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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 261
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Jul 16, 2017 17:34 Post subject: Mineral Museums (small) in Franklin, North Carolina, USA |
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I was recently in Franklin, North Carolina, USA and visited 2 small mineral museums:
- Franklin Gem & Mineral Museum (GMM)
- Ruby City Gems
Both of these are free, but take donations from the willing and interested. They have some nice mineral specimens. Location details were unfortunately not labelled for some of the specimens.
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Sign at Franklin Gem & Mineral Museum. This is in the old city jail. |
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Mineral: | Beryl var. aquamarine |
Locality: | Minas Gerais, Brazil | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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Mineral: | Rutile |
Locality: | Graves Mountain, Lincoln County, Georgia, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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Mineral: | Pyrite |
Locality: | Ducktown, Ducktown District, Polk County, Tennessee, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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28293 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Calcite, Fluorite |
Locality: | Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long. |
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Mineral: | Hornblende |
Locality: | Bancroft area, Bancroft district, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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Mineral: | Calcite |
Locality: | Tri-State District, Jasper County, Missouri, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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Mineral: | Calcite |
Locality: | Tri-State District, Jasper County, Missouri, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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28158 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Covellite |
Locality: | Butte, Butte District, Silver Bow County, Montana, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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28179 Time(s) |
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 261
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Jul 16, 2017 17:41 Post subject: Re: Mineral Museums (small) in Franklin, North Carolina, USA |
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Some additional Ruby City Gems mineral specimens.
Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Livingston County, Kentucky, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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28184 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Galena, Chalcopyrite, Dolomite |
Locality: | Tri-State District, Jasper County, Missouri, USA | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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Mineral: | Wulfenite |
Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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Mineral: | Wulfenite |
Locality: | Los Lamentos Mountain Range, Municipio Ahumada, Chihuahua, Mexico | |
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Dimensions: | label approximately 75 mm long |
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28140 Time(s) |
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Don Lum
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Posts: 2869
Location: Arkansas
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Posted: Jul 16, 2017 22:51 Post subject: Re: Mineral Museums (small) in Franklin, North Carolina, USA |
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Hello Robert,
I am enjoying your pictures of downtown Franklin. My wife and I have been to both of these museums, although it has been a while. There was one place that had the largest rhodochrosite specimens that I have ever seen.
I bought my first Amazonite specimen at the old jail picked out of a bucket on the floor.
Regards,
Don
_________________ hogwild |
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 261
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Jul 17, 2017 07:16 Post subject: Re: Mineral Museums (small) in Franklin, North Carolina, USA |
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Don
I had not been to Franklin for 15/20 years. It was good to see both of these museums still going. Neither of the museums/associated shops had anything of interest (for me).
Many of the rock shops along the highway have evolved though - much nicer buildings and presentation - but less of a variety of specimens. Sluicing for gems remained the same.
Bob
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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4112
Location: Germany
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Posted: Jul 17, 2017 12:43 Post subject: Re: Mineral Museums (small) in Franklin, North Carolina, USA |
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Robert Seitz wrote: | Wulfenite
Locality: Los Lamentos Mountain Range, Municipio Ahumada, Chihuahua, Mexico
Dimensions: label approximately 75 mm long | So this must be 50 cm matrix specimen of Los Lamentos wulfenite. Not bad, really not bad :-)
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Peter Lemkin
Joined: 18 Nov 2016
Posts: 398
Location: Prague
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Posted: Jul 17, 2017 13:49 Post subject: Re: Mineral Museums (small) in Franklin, North Carolina, USA |
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Certainly a unique way to protect a mineral collection - in an old jail! A few specimens looked interesting. What is the basis of this collection, as it seems not to be about local minerals?
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 261
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Jul 17, 2017 15:57 Post subject: Re: Mineral Museums (small) in Franklin, North Carolina, USA |
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Here is blurb from the mineral museum in jail:
"The Franklin Gem and Mineral Society started in 1971. The rockhounds of the area had a close kinship from many hours spent digging for gems in the mountains. It was no wonder that informal get-togethers turned into monthly meetings. In fact, by 1972 there were almost 175 people on the roles of the club. In 1972 they also opened the museum. This museum was a growing collection of the lapidary dreams of the rockhounds of Macon County. With the move into the jailhouse, they were able to expand the collection and improve on the exhibits. The club stills hosts this free museum and it is one of the highlights of any visit to downtown Franklin, NC."
The other museum is back rooms of a rock shop.
There has been considerable mining in Western North Carolina, but many targets were gems and industrial minerals. I have spodumene, kyanite, uraninite, garnet, mica, talc, emerald. Museum has those and more. Apparently collecting carries us far afield.
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