Learning Center What is a mineral?The most common minerals on earth Information for Educators Mindat Articles The Elements The Rock H. Currier Digital Library Geologic Time

Minerals by Properties Minerals by Chemistry Advanced Locality Search Random Mineral Random Locality Search by minID Localities Near Me Search Articles Search Glossary More Search Options

The Mindat Manual Add a New Photo Rate Photos Locality Edit Report Coordinate Completion Report Add Glossary Item

Mining Companies Statistics Users Mineral Museums Clubs & Organizations Mineral Shows & Events The Mindat Directory Device Settings The Mineral Quiz

Photo Search Photo Galleries Search by Color New Photos Today New Photos Yesterday Members' Photo Galleries Past Photo of the Day Gallery Photography

Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

╳Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

Groups

Recent Images in Discussions

Improving Mindat.orgMichenerite?

15th Sep 2016 02:06 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Does not look like michenerite to me. Michenerite is the colour of galena but with a concoidal fracture. See: http://rruff.info/doclib/cm/vol11/CM11_903.pdf

15th Sep 2016 19:08 UTCRichard Gunter Expert

Hi Reiner:

Which photo are you refering to?

16th Sep 2016 01:29 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Sorry forgot to attach the link: http://www.mindat.org/photo-164782.html

16th Sep 2016 04:55 UTCBrent Thorne Expert

If you think that the photo is not a good representation of the species, then I am happy to remove it.

16th Sep 2016 12:15 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

If it does not look like what it supposed to look like and you have no verification then I would sugget not putting up a photo of any rare mineral in general. In this case I think removing it would be a good idea, thanks.

16th Sep 2016 15:02 UTCPeter Andresen Expert

Reiner, if you think all photos of rare minerals that doesn't look representative compared to a publication, and without documentation... then I'm affraid we had to delete at least hundred-thousand pictures, even some of yours! ;-)

I think your description of what's on your picture is fine, I hope you keep it here in the database, Brent!

16th Sep 2016 16:57 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

If I was looking for michenerite, which I am, that photo would mislead me. If any of my photos are misleading I insist they be delete.

16th Sep 2016 18:24 UTCBrent Thorne Expert

The platinum and palladium minerals from the Key West mine, Bunkerville District, Moapa, Clark County, Nevada, were all collected and analyzed by Sid Williams. Many of the specimens were sold or traded to Dr. Wilke in Germany. The photo, in question, was purchased from a systematic dealer in Munich Germany. I carefully inspected the specimen under the microscope and I photographed the only area where a lead colored mineral was apparent. Because the michenerite occurs as inclusions in chalcopyrite, the photo does not show the true color of the species. Since I have not had the specimen analyzed, since I acquired it, I felt it best to remove it from the public galleries. In order to prevent confusion, the other platinum and palladium species from that mine, that I have photos of, have also been removed. Unfortunately, I have not had them analyzed either. Many of the rare species,that I have photographed, are described as being analyzed either by the person who found them or by the dealer who sold them. I have in the past relied on that analysis and have not analyzed the specimens myself. In this case I have relied on the analysis done by Sid Williams. I realize that Sid collected and analyzed thousands of specimens. It is possible that not every specimen that he sold or traded was analyzed. This may be the case for this specimen and the other Pt and Pd specimens from this locality.

I am always happy to remove a photo that is questioned by someone who knows more about the species than I do. I do not know everything about all the species that I have in my collection. As I have said in the past, I take photos of rare species so that there will be a photo to compare to the specimens that other people have either collected or purchased. I certainly do not want to mislead someone with a photo of a species that is wrong.

16th Sep 2016 20:39 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Thank you Brent I appreciate your integrity.

16th Sep 2016 20:49 UTCRob Woodside 🌟 Manager

Yes I do too. Watch out for Sid's specimens especially if the desirable species are in micron inclusions. He would collect pounds of material that if thoroughly analysed MIGHT rarely have the desired species. These desired species were considered "Statistically Present" in the pounds of rock he then sold, but they were all labeled with the desired species.

18th Sep 2016 00:20 UTCRalph S Bottrill 🌟 Manager

The only existing normal-light photo of michenerite on Mindat is also from Sid, it has the correct colour, not sure about the conchoidal fracture. Sadly it doesnt say what the matrix is! The other picture is a burnt-out spot in a SEM image of a polished section.

18th Sep 2016 12:18 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Yes I was wondering about that as well. http://www.mindat.org/photo-700339.html Michenerite is supposed to have a conchoidal fracture but if not for the color it looks a lot like all the other grains. I am inclined to think it is just tarnished chalcopyrite. It makes me wonder if I should be analyzing every blueish grain that is mixed in with all the chalcopyrite in the samples I have? Unfortunately there are thousands of those bluish grains.Fortunately the solution is to scratch the grain with a needle and if it is chalcopyrite the golden color will show through. Maybe Joachim has a needle to test his sample with?

18th Sep 2016 12:29 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

"He would collect pounds of material that if thoroughly analysed MIGHT rarely have the desired species. These desired species were considered "Statistically Present" in the pounds of rock he then sold, but they were all labeled with the desired species." If I used that approach I would already have michenerite :-D

18th Sep 2016 12:51 UTCThomas Lühr Expert

... only statistically, though ! :-D:-D

18th Sep 2016 15:43 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Maybe mindat needs to add a place for probability on the photo upload page? ;-)

Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2024, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: April 26, 2024 11:44:27

Go to top of page