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Identity HelpAttention South Africans

26th Nov 2018 00:05 UTCBen Grguric Expert

This collection was bought for me circa 1980 in The Netherlands. I'm guessing these were put together in South Africa. Anyone know the history of them? Specimens are approx. 25 mm across.

26th Nov 2018 00:45 UTCWayne Corwin

Ben

I would say part of the history of that kit is... some kid switched specimens 6 and 7.

26th Nov 2018 06:24 UTCBruce Cairncross Expert

Hello Ben,

I don't recognize the origin of your box, but what is certain is that it is a mixture of southern African samples not just South Africa. The petalite most likely comes from either Bikita in Zimbabwe or one of the pegmatites in Namibia, perhaps Rubicon. Ditto for the lepidolite, either Zimbabwe or Namibia. The stibnite most likely comes from Consolidated Murchison mine in South Africa. The chromite sample is rather coarse grained and looks like material I've seen from the Great Dyke mines in Zimbabwe. I agree with Wayne -6 and 7 have been swapped. Some of these type of boxes of economic minerals might have been put together by mining houses to give as corporate gifts.

Regards,

Bruce

26th Nov 2018 10:02 UTCDavid Von Bargen Manager

Doing some searches it appears that it was a magazine, by Orbis, that also provided boxed mineral sets (119 issues and ten different boxed sets).

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/treasures-of-the-earth-collection/bn_7024872439

26th Nov 2018 10:17 UTCBruce Cairncross Expert

Hi David,

You jogged my memory with your reply. Treasures of the Earth that you refer to were small samples of minerals that were linked to a publication here in South Africa. You had to buy the magazine and in each issue you got a few samples that you then used to fill the empty plastic container that came with the first issue. Its a coincidence that Ben's box has the same name, but its not from the the same source as the one that came with the publications. Ben's samples are much larger and the box and its divisions appear almost "home made".

Cheers,

Bruce

26th Nov 2018 11:27 UTCKevin Hean

Hi Bruce, David, & Ben,

Definitely Not that "Treasures of the Earth" I still have my set, (I think) . I think Ben's set is a bit older than 1980, Bruce it reminds me a lot of the sort of stuff Yardleys used to sell and thats 50's and 60's.

26th Nov 2018 16:55 UTCJolyon Ralph Founder

Yes, absolutely unrelated to the Orbis magazine

26th Nov 2018 23:08 UTCBen Grguric Expert

Thanks guys. The collection is numbered 6a suggesting whoever put it out had a variety of sets.

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