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Identity HelpGahnite(?) from "Davis Mine, Zimbabwe"?

17th Nov 2014 11:49 UTCVik Vanrusselt Expert

06902560016057466942576.jpg



Hello all,


I bought this specimen last Saturday from Iván Blanco García (who is also on Mindat).


The label says:


Gahnite

ZnAl2O4 CUB.

Davis mine

Maryland ZIMBABWE

7.2.1.4 255


The first few numbers are the ID in Dana's 8th Edition.

The 255 is the catalogue number in the original owner's database (André Saussus from Belgium).


Iván replaces the "Maryland" with "Manicaland" on his own label.


Now here's my question: Is there (or was there ever) a "Davis Mine" anywhere in Zimbabwe and if so, has Gahnite (or is it Spinel?) ever been found there?


Thanks,


Vik

17th Nov 2014 12:11 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

You might have gahnite from the Davis mine in Massachusetts rather than Zimbabwe.


And this error might have come about when a European mistook the state symbol MA for Maryland instead of Massachusetts. And then Maryland in sloppy handwriting metamorphosed into Manicaland (which is in Zimbabwe). A comical chain of errors, but I've seen similar unlikely changes like this before, when newer collectors are trying to decipher the handwritten labels of older generations of collectors.

24th Nov 2014 02:07 UTCHoward Heitner

The specimen looks very much like one I have from the Davis Mine near Rowe, MA. Is there any pyrite on the specimen? Pyrite was the ore at the Davis Mine


Oh, I see the specimen is now displayed with other Davis Mine gahnites.
 
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