Cuasso al Monte, Ceresio Valley, Varese Province, Lombardy, Italy

The picture is right now, I think. I read that Puricelli quarry is "in front of the school of Cavagnano" (the L-shaped building just north of Laghetto quarry) but I remember a landfill some hundred meters north, and there you can see rocks on Google Earth.
However, here is what I remember of the trip I made there two years ago.
Tourmaline quarry mark is only indicative of the area as I can't recognize it by the map.

Luca B.

I created a .kml file in Google Earth with links to the appropriate Mindat locality page. Just click on an icon, then on the Mindat link. I cannot attach it to this forum. Anyone know how to share it on Mindat? Otherwise send me a PM with your e-mail and I'll send the .kml file to you.

Steve

Can basnaesite-(Ce), synchysite-(Ce) and synchysite-(Y) from Cuasso al Monte be visually identified? My review of the Mindat gallery for these three minerals tells me "probably not", but I would value opinions from others who have examined much more material from these quarries than I have. I see similar colors and habits for all three minerals.

Thanks!

Steve

To determine bastnaesite-(Ce) instead variuos "sysnchysite'S" is to complicate i provide you this SEM photo
(from AMI Db-AMI) to explain bastnaesite-(Ce) -->is intermedium prism large corredated by two "synchysite" on the margin
I repeat the exagonal extern are "synchysite" and intermediate crystal is bastnaesite-(Ce)....

My opinion is that is sure not sure the identification between synchysite-(Ce) and synchysite-(Y), in a recent conference in Bergamo Dr.Pietro Vignola of Milan university (after analysis) said that synchysite-(Ce) and synchysite-(Y) are present but synchysite-(Y) is very rare respect synchysite-(Ce) that is te term common.
[dbami.amiminerals.it]
[dbami.amiminerals.it]
Now in the follow message I can try to insert a photo to explain using colours..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2012 04:08PM by Domenico Preite.

Here good Matteo Chinellato photo that show the bastnaesite-(Ce) (honey yellow)in the center
of two synchysite-(Ce) (cream colour)
[www.mindat.org]
and again this photo to show a double sandwich...!!!
[www.mindat.org]
Ciao Steve...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2012 04:19PM by Domenico Preite.

Wonderful SEM images! Thanks for the link.

Here are some 2 mm images I recently made. Any opinions as to ID? I will withdraw the bastaesite ID based on Domenico's comments.







Regards,

Steve

1) for me synchysiste-(Ce)
2) for me synchysiste-(Ce) but need accurate analysis because some samples may be synchysiste-(Y)
3) not clear photo!!
Ciao