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calcite crystals

Posted by Michael Vicha  
calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 05:30PM
Hello all!
I am an ignorant newbie to valuation. I have been collecting for a couple years now, and have a knack for finding strange calcite crystal specimans. Maybe there are a lot of folks out there with the same ability/'problem'. I have posted a couple of photos here of at least one or two of my favorites. Unfortunately my camera took a dip with me while taking in a coho a couple weeks ago, so I am lacking a complete list of photos. Before I publish them, I'd like to know... is there any value in calcite crystal specimans? does the habit and/or color change that value? should I grind them up and add them to some lime plaster?.. not really, but hey!
-Michael
avatar Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 05:41PM
us    
Well, they can vary from being overpriced at $0.10 to many thousands of dollars. Value depends on location, color, size, habits, quality and aesthetics.
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 05:44PM
here are some photos
Attachments:
open | download - 100_0182.jpg (310.7 KB)
open | download - 100_0541.jpg (705.5 KB)
open | download - 100_0549.jpg (980.1 KB)
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 05:48PM
ca    
0.50 - 3.00 $
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 05:51PM
all photos so far are from beaver valley quarry in shine, WA
here are some more pics
Attachments:
open | download - 100_0158.jpg (480.6 KB)
open | download - 100_0421.jpg (609.3 KB)
open | download - 100_0430.jpg (588.7 KB)
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 05:53PM
and the last couple i have photos of
Attachments:
open | download - 100_0483.jpg (827.7 KB)
open | download - 100_0533.jpg (604.2 KB)
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 06:01PM
Hey Michael I would be interested in some of your specimens.
Michael
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 06:05PM
if you are serious, email me then.
drowning.callous.embrace@gmail.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2009 06:07PM by Michael Vicha.
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 08:27PM
Not bad calcite. Im from the state of calcite ( indiana) id love some of your for some of mine.

Byron
avatar Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 09:10PM
us    
Michael,
When you say you have a knack for finding strange calcite crystals I think from looking at your pictures that you mean you are finding them yourself in the field. Quarries, Mines etc, rather than buying them. Like most things that you can go and pick up or collect in the field, it is not often that you will find valuable specimens. Of course this is to be expected. How often do you find ten dollar bills or larger lying on the ground? Some of the specimens you have shown us show promise. Keep digging!

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
avatar Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 09:20PM
Rock, I ignore any ground money smaller than a good steak dinner. Someone else can go to McDonalds.

But you are right: most field collectors may find many cool specimens, but only are these worth lots of money.
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 09:46PM
ca    
The specimen in 100_0430 is quite nice - you should put some more work into that locality, looks promising!

Just remember, field collecting minerals is about the experience and not what the things are worth smiling smiley
Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 10:37PM
Some of the crystals I've collected I would gladly trade or give away.However some because of the rarity or because I cherish the memory of digging all day to find them I'll never let go of.
avatar Re: calcite crystals
October 05, 2009 11:58PM
us    
Michael, How many places have you collected at? Have you ever visited the collections of old time field collectors in your area? As you gain more experience you will find your collecting more productive of better specimens. Have you visited any museums that have good mineral collections? Have you asked to see what they have in the back room?

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
Re: calcite crystals
October 06, 2009 12:19AM
Let me tell you how bad I've got the collecting fever.My house is full of different rocks.Bedroom walls are covered,all categorized and location organized.Basement half full with buckets of seconds from different quarries.I cant sleep more than a few hours when we are going to a new site. My son thinks I like the adventure of going than actually collecting the specimens.My girl friend knows how I love going and even has gone with me several times.I've been a collector since I was a little boy in 1st grade picking quartz crystal up on the play ground during recess lol.I'm getting older now and don't want to waste one collecting opportunity.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2009 12:35AM by Mike Dennis.
avatar Re: calcite crystals
October 06, 2009 12:39AM
us    
Have you got some collecting buddies that you like to collect with?

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
Re: calcite crystals
October 06, 2009 12:49AM
Yes I'm a member of several clubs here i sw Virginia but as I said before after some 45 years of collecting some specimens I have like many of you I'll never part with.
Re: calcite crystals
October 11, 2009 11:34PM
Thanks everyone for encouragement and information... but time for less talking and more collecting.
Re: calcite crystals
October 12, 2009 03:15PM
Hi Michael,

Thank you for writing and for sharing your photographs of your specimens. I've collected at the BVQ for years and wrote (with Rudy Tschernich) the paper on the BVQ cited in the Micro Probe, the newsletter of the Northwest Micro Mineral Study Group NWMMSG). This is a neat little locality and of all its collectable species, calcite (I don't really count exceedingly common clinochlore as a collectable species, though some specimens with their fuzzy black bumps and fingers are really quite neat) is the most common and among the most spectacular and varied of the treasures one can find. Of all those specimens you've offered, the one large appearing plate of yellow calcites on black clinochlore to my eye is the most spectacular. This of all the calcite generations is the most desirable (again to my eye) from the BVQ and when Hot-Pee yellow (not a technical term!), they are the best of the best. The hottest colored specimens will be close in hue to your specimen, but will be much brighter and will be in narrower, smaller crystals as compared to the monsters on your piece.

Other calcites from BVQ are less desirable if from no other perspective than color. Often in colors varying from clear to translucent whites, these are much more commonly encountered. The largest calcites from the BVQ go about an inch and are most often flattened simple rhombs.

Since your question is about value, the prices for these will not be much, a couple of bucks at best (though the yellows would demand a higher premium, though one still of minor monetary gain). For the valuable mineral at the BVQ, you want to focus on the copper!

Doug Merson has a fine photographic representation of the species the quarry produces entered into Mindat at this page... [www.mindat.org]

Doug shows several coppers there and as can be seen, they can be quite showy and at times, even spectacular!!!! But... they are most often micro sized specimens (and thus also offer only limited financial gains). Copper can be found associated with clinochlore, calcite, stilbite and quartz.

Of all the specimens I've personally collected there, I have a chalcocite associated with stilbite that is just the very best... Yummy in a Rock!!!

As a PREMIUM tip for collecting at BVQ, my best is to simply NOT GO if the sun is NOT shining. The copper is almost 100% invisible on an overcast day and all those little vesicles that appear empty under less than optimum lighting conditions may actually harbor treasures galore that are being missed!

The Crescent formation is our local treasure house for those things crystalline (I live on the Olympic Peninsula) and where it is being cut and or exploited, there is the potential of specimen acquisition and production.

I hope this helps and that you continue to find more goodies at the BVQ, after all, who knows what the next swing of the hammer will produce!!!

All the very best Michael. Take care,

John
Re: calcite crystals
October 18, 2009 02:57AM
Thanks again! I appreciate the info you have passed on John. These pieces have too much personal value to let go of, but I would love to see what others are collecting there as well. I have seen Doug Merson's copper photos and I save all my seemingly 'empties' for further inspection at home under my large magnifying glass... no luck yet, but then again, it is the monsters that seem to find me for the time being. Do you have any photos of specimans collected at the BVQ? if so, I'd love to see them.
Good Day
Michael
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