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May 2022People of Significance in MineralogyPosted by Robert Meyer in Improving Mindat.org.Hello all,The most recent issue of Mineral News contained an good article related to the microscope that Lazard Cahn used. I was interested in learning more about Mr. Cahn and checked on Mindat to see if I could learn more. There is a paragraph about him in the body of the Cahnite page, but no link ...
Sep 2020Re: Flos FerriReply from Robert Meyer in Minerals.Hi Paul,I would agree with that. I spotted one further down as well.
Sep 2020Re: Flos FerriReply from Robert Meyer in Minerals.I have always had the feeling that the calcium carbonate flowstones, helectites, and corralloidal forms are most likely currently calcite, perhaps simply from the idea that one should not presume an unidentified mineral to be the rarer of the two options. This is admittedly a feeling, and ...
Sep 2020Re: need help identifying red rockReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.[no text content]
Sep 2020Re: need help identifying red rockReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Hi,I agree this appears to be a chunk of the artificial "red quartz" countertop material.
Jan 2019Re: Phosphosiderite from ChileReply from Robert Meyer in General.I noticed pieces on-line of Phosphosiderite associated with Crandallite and purportedly from Paton Hill, Tierra Amarilla, Atacama Region, Chile.
Nov 2016Re: Unidentified steel blue mineral with stibnite.Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Are the individual needles flexible? Are they non-flexible/brittle, flexible and elastic, or flexible without elasticity.
May 2013Re: Need Locality Help: Fuzest, RomaniaReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Thanks everyone for the help on this. The specimen was one I encountered as a part of a collection I am processing. It seemed important enough to look into.
Best regards,
Bob
May 2013Need Locality Help: Fuzest, RomaniaPosted by Robert Meyer in Identity Help.I encountered an exquisite specimen of electrum, 7.5 cm across, with nice crystallized forms rich on the surface of rock and labeled Fuzest, Romania with an old Lidstrom's label. It reminds me of Rosia Montana. Any ideas?
Bob
Mar 2013Re: Unknown pseudo from NamibiaReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.I was thinking the pseudos resembled the form of cerussite.
Mar 2013Re: Green from TsumebReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.I would agree with duftite as a preliminary sight-based ID. Nice specimen. Analysis might show that the mineral is not a good match with duftite, make sure to check for other elements, such as calcium and sulfur. I have noticed that material like this from Tsumeb does not always fit in neatly with ...
Apr 2012Re: Silver Bell Mine, Okanogan Co, WA unknownReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Karl,
Take a tiny fragment off with a needle and put a drop of dilute HCl on it. Observe under your microscope. You can confirm or eliminate Azurite quite easily.
Bob
Nov 2012Re: Arsenic -Darkening over timeReply from Robert Meyer in General.I purchased an old Schneeberg native arsenic specimen when I was a kid. A few years ago, I put the piece in an ultrasonic cleaner, and when it came out I noticed it was much brighter. My first thoughts were that there must have been some arsenic oxides on the piece and I had blithely dipped my hand ...
Jan 2013Re: POTD :) A miner takes a bath while smoking…Reply from Robert Meyer in General.Possibly this is one environment when, relatively speaking, cigarette smoke would represent an improvement over the typical exposure levels in the workplace.
Feb 2012Re: Unknown from Ojuela Mine, MexicoReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.It could be a cast of some sort. Have you tried a streak test on the black mineral? It would be interesting and potentially diagnostic depending on the color.
Bob
Sep 2012Re: Wich Scope?Reply from Robert Meyer in Techniques for Collectors.Hi Maggie,
I wrote an article on the subject for the PNWFM Microprobe. I plan to convert it over on Mindat, but if you would like a copy, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.
Essentially, I recommend using a machine vision lens.
Cheers,
Bob
Sep 2012Re: Wich Scope?Reply from Robert Meyer in Techniques for Collectors.Hi Pedro,
I hate to add more controversy to this forum--since as I read above I see a lot of conflicting and thus not useful information--and I would stay out of it except for I disagree with much of it. I had a nice Unitron scope for years with clean Japanese optics and was quite happy with it. ...
Sep 2012Re: Quality of scopesReply from Robert Meyer in Techniques for Collectors.Hello Reiner,
Easy is relative. You can try one of techniques in this set of articles http://web.ncf.ca/aa456/misc/resolution/
Good luck.
Bob
Feb 2012Re: Are you coming to the Tucson show next year?Reply from Robert Meyer in Mineral Shows.I booked flights and car today. Can't wait for this year's show: Minerals of Arizona!
Bob Meyer
Dec 2011Re: Dr Chris Mavris !!Reply from Robert Meyer in General.Congratulations Dr. Mavris! Best of luck to you!
Bob Meyer
Jun 2017Re: Iris QuartzReply from Robert Meyer to an article.Alfredo & Yuko,
Nice article, and thank you for posting it. Some of the specimens and cut stones depicted are quite dramatic, and it is good that they are in color. I am familiar with iris agate and have a number of excellent examples, and I have observed crack rainbows in quartz, particularly on ...
Nov 2011Re: Rhodocrosite?Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Hi Syd,
The underlying material might be another species. You would have to post a photograph of that. The overlying material that I think is likely druzy quartz is not rose quartz. It gets its color from staining or from the underlying material.
Bob Meyer
Aug 2012Re: HELP WITH ZEOLITE IDENTIFICATIONReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.The crystals in photograph one appear to be aggregates of elongated crystals, and so the cross section of the aggregates is not very diagnostic. They appear recrystallized, possibly pseudos or an overgrowth of one species on another. Photo 1a also does not appear to be primary, and is an aggregate. ...
Oct 2011Re: Unknown from north of Marysvale, UTReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Goethite or psilomelane should be harder than this, but could produce a brownish streak, and both are reported from this area.
Nov 2011Re: Rhodocrosite?Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Hello Syd,
While additional photographs, (less close-up, more in focus) would be of help, in my opinion this is likely finely crystallized (druzy) quartz.
Bob Meyer
Jul 2011⚠654 imagesRe: The Nature ThreadReply from Robert Meyer in General.Nice moth, Maggie. Moths have those feathery antennae. They're pretty cool.
Here are a few from a trip last July to Idaho and Montana:
A Mariposa Lily from the Bayhorse District, Custer Co., Idaho, USA
Photo
A Rocky Mountain Iris, Iris Missouriensis, from the Quartz Hill District, ...
Jul 2011⚠654 imagesRe: The Nature ThreadReply from Robert Meyer in General.Some fungus:
Morels found near the Black Pine Mine, near Philipsburg, Montana, USA
Photo
The rest of the "Harvest."
Photo
Gelatinous fungi on wood in my backyard.
Bob
Jul 2011⚠654 imagesRe: The Nature ThreadReply from Robert Meyer in General.An excellent thread. Most mineral collectors are fascinated by the flora and fauna that we encounter in our travels. Some of us are experts in the identity of the natural things we encounter outside. Many excellent photographs here. I especially like Doug's Trillium and Crab Spider!
This is a ...
Jun 2011Re: Unknown mineral from Sterling HillReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Marko,
This appears to be a mica group mineral. How flexible are the plates and do they spring back to their original shapes?
Are you sure this is from Sterling Hill?
Bob
Nov 2012Re: New minerals approved by IMA CNMNC in November-December 2010Reply from Robert Meyer in Mineralogical Classification.I was just checking on markascherite and rongibbsite. I do not see rongibbsite on Mindat. I had seen it on the IMA list and on the Rruff site. Can we add in rongibbsite?
Bob
Jan 2014Failure using Super Iron Out on AzuritePosted by Robert Meyer in Techniques for Collectors.Hi,
I tried cleaning some residual limonite from a specimen of azurite & malachite from the Lost Lake claim and the azurite turned black after only a few minutes in a concentrated solution.
Any ideas?
Bob
May 2011Re: FergusoniteReply from Robert Meyer in Mineralogical Classification.Hi Rob,
According to Vlasov, et. al., and Povarennykh, fergusonite is isostructural with scheelite. The most recent refinement of the structure of β-Fergusonite-(Y) appears to be on arsenic rich β-Fergusonite-(Y) from Mount Cervandone. The abstract makes no comparisons between structures. ...
May 2011Re: PYRARGYRITE FROM??Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Certainly pyrargyrite, but pinning down a locale will be difficult. The rounded form reminds me of some pyrargyrite I have seen from Colquechaca, but I have not seen matrix like that from there. Have you checked any grains for trace amounts of tin or germanium? Sometimes Argyrodite or Canfieldite ...
Sep 2011Re: Worlds MOST amazing mines.Reply from Robert Meyer in General.The mines of Guanajuato, such as the Valenciana, are certainly worthy of mention. Since the 1550s, silver was extracted in incredibly brutal conditions from the mines there. William Panczner, in the1987 "Minerals of Mexico," estimated that about one sixth of the silver in use at that time had come ...
May 2011Re: Bristol Mine, NV - Conichalcite?Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Hi Peter,
Since this is in a new assemblage--meaning the natrojarosite previously unreported from there, this could also be another species that is not on the list, such as duftite. This stuff looks a bit earthy, and analysis often would show some mixture between conichalcite, duftite, possibly ...
May 2011Grossular from Franklin/Sterling HillPosted by Robert Meyer in Improving Mindat.org.This is for Chet:
Hi Chet,
I was reviewing some photographs and came across a number that were labeled as having Grossular as an associate from Franklin, NJ, USA. Is there some reason it is not on the list of species for Franklin? This reference from Dr. Pete Dunn would suggest that it should ...
May 2011Re: Shooting CannizzariteReply from Robert Meyer in Mineral Photography.Hi Frank,
Thanks for sharing your diffusion technique on this very nice image.
However, I think we fundamentally disagree on the use of Photoshop to correct, not enhance, a digital image. The idea that such corrections are artificial is absolutely true in the sense that all images are ...
May 2011Re: I need your help, please with entering larger photos in my articles.Reply from Robert Meyer in Mineral Photography.Hi Joseph,
This article on help with formatted text should contian the information you are looking for.
Bob
Apr 2011Re: April Friends of Mineralogy NewsletterReply from Robert Meyer in General.Thanks John. Nice newsletter.
Bob
Apr 2011Re: Photo of the Day--MilleriteReply from Robert Meyer in Improving Mindat.org.Thanks Paul, that is fascinating information about the Roebling collection, so many numbers, but many as part of lots, and no catalog. I had never heard that about the Roebling collection. By the way, I checked and the cylindrite I mentioned is R1177 and the kermesite R927. This latter specimen has ...
Apr 2011Re: Photo of the Day--MilleriteReply from Robert Meyer in Improving Mindat.org.Rob,
I have a few ex-Roebling specimens, and always assumed if it was a relatively low number that it would have been an original Roebling specimen. He had about 16,000 specimens! I have a cylindrite and a kermesite that are both quite low numbers, and always took some consolation in the idea ...
Apr 2011Photo of the Day--MilleritePosted by Robert Meyer in Improving Mindat.org.This appears to the the famous Millerite that was in the collection of Frederick A. Canfield. The spray is 4cm across.
A photograph of the specimen is depicted in the Mineralogical Record article on Canfield in the twentieth anniversary issue, Volume 21, page 33. It is one of my favorite ...
Apr 2011Re: Wulfenite w/ Mimetite from Mexico...but where specifically?Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Well, let's look at the resource we have here on Mindat--all of the photographs.
The barite matrix seems right for Rowley, but the wulfenite shows a bit too much in the way of pyramidal faces for what I have typically seen. The mimetite looks OK.
Here's a Rowley piece with similar ...
Apr 2011Re: Wulfenite w/ Mimetite from Mexico...but where specifically?Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Peter,
I am in agreement with John on this. This piece looks more like Rowley material. The mimetite is consistent with that from the Rowley. I also like the form, color, scattered crystals, and light colored matrix. Any barite in the matrix? I had thought this could be from Tiger, but in the ...
Apr 2011Re: Butte Unknown on Enargite TwinsReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Jasun,
This is an odd one. Before I state my opinion, I would emphasize that we are all sharing opinions based on experience, and any unequivocal statement that this is or is not from Butte is taking a leap that I would not make.
I have seen many specimens of enargite from Butte and have not ...
Jul 2013Re: EDX mineral id softwareReply from Robert Meyer in Techniques for Collectors.That is an odd spectrum. Could this be a mixture? How clean, uniform, and consolidated did your polished surface appear in the SEM? Remember also that minerals are natural substances that often vary from the ideal chemistry. Is your sample coated with carbon?
Mar 2011Re: Tsumeb unknownReply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Don
I would say duftite, but I would also caution, and this would be true of any similar appearing unanalyzed specimen of this material, that these often show compositional variance towards conichalcite, or even possibly towards something like gartrellite. I have commonly seen this, but am not ...
Mar 2011Re: New Mexico ChabaziteReply from Robert Meyer in Field Collecting.Hi Ian,
Nice article. Thanks.
If you like chabazite, check out the article in the July 2010 PNWFM newsletter (page 4-5) available from this site: PNWFM Newsletters
There is nice pale salmon colored chabazite at the B-Line deposit. Linda Smith and I collected there and we found some nice ...
Mar 2011Re: Barbertonite/Magnesite/Serpentine from Nevada Creek, Tasmania?Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Vik,
This is often how information is added to Mindat by members. In this case, if you are sure about the locale, and have verified that the material is magnesite by analysis, then I would suggest you add this species to the locale.
Bob Meyer
Feb 2011Re: Bisbee cuprite??Reply from Robert Meyer in Identity Help.Ralph and Dana,
I should have mentioned it was very nice meeting each you in Tucson. It was a great time!
Dana, very well put. I am often wrong about things I am sure I am right about. I hate it when I do that.
Bob
