A passionate mountaineer and mineral hunter, Antonio Costa, born in Milan, he has been considered part of the Valtellina by adoption since 1966. He began searching for minerals in the province in 1967, together with Fulvio Grazioli, Guiscardo Guicciardi and Francesco Bedognè.

During the numerous searches made in various locations in the province of Sondrio, he has put together a valuable collection of local minerals, to which he has since added many more from Italy and from abroad, which he found or exchanged during his numerous travels and participations in mineralogical exhibitions.

Antonio Costa has been president of the society since 1991, the year in which the Istituto Valtellinese di Mineralogia “Fulvio Grazioli” (IVM) was founded. After a lifetime spent in charge of Foreign Trade for a number of companies and as head of the foreign office of the Chamber of Commerce of Sondrio, he is now retired, and ensures added value for the IVM with his customary dedication, passion, reliability and competency.

The IVM is well-known and appreciated abroad, thanks to the efforts of its President, who maintains contacts and relations with research institutes and universities throughout the world.

The Institute was founded after the death of Professor Grazioli by nine of his zealous companions of his searches in order to preserve his collection, promote the knowledge of the minerals in the province, and in the Valmalenco in particular. The latter are famous the world over for their beauty and rarity, and include two unique polytypes.

Thanks to the commitment of Antonio Costa and the founder members, the IVM now has 123 members living in Italy and abroad, including expert geologists, mineralogists and university lecturers.
The Institute encourages the search for minerals, it provides its members with assistance and organises conferences and events, such as the "Exhibition and Exchange of Minerals" in Lanzada. It accompanies school trips and groups of visitors to the Mineral Museums in Sondrio and the Valmalenco, and identifies, amends and updates entries in the catalogues of minerals.

Untiring and always extremely resourceful, Antonio Costa is the editor of the “IVM Magazine”, "Bollettino dell’Istituto di Mineralogia", which publishes precious evidence of trips, wonderful images and details of local, Italian and international mineralogy.

The head office of IVM is in Sondrio in Palazzo Martinengo, via Perego 1, and is open every Friday, except bank holidays, from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Tel. 0342-217169.

E-mail: info@ivmminerals.org
Internet website: www.ivmminerals.org