation of minerals, fossils and geological specimens. *Valuation services are not provided for the Cultural Gifts Program.
Field Exploration & Geological Expeditions
Fieldwork forms the foundation of Tom’s career. Over the past two decades he has worked extensively across Australia, directly exploring and extracting fossils, minerals and crystals from leased sites, while internationally he travels across Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa to source and acquire important fossil, mineral and crystal material.
His expeditions have included:
Extensive fieldwork across Australia, including corundum and sandstone exploration in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia, rainbow lattice sunstone at Harts Range in the Northern Territory, selenite deposits around Lake Eyre in South Australia and north-west Victoria, and garnet occurrences in New South Wales, just to name a few.
Fossil-rich regions of Morocco, known for Devonian trilobites, ammonites and orthoceras
Amethyst and mineral deposits in Brazil
Mineral provinces in China, India and Pakistan
Dinosaur-bearing formations in North America
Geological regions across Europe including Spain, Hungary and France
These field expeditions have enabled Crystal World to develop a diverse, internationally sourced collection grounded in direct geological experience.
Learn more about Tom’s field trips and international geological travels: https://www.crystalworld.com.au/category/geological-travels/
Scientific Research & Publications
In addition to field exploration, Tom is a published palaeontologist and co-author of peer-reviewed scientific research. His work has appeared in international journals including:
- Scientific Reports
- Royal Society Open Science
- Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology
- Chemical Geology
- Gondwana Research
His research spans palaeontology, fossil trackways, crinoid studies, geochronology and broader geological investigations.
View published research papers here: https://www.crystalworld.com.au/researchpapers/
International Collaboration & Advisory Work
Tom has collaborated with museums, researchers and scientific institutions internationally, particularly throughout China over the past decade. Through his geological work and travel, he has engaged with museum directors, fossil protection initiatives and educational programs focused on responsible collecting, preservation and geological science outreach.
He has also served as a judge and advisor in science competitions supporting emerging students in geological and scientific disciplines.
In addition, Tom provides consultancy services in museum development, specimen sourcing, collection management and exhibition planning, drawing on decades of industry experience and global field networks.
Commitment to Education & Public Engagement
At the core of Tom’s work is a commitment to sharing Earth’s natural history with the public. Through Crystal World and associated projects, he supports geological education, public exhibitions and scientific collaboration that promote understanding of minerals, fossils and Earth’s deep history.
Tom has been featured in multiple Australian documentary and factual television series focused on geology, mineralogy and fossil science. He appeared in Opal Hunters: Red Dirt Road Trip Season 2, Episode 6 (“Queen of Gems”), guiding JC and Rod through the garnet-rich formations of Broken Hill, and in Outback Crystal Hunters Season 2, Episode 3 (“Heart of Darwin Glass”), leading an expedition investigating Darwin glass impact material in the Northern Territory.
For a comprehensive overview of Tom’s career history, professional appointments and industry experience, visit:
LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkapitany/ and Wikipedia Page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kapitany