Oxford Mineral Show 2011

I've just come back from the small but popular UK mineral show in Oxford. Here are a few photos from today.



Mike Brooke from Broadstone Minerals



This specimen highlights an interesting mindat.org problem. It is a cassiterite from the old region of 'Zinnwald' - however
this region now spans across parts of modern-day Germany and the Czech Republic. So which country hierarchy do we put it in? At the moment, neither. We're working on this problem - but it might take some time. In the meantime, you can still enjoy the photo.



And another nice European classic, Axinite-(Fe) on Quartz from Bourg d'Oissans, France.



A selection of specimens from Ralph Sutcliffe.



This next specimen is a terrific old yellow fluorite with characteristic ankerite from the Jug Vein, Brownley Hill Mine, Cumbria.



And a fabulous piece of cerussite from the Redburn Mine in Co. Durham.



This crystal of caledonite, as the label states, dates back to the late 1700s, from the Susanna Mine in the Leadhills, Scotland.



And an excellent mineral fake, now an antique. This constructed specimen of apatite on quartz/muscovite was one of many that were sold to unsuspecting tourists in Keswick during Victorian times (mid to late 1800s)



But my favorite of his pieces were, unusually for me, these two cut fluorites from Devon, from very old material - beautiful!





Next, Ian Jones of Unity Minerals



A large group of Sphalerite crystals from the Mogul Mine in the Republic of Ireland.



This Northern English calcite with pyrite wasn't itself particularly spectacular...



... however it came with a fantastic old label on the bottom!



Here is Peter Nancarrow looking at specimens on Brian Lloyd's table.



A baddeleyite from South Africa. Not a mineral you see every day. It wasn't expensive, so this one came home with me.



Liz and Dave Hacker were at the show as usual.



They had this beautiful Les Farges pyromorphite



And this lovely English calcite



Taranis Minerals had a beautiful display, and plenty of very nice inexpensive but aesthetic minerals.









Ross Whittaker had a find of new Fluorite and Quartz from the West Pastures mine in Weardale, Co.Durham.





Not to be outdone, John and Richard Lawson also had this deep green fluorite with quartz from the Swinehope Head Mine in Weardale, collected last summer.



Cornish dealer Nick Carruth had a lovely Wulfenite from the Defiance Mine, Arizona.



And Neil Hubbard, from Midland Minerals, had this horribly ugly but historic "retinite" from Devon.



Finally, Paul Lowe, who organizes the show, also finds time to sell minerals, and had some English classics





There will be three more Oxford mineral shows this year. The dates are: 15th May, 3rd July and 4th December. For more information visit http://www.lowestone.com

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