Bulgaria

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'Yellow Rocks' Spinel site, Pirin Mtn.
	Byala reka, Bayuvi dupki, Pirin Mts, Blagoevgrad Oblast, Bulgaria View of the collecting site in the distance of the scree slope and avalanche debris of white Pine and Marble boulders. The other members of our party can be seen at the foot of the slope to give scale. Micro crystals of pale blue/grey Spinels and tiny orange/red Clinohumite can be found in the weathered boulders. Occasional Forsterite is also ...
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175456 View Count: 63
Adit entrance
	Droujba (Drujba) Mine, Djurkovo Complex, Laki (Luki), Rhodope Mts, Plovdiv Oblast, Bulgaria This is that short walk towards the main entrance into the Mine Adit (turn left into the hillside just under the tunnel ahead) Our Health & Safety talk was interesting:' in the tunnels do not touch the wire running alongside your head -it is live and you will die' er...ok, then. And another gem of information:'if you hear a noise behind you in ...
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175511 View Count: 56
Approach to Chala Gold Mine
	Chala Mine, Spachievo ore field (Spahievo ore field), Rhodope Mts, Haskovo Oblast (Khaskovo Oblast), Bulgaria Approach to Chala Gold Mine with ore buckets on old rail. There are two entrances to the mine,one on the right of this photo (out of shot) and around the track facing you. The miners were just getting ready to go into the mine, One enterprizing miner, on enquiring if we were English, then tried to sell us his house!! May 2007
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175480 View Count: 83
At the Mine Face
	Droujba (Drujba) Mine, Djurkovo Complex, Laki (Luki), Rhodope Mts, Plovdiv Oblast, Bulgaria Colleen Thomson (center) and Petko Petrov (Nat.Mus.Earth & Man)with the miners at the face. We were collecting Calcite & Galena just up the debris behind us and in a smaller chamber to our right (your left) with the rest of the group including David Binns who took this photo. May 2007
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175516 View Count: 71
Boulder with Fe stalagtites in vug
	Kremikovtsi, Sofiya (Sofia) Oblast, Bulgaria A boulder showing an open vug approx.12 cms across, with stalagtitic crystalisation of Goethite over Hematite and Romancheite. The hammer handle helps give perspective. Kremikovtsi open Iron Pit, May 2007, Colleen Thomson.
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175461 View Count: 71
Chala Mine Adit
	Chala Mine, Spachievo ore field (Spahievo ore field), Rhodope Mts, Haskovo Oblast (Khaskovo Oblast), Bulgaria One of the Main Adits in to the Gold Mine. May 2007
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175481 View Count: 65
Crane at Chala Gold Mine
	Chala Mine, Spachievo ore field (Spahievo ore field), Rhodope Mts, Haskovo Oblast (Khaskovo Oblast), Bulgaria Large crane at the Chala Mine, used for lifting timber and ore buckets amongst other things. This area is directly below the Mine adits and is where the Cacoxenite was discovered. Further down the hill from here is where small flakes of Turquoise can be found, washed out by the rain. May 2007. Colleen Thomson
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175486 View Count: 84
drilling the blast holes
	Droujba (Drujba) Mine, Djurkovo Complex, Laki (Luki), Rhodope Mts, Plovdiv Oblast, Bulgaria Miners preparing to drill the holes in the face for blasting. Note the Galena glistening in the tunnel wall behind and above them. DG Binns photo May 2007
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175515 View Count: 54
Giants Slumber......
	Kremikovtsi, Sofiya (Sofia) Oblast, Bulgaria This kind of typifies a once busy open cast mining operation,now 'moth-balled' -all the equipment left to rust and decay....... Kremikovtsi Open Iron Pit, Sofia, May 2007. Colleen Thomson
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175464 View Count: 62
Kremikovtsi Open Pit - view
	Kremikovtsi, Sofiya (Sofia) Oblast, Bulgaria View of the open Iron pit across the now flooded lower part, and towards the entrance and area where the rare mineral Norsethite is found. May 2007
© C.Thomson 2007	Photo ID: 175460 View Count: 65