Gail's NEW favourite of the day, PART 2

Gail that's a very nice Erongo combo ... Is Damaraland on the label ? If so you may need to change it as it's an old name for an area now divided into two regions.

New acquisition this week, showing its fluorescent side -- Boltsburn Mine, Weardale.

Hi Joan, the mirror surfaced fluorite is definitly a WOW !! Fluorecsence I believe was first observed in the sunlight viewing fluorite from the natural ultraviolet rays in sunlight.
Congrat's,
Steve.

Steve -- yes, and it was Weardale fluorite that was being described.

Wonderful specimen Joan! I live only 30 miles from the Boltsburn mine, and so have a great interest in Weardale fluorites. Lovely fluorescence and clarity. What is the colour when backlit? Any info on when it was mined, and its history? I would love to see more photos....
Regards,
Rog

Hi Roger -- Jesse took the photo in Tucson and I haven't seen it yet in person myself, but it's a typical Boltsburn purple color when not light up by the sun. I don't know if there is any specific history on the piece; it was previously in a French collection. The mine closed in 1932 though, and most of the fluorite specimens came out between the 1890's and then. So it's an old historic piece in any case.

Strange Vanadinite crystal on Goethite.
Locality: Taouz, Er Rachidia Province, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco
Size: the Vanadinite in photo is about 5mm long.

A fine stalactite of goethite is topped with two red orange vanadinite bowties. Unfortunately, the goethite was broken during shipping.

Thanks Debbie, will investigate as it is an old label.

Gail Patricia Copus Spann

Sweet Home Rhodochrosite

Size: 6.1 x 3.3 x 2.1 cm

The Rhodochrosite crystals on this specimen have good red color with excellent sharpness and gemminess. They are associated with minor cubic purple Fluorite on thin "needle" Quartz crystals on sulfide matrix.

I'm in Tucson nd will have many more favourites of the day when I gt home!

Gail Patricia Copus Spann

From: Huachocolpa Mine, Peru
Size: 4 x 3 x 3 cm

Eye-catching piece of flower-like Rhodochrosite.

What an absolutely stunning Rhodochrosite, Xu, thanks for sharing it! Cheers!

Darren

In March 2010 I was self collecting at the Harrodsburg road cuts in Monroe County Indiana (see pix on page 12 of "The Nature Thread") when I peeled away a large slab of ordinary appearing limestone. The back side revealed a half of an oval geode with the remaining and better half still firmly remaining embedded in the limestone rock wall. Eleven months later, in February 2011 further freeze/thaw activity had loosened up this remaining better portion and it was easily removed. It is pictured here at 15 cm x 9 cm and has many groupings of cream colored thru red-orange dolomites.

Okay so it's not a mineral, but it is my favourite of the day!!! All in fun, cheers!
The ever energetic Dave Wilber doing "The Gail" face.

Gail Patricia Copus Spann

Today's favorite is a glassy cluster of citrine on danburite from Mexico. 11.6 x 7.3 cm.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2012 05:39AM by AM Mizunaka.

Back again. Good to see so many good things here! I'm happy to present you one of my really personal favourites - i think this combination makes it extraordinary! Have you ever seen a similar - from any place in the world?




Gold wires in Uraninite - 25 mm. On the left side you see a small red area of Cinnabar. Around this area the gold has a high mercury content - called Goldamalgam (natural - not manmade!). Rare Stuff - and highly radioactive of course.

There was a bit of snow here this morning, just enough to get the skiers excited. So, a white mineral.

Natrolite from the Chimney Rock Quarry, Bound Brook, Somerset County, New Jersey. 10.5x1.5x1 cm. From Jewel Tunnel Imports, 1975. Thanks, Rock!



Cheers!

Steve

A good example of Indiana sphalerite from the Berry Materials quarry at North Vernon, Jennings County. The well developed tetrahedral crystals are formed on massive sphalerite with a bit of sandy matrix incorporated in the back of the specimen. Overall size:11.5x6.5x3.5 cm. Circa 1966.




Cheers!

Steve

Another favorite Indiana quarry for calcites was the Meshberger & Sons Quarry about 7 miles SE of Columbus, Indiana in Bartholomew County. It is still active, but apparently is currently operated by collector unfriendly management. Many great and large calcites were collected in the 1960s and early 1970s. Little to nothing (to my knowledge) has come out of there since before 1980. Even when the quarry is inspected, many of the folks must remain in their vehicles and (again to my knowledge) no individuals or clubs have gained access to the quarry in over 35 years. This 10.5 cm x 3.5 cm honey colored and partially double terminated crystal is surrounded by several smaller accessory crystals on the dolostone matrix. The photo also shows a small contact from the vug on the "top" of the crystal. This appearance is typical for the larger crystals found in the 1960s.

A glassy barite cluster with calcite is today's favorite from the Meikle Mine in Nevada. 9.1 x 7.4 cm

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