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Best of Connecticut

Posted by Rowan Lytle  
avatar Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 01:39AM
us    
With several of these types of threads starting, I decided to make one for my home state, Connecticut. So go ahead, post those CT specimens!
© Rowan Lytle

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:59AM
us    
Calcite and quartz stalactite. Roncari quarry. 4.6 x 2 cm.

Calcite and quartz stalactite. Roncari quarry. 4.6 x 2 cm. © A&M




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2011 08:57AM by Rock Currier.
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 12:53PM
ca    
© Maggie Wilson

Pyrophyllite
Nepaug, New Hartford, Litchfield Co., Connecticut, USA
3.1 x 2.0 x 1.5 cm

I am not at all familiar with what your home state has by way goodies, but I have only two Connecticut minerals in my photo gallery - so, for what it's worth here's my contribution! Have fun with the thread!

Maggie
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 01:35PM
us    
Thanks!

Nathen Hall Quarry heliodor:
© Rowan Lytle

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!
Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 02:04PM
us    
I don't have many Connecticut specimens but here are two:

Quartz with Calcite from the Roncari Quarry, East Granby, 4.5cm by 8cm. I got this one at the 2010 Springfield, MA show.

© Joseph Polityka

Calcite twin, 3cm by 3cm from Roncari and the 2010 Springfield, MA show

© Joseph Polityka

Best,

Joe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2011 02:09PM by Joseph Polityka.
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 02:16PM
I'm not a mineral photographer- I just take pictures of localities. But I like these two pieces. The first is from The Branchville Mica Quarry, Ball Muscovite, which I dug out of the dumps. And the second is a very nice quartz crystal perched on Feldspar matrix from the Bierman Quarry in Bethel. This was a big surprise as I found the dumps at Bierman almost barren of interesting material.
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avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:03PM
us    
David, I think the larger dump isn't completely empty, there is still some beryl and bertrandite if you dig deep, but it is on state land now:(
Wow though, bierman isn't acknowledged for quartz!
© Rowan Lytle
Quartz from another little acknowledged producer!

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:18PM
This is a tourmaline specimen that my Dad collected, and is now in my collection. There is some controversy whether this is dravite or schorl. I've seen convincing arguments for both. Regardless, I like it. Doubly terminated crystals to 6.5 cm embedded in a biotite schist. The location is Bethel, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.



Michael Shaw
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:30PM
Rowan, I dug five holes when I was there a while ago. Each of them was five feet or so. I did find a bit of bertrandite but nothing you would rush home to mother. I filled each hole in neatly. In one of them is my cell phone. >:D<
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:33PM
us    
Haha! good job! I did that with a pair of work gloves at Nathan Hall and dug them back up a year later.

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:42PM
When discussing Connecticut, you can't leave out the chalcocites from the classic Bristol copper mine location. 4.0 x 5.5 cm.


avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:45PM
us    
of course!

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:46PM
This columbite was collected in the late 1800s from the noted Dana locale at Branchville, Fairfield County. 10 cm in length.


avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:47PM
No Michael, you can't leave out Bristol. Although the locale is no more, I fully intend o get in my car one day and drive to the former site of the mine and breath in the historical air. Your piece is really nice.
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:51PM
Diamond Ledge, in Tolland County is famous for producing these milky quartz crystals, which are known locally known as 'corn cob quartz" because of all the small terminations along the prism faces. 7.6 cm.


avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 03:58PM
us    
Had to dig around here a bit to find some Connecticut specimens to share. Here's a Datolite group from New Britain Conn. Specimen measures 6.5 x 5 x 2.5 cm.

avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 04:07PM
us    
thanks for posting, everyone. these are some very good examples, but let's get some more pegmatite minerals up here!

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 04:32PM
us    
Here's a Pyrite on Siderite from the Roxbury Iron Mine, Roxbury, Connecticut. I've had this specimen over 40 years now. When it first came to stay with me it was bright and shiny with no cracks but then again I had a lot less wrinkles and moles then too! Largest crystal measures 2 x 2 x 1.5 cm.

avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 04:40PM
us    
A sad end to a once fine piece. I have several such pyrite from roxbury, and it is getting sad to see some deteriorating. Time for silica gel.
anyway, here is a very cool albite formation.
© Rowan Lytle

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!
avatar Re: Best of Connecticut
November 07, 2011 05:16PM
us    
Here's a Kyanite in Quartz collected back in the early 1960's frrom Judds Bridge, Washington, Litchfield Co., Connecticut. Specimen measures 7 x 5 x 4 cm.

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