Fluorite, Madagascar

Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?


Fluorite, Madagascar
CaF Cubic
Here will go a good picture of a fluorite from Madagascar and general remarks about the fluorite from this country. Here are some url's to some of the better Malagasie fluorite specimens here on Mindat that can be considered for inclusion in the article. These, in most cases are just for temporary use until we can get images of the much better specimens that are almost certainly out there. We should also consider that there are probably localities out there with fine specimens that are not even mentioned on Mindat. Also in some instances there are sometimes pictures on Mindat, of specimens from a locality, but they were so ratty that I did not include them here, but there may also be really good specimens from there that we should talk about in this article.


Amborompotsy, Ambatofinandrahana Department, Amoron'i

Mania Region, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
[www.mindat.org]

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Hi,
There is almost no collectors quality fluorites on Madagascar. Only this ones included in quartz, from small quarry near Amboropotsy. Last year some miners dig fluorite veins from Mandrosonoro. On some specimens there were light-green cubes of fluorite, but very eroded and ugly. All other fluorites from Madagscar have no crystals.

Tom

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"Spirifer" Geological Society

What Thomasz says is my experience too. But I would consider to include "the blue garnet" from Bekily that showed to be a fluorite in the article. An interesting piece. See the treads [www.mindat.org] and [www.mindat.org].

I have that blue "garnet" and would be happy to supply any additional pics, etc. etc. if you'd like. Just let me know : )

Yes, that is true. But they are so small...
I have 1 specimen from Ambatodrazaka area (unknown exact locality) of violet cubic crystals about 7 cm on edges. Problem is that Malagasy localities are so unsure if you do not confirm that personally...

Tom

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"Spirifer" Geological Society

Hi,
there is at least one occurrence of well crystalized fluorite in the SE of Madagascar, to be more precise just east of the little town of Esira (http://www.mindat.org/loc-131199.html). In 2005, I started doing a major stream sediment survey (2,000 samples covering 15,000 km², www.exploration-consultant.com/html/body_mineral_exploration_madagascar.html) for the World Bank. When we came to Esira, the traditional chief of the area showed me pieces of yellow, water clear fluorite crystals which were shortly before found by local diggers. None of the pieces was bigger than 2 or 3 cm, intact crystals were said to be around 5 cm big. The area coincides with some showings of tin and tungsten mineralization (known since colonial times) and a small, but well pronounced stream sediment anomaly indicating a Cu-Bi-Zn-As-S mineralization. Unfortunately, my fluorite sample from Esira got lost somewhere after a couple of months in the bush.
From another valley further to the SE (from Esira), near Fenoevo, I have a part of a fluorite octahedron, about 3 cm big, of dark red color.
Wolfgang

Yes, Madagascar is indeed impoverished, at least thus far in fluorites. Jasun, if you would upload the image of your blue "garnet" to mindat, I am sure that whoever wrote the article would want to include it along with the story about its being found to be fluorite. I remember the thread about the thing, but I don't recall that it was eventually found to be fluorite. I always doubted that it was a garnet. Who finally identified it as a fluorite? Jasun, why don't you write the article on Madagascar garnets and include a picture of the blue "garnet". There won't be much to write about and a few others might chip in like the guys above with more suggestions and pictures.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.