The Best from Down Under

Ta Donald

Your comments are noted and in a preverse way may answer a couple of questions that were floating around some time back. However I have little doubt that the specimen is from the Adelaide mine. I was with Frank just after these pointy fellers were produced, the best one he got had sharp terminated crystals to over 30+ mm on a specimen that was over 250/300mm wide...I need to find that photo.

The Red Lead is adjoining of the Adelaide but both are some distance from the Dundas Extended. Ralph or Steve will have to have to confirm but I am aware that there has been an older name to the Red Lead mine area that included the "Extended" terminology. So as usual in older mining areas, it is all a bit murky.

For your understanding, the crocoites from around the Dundas Extended area are generally much more transparent and lighter in colour. It is generaly much easier to distinguish crocite between the Dundas Extended and the Adelaide, than between the Adelaide and the Red Lead. Interestingly we often consider the associated minerals and matrix to assist in identifying in the dundas area.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew I guess I better do some checking on my records and see if I can contact Shane. I will have to change my records. It was some time ago and I get really busy at the Tucson show between buying, selling and working so I may have wrote down the wrong info. I would love to see the photos if you find them. Crocoite is one of my most favorite minerals and I really love the different shape of this one. I was there in Dundas many years ago. I got a chance to visit Shane but did not have time to visit the mines, just drove by on my quick tour of Tasmania. I would love to go back.

Methinks this topic deserves to start moving again...

Here's a lovely little albite crystal impaled on schorl from Lake Boga, Victoria.


I also posted a nice Australian chrysocolla in Gail's thread.

Regards
Steve

Native Copper
Broken Hill, NSW.
Ex Albert Chapman collection.
size 8 x 6.5cm

Back to Rum Jungle, with two thumbnails from earlier finds.

On the left - an epimorph of pyromorphite after cerussite. Most of the cerussite is dissolved away and inside the cast are delightful sprays of malachite which sadly are beyond my photographic skills. This is a delicate piece, so left in (on) the box for photographing.

And on the right, a fine hopper cyrstal of pyromorphite.

The long edge of the box in each case is 40mm.

Cheers
mal

Samuel,

I have a general rule with my comments on Mindat. I call it the 24-hour rule! When someone posts something that annoys me I always wait 24 hours before deciding - usually - NOT to reply. The reason quite simply, is that mineralogy is my passion; I do this for enjoyment - certainly not for conflict and certainly not to upset other people! .

But on this occasion I can't help myself.

You are, of course entitled to your opinion, but your comment "apart from the Crocoites there is nothing of any real worth coming out of the country" is one of the most pathetically ignorant that I've seen on this site - and that's up against some pretty stiff competition!

So - congratulations - you've rattled my cage! Enjoy your minerals!

mal

SAMUEL FAIRFIELD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a
> general rule I do not collect much Australian
> material, and apart from the Crocoites there is
> nothing of any real worth coming out of the
> country. The Pyromorphites on malachite from Rum
> Jungle are overpriced monstrosities in my opinion,
> and they will end up like the ABBA records – why
> did I buy this stuff???

This is a joke right?

"Just look on mindat for Samuel Fairfield and you will see some of my collection."

Could only find diddly squat......

So learn to express yourself a little more diplomatically:

"Unfortunately - crocoites apart - there seems to be little new Australian material emerging these days, and I find the Rum Jungle material not to my personal taste" might have gone down a little less abrasively.

And just what on earth military defeats - almost a century ago - have to do with this is quite beyond me! Apparently yet another cage-rattling attempt.

I shall now take a deep breath and revert to my 24-hour rule!

mal

Golden barites,About 5 Inches

South Australia

Oh well, at least we have sufficient iron ore and uranium reserves to satisfy our northern customers X(

Try beating the Australian Atacamites, Scholzites, Saleeites, and lets not forget the gold nuggets. I won't even get into the really rare stuff.

To the Mindat managers,

I find the comments being made are totally disrespectful and insulting. This is a sad effort at flaming when trying to elevate their own prestige. The nationalistic overtones are disgusting on a world wide network of mineral loving persons.

I respectfully suggest that the comments are removed and the person reminded that these types of comments are not acceptable before they can provide future posts.

Andrew Tuma

Actually I think all the good specimens from Australia get sucked up and sent with the iron ore to China and the cleaver Chinese sort them out and are selling them back to the west as coming from China!

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Hi Donald
It is an Adelaide Mine crocoite.
Hope you are well
cheers

Shane

I'm not Australian and I don't collect australian minerals, as a rule, but I did break down and buy an australian wittichenite crystal recently.... they are by far the finest in the world. The various fossils replaced by precious opal would be hard to beat too. And Australia's agates are also among the world's most colorful. Saw a pretty spectacular cuprite from Australia too. I don't think any of these items have come from China.

Samuel is obviously correct that China is (currently) the country producing more world-class cabinet specimens of crystallized minerals than any other, but derogatory comments about Australia's mineralogical contributions are quite unnecessary and obviously intended merely to get attention. Best to just ignore.

Coming from a country completely depleted of good minerals (Norway have nothing to offer - all collectors stay home, or go to China! ;)), I just want to calm you down a little - there are a lot of us still loving getting new minerals from Australia!

Here is a favourite today - and a sample that can be enjoyed for hours under the scope;

Despite his lack of tact Samuel is probably correct. You just can't find good minerals in a superpit operation when a typical blast is a million tonnes of ore. Olympic Dam is set to be the worlds first trillion dollar ore body. Just imagine the specimens if it was mined with a pick and shovel like most of the Chinese deposits.
In the mean time, I will just keep digging the crocoites. If you have any interest in small scale mining check out the video on my website, www.redleadmine.com

And since Alfredo mentioned opalized dead animals...

Quote

Coming from a country completely depleted of good minerals (Norway have nothing to offer

Peter, say that again to someone from Holland...... ;)