Benitoite

Rock,

How about a picture of the xtal model in your collection?

Ron

If you were writing the article, what kind of pictures would you have selected and how many?

I would select only a few images (four at most) that best represent a particular mineral form from a particular mineral mine. The more different mineral forms there are, obviously the more mineral pictures you'd have - with the best four per mineral form still being the goal. I think that having more than four images, all showing the same mineral form, is just simply unnecessary.

Also, I think that if you want to show that a mine is prolific, then state in the text that a mine is prolific - don't simply pile on more redundant pictures.

Regarding the Benitoite page specifically, in my opinion I don't think there needs to be so many similar-looking images of blue benitoite and black natrolite crystals on a white massive natrolite base. I mean really, I don't think a person needs to see more than four great images of these to get a feel for what the benitoite/natrolite specimens from the Dallas Gem Mine are like.

Ron,
Hmm...that's an interesting idea. Let me think about that.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

AJMI,
I am forced to disagree with you on having so few specimens exhibited for a prolific locality for a particular species. As collectors we spend our lifes looking as specimens, and in the case of Benitoite from the Gem Mine or Smithsonites from Tsumeb, we see thousands of specimens of different sizes and associations, luster and transparency and in the case of smithsonite, colors. From this experience we come to form personal internal standards of what the best specimens from a locality may look like and the possible associations and sizes etc that we can expect to encounter. No one is going to be able to form valid opinions on these matters after seeing only four specimens of benitoite. I want to show enough images so that people can at least start to form their own opinions which will hopefully have some validity. Showing so many fine specimens can be disturbing to some people and who think that we are elitists operating at the expense of "real people". There is some validity in this it may account for the relatively small and declining number of subscribers of the Mineralogical Record compared to other amateur magazines.

However, the Mindat image database includes more average and poor specimens of minerals than anyone can look at in months of intensive viewing. If people want to look at these images they may spend any amount of time doing so, and I encourage them to do so, because the world is not made of of only fine specimens and looking at these images will help them develop their own personal internal standards and make them better able to appreciate how rare and unusual really fine specimens are. When we started best minerals some people suggested that it be given a more prominent place on Mindat and not at the last forum on the Message board way down on the end after even the Foreign Language forum. I wanted it put there for two reasons. The first was that I was worried that it would bring much more attention and comments and suggestions than I would be able to deal with and second that I realized that trying to force people to look only at fine specimens (putting them in peoples face by giving them a more prominent place on Mindat) would cause resentment in some people and that the remote location for Best Minerals on Mindat would hopefully minimize that resentment.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/2012 08:18AM by Rock Currier.

Rock!

I truly appreciate what you're doing for this site. I'm pretty sure that most folks have no idea how many hundreds of hours you're putting in; but I do, and think it's awesome. This site is an example of the internet at it's best. So THANKS!

Tim Jokela Jr.

Tim's right!!! Thanks so much Rock!!!

Rock,

Both Tim and Rob beat me to it, but I still have to say thanks for the wonderul presentation of Benitoite. Any who conplain should volunteer to do the next "Best Mineral" presentation. Your efforts are most appreciated and I am constantly amazed at how productive you are, in light of having a second job running Jewel Tunnel.

Gene

This section of mindat is slowly, but surely, turning into an incredible and amazing resource. Thank you Rock, not only for your hard work on this, but for persuading me to run with it - after all it was your idea. I may have had a few concerns along the way about the way it was being done, but I decided to mostly stay hands-off, and all my concerns were proven entirely wrong.

Thank you also to everyone else who has contributed. I wish I had more time to contribute myself to it too.

Jolyon

Judging by the replies that were posted after mine, I think my previous post may have been misinterpreted.

It was not meant to be any sort of attack on Rock or his (or anyone else's) efforts regarding the Best Mineral pages.

I was asked by Rock, in one of his previous posts, what kind of pictures I would have selected and how many. I was simply responding to that question and giving my own personal opinions. There was no intent on my part to denigrate Rock's work, only to share my own personal opinions.

Next time I will try to be more clear and concise on that point.

And I apologize to anyone (especially to Rock!) who I may have offended.

-AJMI

AJMI,
I didn't think you were criticizing any work I had done on Benitoite and I don't think anyone else did either. You know I didn't do it all by myself and have had plenty of help from other capable people that were brave enough to step up and help along the way. You expressed your honest opinion and though I didn't agree with your limitation on how many images should be included, I wanted to know what you would have rather seen. It is only through honest exchanges like this that Best Minerals has grown and gotten better, and it is still not in its final format. Each of the Best Minerals authors brings to the table different views and strengths and each of their contributions have their own flavor. And each of them have at various time communicated with me and others, listening to suggestions and asking each other well how about if we do it this way or that way and eventually coming to a consensus and creating unique articles which will in time they or others will revise, correct and add to.

AJMI, I am not done with you yet. Now you need to explain the philosophy about limiting the images to just a few. I explained above why I oppose such limitations and I think your reasons for limiting them will be more interesting and instructive than your simple expressed desire to limit them. You are not entirely alone in this. David Von Bargen when he writes an article limits his images much more than others Best Minerals authors. Tell us why we should restrict the images on Best Minerals.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

When are we going to see the best Azeztulite article, looking forward to that!

Jason,
I would think that the Azeztulite article will be written sometime after the IMA approves the name, and I suspect that might be substantially after the hinges of hell freeze over.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Jason,
I would think that the Azeztulite article will be written sometime after the IMA approves the name, and I suspect that might be substantially after the hinges of hell freeze over. However I would welcome a glossary entry that would include a definition and picture(s) if the definition would relate it to the or some of the IMA mineral names. Would you care to prepare a glossary entry for it?

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

A nice picture of some of the Benitoite "star of David" twins has been added to the article.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Thanks, Rock. Great update!

There was a really nice star of david benitote on eBay last week, a little above my price range though!

Good news Jason, it didn't sell, so it has been relisted. So for only $34,999.99 plus $200 for shipping this could be yours. It is a star, but it is opaque rather than gemmy so perhaps you can negotiate. You would think they would throw in free shipping for that price.

cheers,
stephanie