FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Lumaes]

Featured below is my large Stibnite that came in the mail a week or so ago. It is in fact a tight cluster of three stibnite crystals and the striations and terminations are beautiful in my opinion. I have included a few close-ups. It hails from the Wuning mine, near Qingjian village, Mt. Tuobei, Wuning County, Jiangxi, China. 14.5 x 3.5 x 3.0

[Lumaes]

As many of you know I also collect the elements of the Periodic Table. Two elements I have in great abundance are Silicon and Silver. At last count I had about 2kg of Silicon and just over 6 kilograms of Silver. Shown below is a portion of my stash. I posted them as black and white photos because the reflections were making it hard to see any detail.

I would like some elemental uranium but you are not allowed to keep it. Curiously they use it as ballast in Commercial Aircraft and Boats, on the tips of Helicopter rotors, in elevator systems and as armor piercing bullets. If you have ever sat at the back of a Commercial Aircraft you have probably been close to about 750kg of Depleted Uranium. It is something they don’t talk about very much. Somewhat like the increased exposure to Cosmic Rays that occurs at 30,000ft, and like Uranium ballast not talked about too much either. See radiation is supposed to be dangerous at any level of exposure. That is the myth they would like you to believe.

I also have some Rhodium and I was very much impressed with Wilbur’s’ Gold glasses, so much so that if I ever come to Tucson I will have the frames of my glasses made out of solid Rhodium.

[Lumaes]

For those who collect radioactive minerals you might find the following information useful. It is taken from a book by Dr. Colin Keay, called Nuclear Radiation Exposed - A Guide to Better Understanding.

“The human body is composed of chemical elements in a myriad of cell-forming combinations that go to build up our flesh, bone and organs. We ingest radioactive elements in water and food. Here are the amounts typical for a 70 kg adult having a total radioactive burden of around 20,000 Bq:

RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS IN AN ADULT HUMAN BODY

Element Amount in the body Resulting level of radioactivity
Potassium 17 mg 4,400 Bq
Carbon-14 95 μg 15,000 Bq
Uranium 90 μg 1.1 Bq
Thorium 30 μg 0.11 Bq
Radium 31 pg 1.1 Bq
Polonium 0.2 pg 37 Bq
Tritium 0.06 pg 23 Bq

Note: One pg is one billionth of a μg. One μg is one millionth of a gram.”

1Bq ~ the activity of a quantity of radioactive material in which one nucleus decays per second.

What is interesting about this is it clearly demonstrates that we are all naturally radioactive. It is in our food and within us. It is difficult to measure because the body absorbs most of the alpha particles and beta rays, but some betas and the gammas do get out and it is possible to measure our radioactivity with the right equipment. We are told that no level of radioactivity is safe, yet we are not riddled with radiation induced cancers – neither were the dinosaurs before us and the reptiles before them. So who do we believe???

[Lumaes]

This is the table. Units also in ounces to help those not metricated yet.

[Lumaes]

Some of you might like to know this. It is a little gem I saw on a University Website, and I presume they are talking about Adelaide, Australia. You have seen all those street signs that say “Nuclear Free Zone” well what BS! It has been estimated based on the elemental abundance of Uranium that if you were to take out a square mile of soil to a depth of 1 foot you would have nearly 4 tons of Uranium metal. But the thing that will really “fry your brain” is the element Thorium is much more abundant than Uranium. So what would be the grand total of Uranium and Thorium combined? It suggests that if you found the right method of separating these elements from all the others in the soil, a “cow” paddock could become a profitable Uranium mine.

[Lumaes]

I have received much positive feedback regarding the Fluorite on Quartz posted a few weeks ago that I decided to include a few more shots. The Quartz crystals are very gemmy but not too long (1-2 cm). The Fluorites are flawless, beautiful neon green with amazing surface textures. The photos do depict the actual colour of the fluorites. The Fluorites are about 2cm on edge for the largest. They are somewhat clear on the outside with distinct phantoms on the inside. For pure “eye-candy” it scores 10 out of 10 in my opinion. It hails from the Xianghuapu Mine, Xianghualing Polymetallic Field, Linwu County, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China. 15 x 10 x 8 cm.

[Lumaes]

I received notification about a week ago regarding the identification of the “Hydrozincite.” I did not post it as I thought it was only fair to give my Chinese friends the information first. You will be glad to know it is not aragonite, but neither is it Hydrozincite. It turns out to be Calcite, but I am still happy. It looks like coral with an amazing silky luster and so represents another “funky” form of calcite. Be warned though this result is only valid for the mineral I submitted.

[Lumaes]

I have received much positive feedback regarding another Fluorite on Quartz posted a few weeks ago that I decided to include another shot. The Fluorite is flawless, beautiful purple with amazing surface textures. For pure “eye-candy” this also scores 10 out of 10 in my opinion. It hails from the De'an Mine, De'an County, Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, China. 8 x 7 x 4 cm.

[Lumaes]

Featured below is my combo piece consisting of Beryl, Cassiterite and Muscovite. This was posted earlier, but I thought that I would update with a few of the proverbial “Kodak moments.” The luster on the Beryls and Cassiterites is just fantastic in my opinion – glass like in fact. The Beryls are very gemmy and they have a beautiful morphology. It hails from Mt Xuebaoding, Pingwu County, Mianyang Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. 9 x 8 x 6 cm.

[Lumaes]

I am very partial towards hematite and I had longed for one of those hematite after magnetite pseudomorph or just hematite. Featured below is the first one I acquired and from the moment I first saw it I knew I wanted a larger version, which I acquired only a few weeks ago. They have the most amazing shapes, luster and surface texture, and in my opinion are both technically interesting and great “eye-candy.” This one also hails from the Payún Matru Volcano, Reserva Provincial La Payunia, Malargüe Department, Mendoza Province, Argentina. 7 x 4 x 4 cm.

[Lumaes]

Shown below are a few photos of my very first Chinese Orpiment. Unlike the other one I have posted this is a tight cluster of orpiment crystals, the longest being about 2.5 cm. The crystals are in great condition for a soft mineral, and as can be seen in the close-ups the terminations are perfect. It hails from Shimen Mine, Shimen County, Changde Prefecture, Hunan Province, China. 10 x 7 x 5 cm.

[Lumaes]

I thought it appropriate to post a few happy shots of another of my solitary stibnite crystals. Like the other this one is well terminated and heavily striated. The luster is like a silver mirror. It hails from Wuning mine, near Qingjian village, Mt. Tuobei, Wuning County, Jiangxi, China. 28 x 1.5 x 1 cm.

[Lumaes]

Featured below is another of my “ore” samples. This one is a native copper from Michigan. There are no distinct crystals that I can see, but it has a lovely luster and a nice hackly surface texture. It hails from the Caledonia Mine, Mass City, Ontonagon County, Michigan, U.S.A. 12 x 7 x 6 cm.

[Lumaes]

I do not have a large selection of Mexican minerals, only one in fact Boulangerite. I am planning to get some Mexican Wulfenite, Mimetite, Malachite and Azurite in the coming months. But for now I would like to present a lovely specimen of Boulangerite on Matrix. The specimen is covered in a thick mat of fine grey hairs and I mean thick. The matrix is quartz I surmise and the other mineral present is Pyrite. It hails from Mina Noche Buena. Noche Buena, Municipio de Mazapil, Zacatecas, Mexico. 12 x 10 x 8 cm.

[Lumaes]

Featured below is a Peruvian Hedge-hog, the typical needle quartz crystals with attendant sulphides – in this instance Sphalerite. However on closer inspection there is another mineral present – chalcopyrite, but coated with a grey mineral. I surmise the coating is Tetrahedrite, but not yet proven. Once I know what minerals are present I am going to work on a chemical method to remove the coating and exposure the Chalcopyrite crystal. A specimen featuring Chalcopyrite with Sphalerite on needle quartz would be real “eye-candy” in my opinion. It hails from the Animon Mine, San Jose Huayallay District, Daniel Alcides Carrion Province, Pasco Department, Peru. 10 x 8 x 6 cm.

[Lumaes]

As most of you probably know I have a keen interest in the history of technology. Featured below is a book I was given by the Bradbury Science Museum at the Los Alamos National laboratory only recently. It is a fascinating historical account of the making of the first atomic bombs, and published by the US Department of Energy.

I discovered the other day that a very large shipment of pitchblende from the Congo was stored on Staten Island and later used in the production of U235 for the first atom bomb. The site still exists but few public officials talk about it.

What I find very fascinating in the book are the pictures of the men, women and children. People were so much slimmer back then, and it was not due to war rationing. I have seen similar photos from the 30’s. I am afraid our hectic lives, lack of exercise and love of fatty food is going to kill us – literally!

[Lumaes]

Featured below is my Shilu Mine Azurite. I posted a picture a few weeks ago but I felt it did not do the piece justice, so I have taken a few “Kodak moments” with my new camera. I have included a few close-up shots which show just how impressive the piece is in my opinion. It has the most amazing luster and morphology and the colour is just great. It hails from the Shilu Mine, Yangchun County, Yangjiang, Prefecture, Guangdong Province, China. 6 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm.

If anyone is interested in making their own professional stands please let me know. I have got the acrylic sheets, wood, Dremel router bits and the special acrylic glue called “Acrifix 192” so when I have got the technique right I will post the procedure in another thread.

[Lumaes]

Sometimes when I open my packages from China I find a little surprise. Featured below are some of the surprises I have been given. The octahedral fluorites are your typical cleavage pieces but still nice. The sphere is just cute in my opinion and the Scheelite is natural, not a cleavage piece. I keep them on my desk – they have good karma! The sphere is about 5cm diameter, which gives an idea of the sizes of the other pieces.

[Lumaes]

Featured below is one of my Peruvian Bournonites – ex Jack Crowley. The matrix is massive Bournonite on which a nice cluster of Bournonites have grown. There are also some quartz crystals. I suspect it comes from the Riqueza Mine, but this is not definite, but will remain on the label until I know its actual locality. Many of the Bournonites have the classic “cog wheel” morphology. It hails from the Riqueza Mine, Pachapaqui District, Bolognesi Province, Ancash Department, Peru. 9 x 6 x 6 cm.

[Lumaes]

I felt it appropriate to post some more photos of the Calcite specimen I showed a few weeks ago. It has the most amazing form and the luster is just great – silky. The piece looks like a white cloud or coral and so has much “eye-candy” appeal. It hails from the Wenshan Mine, Dulong Ore Field, Wenshan County, Wenshan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. 18 x 15 x 10 cm.