FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jordi Fabre]

...and some people
2014 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 01/30/2014

Slowly, the Show is starting and the first queues are forming. This one front the room of our beloved Jesse Fisher.

2014 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Pierre Joubert]

Fantastic Jordi! I wish we were there:-( Thanks for the journey.

[crocoite]

I will be there in a few days time. And to celebrate the opening of Jesse's room...

[Pete Modreski]

Well! I guess I have never been there early enough, to be at the Inn Suites for the "opening" of people's rooms, to see a queue lined up waiting to get in!
Enjoy (and sell lots of specimens, Jordi!),
Pete

[John S. White]

What is that strange growth attached to Rocco's chin?

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 01/31/2014

Here you have some different FMFers and as a guest star the legendary Charlie Key!

2014 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Jordi Fabre]

A recurring image of Tucson: the spooky trains that day and night cross the city surrounded by noise and fury

2014 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Matt_Zukowski]

I got in yesterday but was not able to sleep on the plane, so I felt wiped yesterday and I didn't get up until late today. I did see two displays that caught my eye as shown below. I apologize for forgetting my ruler for scale, but i did take some whole-case pictures so you may be able to get a sense of scale.

First up are apophyllite and heulandite included by celandonite from somewhere in the Decan Traps. I don't know what the brown stuff is but aesthetically it didn't bug me. I don't think these are any sort of novelty although the dealer did say they were from a new find. I just liked the form of the things.

Next are two styles of calcite from Ruchen, Chenzhou, Hunan. I am told that the diskoid xtals are from the same area that produced the poker chip calcites, the ones with "sandwich" zoning (opaque on the outside, clear in the center). These do look different to me, clear all the way through for the most part. Anyways, they had a nice form to my eye.

[Jesse Fisher]

Can't say that I've ever experienced anything quite like it,myself, but here are a few photos of what happened when we open the door of the UKMV sales room at 5 pm on Thursday. I think we finally got the doors closed around 8 pm.

[Joseph DOliveira]

Thank you for the photographic posts, unfortunately it will be the 9th of February before I touch down in Tucson. I am enjoying the pre-visit primer provided here, it takes my mind away from the current cold snowy weather here in the north.
Cheers
Joseph

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 2014/02/01

More FMFers, today Alfredo Petrov. Also a nice sunset in Tucson after raining.

2014 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Matt_Zukowski]

A different dealer who also had the apophyllite and heulandite included by celandonite that I referred to earlier told me that the locality for these is Kannadi in Aurangabad. Looking at mindat, I'll bet the locality is Kannad, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra, India.

The only photos I have for today are:

1) a couple of pieces at Daniel Trinchillo's house that caught my eye including a Minerva fluorite with excellent luster and a nice cluster of Navajun pyrite. (The pyrite is marked as Huanzala, but I'll bet that that is a mistake. Looks like Navajun to me.)

2) A cool Tsumeb cerussite in Riva's room. Riva had a bunch of small pieces of excellent quality IMHO.

[crocoite]

I dream of rain or snow! Over 40 degrees C again here...

Looking forward to some cooler weather.

[Jean Sendero]

Here we are, Tucson 2014, with an up-date on what I have seen at the shows in regards to Mexican minerals that may be new or not so new. What I have seen up to now, not a lot of really new material but some nice specimens. A lot of old collection specimens are out there combined with what I would call some old friends (seen last year or before and again this year at pretty high prices, hint to the dealers, if it did not sell, may be the price is too high……Collectors are not stupid) But also some very interesting newer finds and new specimens from mines that are being re-activated.

For the new material, or new localities, I can repeat what I posted early on the “what’s new from Mexico” are the amethyst from XTAL – Dennis Beals at the Tucson City Hotel. Look at the pics below that I had the opportunity to take when Dennis was setting up on Thursday and Friday. These are labeled as “undisclosed” in Guerrero while a few other rare dealers that have similar material labeled as being from Morelos the adjoining state. Based on my geological knowledge of the region, I have to say that my gut feel is telling me Guerrero is correct over Morelos. XTAL has an abundance of very good pieces from miniature to truly museum size. These amethysts show, in some specimens, a strong phantom of deep purple color. The crystal can reach some good size where we can visually estimate something in the 5 to 7 cm at the most. Really worth the visit.

I should add as well that Dennis has some interesting garnets. Yes again, garnets but this time not pink or red but he had approximately 10 specimens of highly lustrous orange ones from Cerro Moka in Sierra Las Cruces.

Other material, not new but from recent diggings, include the azurite from Milpillas. Really, too many dealers have these to start listing them all. All I can say is do not be too impatient and take the time to shop around. BUT, make sure you take the time to bargain a little. An abundance of this material is available. Be picky, look for the best. By the way, the Valenzuela in the parking lot at the TCH, which in the past years had the best material and main supplier of the Milpillas material, seem to have changed their business focus to other Milpillas material. Lastima.

Also, in the same category of re-activated mines, beautiful rhodocrosite from El Potosi 10th level have re-emerged has earlier mentioned in a post by Don Pedro. I have seen a small selection of these at Motel 6 in Jesus Salinas room and Crystals from Heaven. Recent mining activities were very successful at bringing to surface some nice specimens. However, someone mentioned that recently labor relation between miners and management had come to a halt with the mine closing, again. Let´s be mindful that industrial disputes in Mexico have a tendency to last for some time (i.e. Taxco since 2006, San Martin since 2007 and others).

By far, the larger and best selection was at the Days Inn at Crystal From Heaven room. Alonso and Cristina have a wide selection for everyone in every price range. A few 10’s of dollars to multiple thousands of dollars. The best rhodo they have are super gemmy deep red crystals reminiscent of the South African material. Just smoking pieces which not all are on display. They also had a few of the scorodite mentioned in the latest Min Rec issue. Great specimens however, speaking with other collectors, there still seems to be a polemic on the provenance, Ojuela or China. Regardless, the specimens in Alfonso and Cristina room are spectacular and deserve some attention. Some interesting adamite have recently emerged, again, from Mapimi. Although far behind in quality from the older 70’s material, these form nice rounded aggregates with an amazing luster and a darker green brown color. These are, I am told, highly fluorescent, with an internal zoning comprised of a layer of Mn adaminte (see pic below). Not spectacular in my book but very interesting from a mineralogical point of view. This material is available with Alfonso but I know that it will also be available with other dealers at the main show.

More a little later.