JAMES TOVEY's Blog

Working the Tripp Mine, Benching the Wayne-Lee cut

23rd Jun 2009

1.25" X 1.88" tall Heliodor crystal, 2009, Tripp Mine

A miner must learn to eat a lot of humble pie. As posted in the last blog we were into a lot of very poor quality feldspar and there was a large pod of good quartz with feldspar crystals. To date when we hit these pods we have found good beryl crystals. This time the quartz, microcline, feldspar crystal pod (one of the largest found to date) produced no beryl. The area that was pushing out the poor quality feldspar (pit rim) changed into a rusty chowder peg (hematite stained blocky quartz with feldspar). This type of peg has produced light heliodor to date. It is also the area were Wayne is documenting the tree stump beryl crystal on you-tube. When we pushed thru the very poor feldspar area no beryl turned up, we blamed the stump beryl crystal for sucking up all the beryllium. That changed when we moved into the rusty chowder peg. That material started producing light to medium heliodor. At this time it looks like it will continue.

11” X 9” overall. 2.12" X 1.88" tall Heliodor crystal nested into a good grouping of mica crystals. 2009 Tripp Mine

The plan is to move the road to the south wall side but before we do, we will finish benching the pit rim. We will then see what the pit rim rusty chowder peg produces. Hopefully not humble pie.

6-18-09 Wayne-Lee over view, looking south-West

The crew and I will be at the Gilsum Rock swap both days (27-28) with a good amount of inventory (not the full inventory because it is an outdoor show). This show is a lot of fun and the dealers come from a wide geographical area making for a nice mix.
That's it for now.
Jim. WWW.Toveco.com

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Comments

Hi Jim....I don't think there is anybody in the mining/earth moving business that hasn't had to eat their share of humble pie but with any luck they have learned how to keep the size of the slice to a minimum!!It's funny how things can change, even when all the indicators are there to tell you what might be coming your way. I guess when it comes to minerals, nothing is carved in stone. At this point in life gem stones are not that high on my collecting list, even as nice as they are. On the other hand, a specimen as nice as the second one on this blog is something that catches my attention, it is absolutely gorgeous!!! I like how you are explaining the progression in the mining at the Tripp Mine, it's a part of the mining process that is seldom seen never mind explained. I will also be at Gilsum all weekend so i'll see you there, I'll bet i can eat more pie than you, game on!!! keep us posted on the Tripp, thanks...Andy

andrew brodeur
25th Jun 2009 10:27pm

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