FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Samuel]

What lovely gangue minerals. I collect a few gangue minerals myself but prefer the sulphides and sulfosalts. I recently acquired a lovely Hematite from my good friend Ralph Sutcliffe and a beautiful Cinnabar from my Chinese friends. One does not earn a lot in retirement even with a PHD in Chemistry, but I have good friends and former students who help me out with minerals on the odd occassion.

I do think you were showing off a bit gail, but then again if "ya got it, then ya flaunt it."

[Samuel]

I just thought I would post some more of my meagre collection. Of particular interest is the Orpiment with dog tooth spar crystals. The crystals are long and gemmy, and as you know it is an arsenic sulphide. Over the years many people have suggest that I should take a good dose of Arsenic, but I think not - lol. included is a Hemimorphite and a beryl with muscovite and cassiterite. the beryl crystal differ from the usual Sichuan style in being somewhat elongated. All were supplied my my Chinese friends.

[Samuel]

More images

[Carles Millan]

Hi Samuel:

Your specimens are very nice, but I'd like you to write sizes and localities too, please. Thanks.

[Samuel]

I do not normally collect calcites but this one was interesting both visually and scientifically. The largest crystal is 5cm and doubly terminated.

[Samuel]

Carles

Thank you very much for your interest. I was a professional scientist in my day. I collect not just because something looks nice, but because it has scientific appeal as well. All the specimens I have posted are small cabinet to cabinet size. The Cinnabar matrix piece is about 18cm long and the Orpiment is about 14 cm. The individual orpiment crystals reach 3.5cm in length but are probably longer being obscured by matrix of calcite. As for localities I will give pictures of the individual mineral labels if you wish.

_______________________________________
Added (but there are several sizes missing yet)
Carles M.

[Samuel]

This is a stibnite from Wuling, China. It is rather interesting scientifically in that it is large, well-formed, with complete terminations and the striations are so clearly visible.

[Samuel]

I do not normally collect Fluorite but this one was offered to me for about $25USD - friend and former student in China, so I bought it to keep him happy. It is from Shangbao and is about 8cm long. It is fluorite on quartz, with what some call phantoms. Nice looking for a gangue mineral

[Samuel]

South Africa is not the only place for Green fluorite. This one comes from Xianghuapu, China. The fluorites are a bright neon green with a curious surface texture. I found the paragenesis interesting. Specimen size 14cm. Again bought to keep a friend happy.

[Samuel]

This was an interesting fluorite, but please believe me when I say my collection is dominated by sulphides and sulfosalts. I am a sucker for specimens that clearly show crystal form and this one is a combination of two. The viewer can guess which two. The crystal is about 3.5cm wide and the matrix is quartz. It is from De'an. A high end collector and vendor in the USA said it is a classic, but I am not a fluorite collector so I cannot say.

[Samuel]

My two main criterions for selection of a mineral are good looks and scientific interest. This Galena from Bulgaria has both in my opinion. The matrix is 10cm long and the largest crystal is about 4cm; big for a Bulgarian galena crystal. It is from the Krushev Dol Mine, Bulgaria.

[Samuel]

Dear Gail:

Thank you very much for understanding my position. Though some might be confused those who speak and write in English should have few problems in deciding who the minerals belong to. As for your kind offer to meet up in Tucson, I politely decline. I do not attend any of the shows, and these days I rarely attend the scientific conferences. In fact I communicate with few collectors. This Forum has been a first for me, for many years. If you wish just drop me an email and I will be in touch. For the most part I am a very private person, though well known to some vendors. I acquire most of my rocks through patience, persistence and good manners. I have made good friends in China, USA and the UK, and they are happy to supply me with great specimens at a discount. Without their help my collection would not be as it is. Though higher education has not made me a rich man, it has opened doors that would have otherwise been closed to me.

Minerals are not my only interest. I still maintain an active interest in Digital and Radio Frequency electronics, which started some 50 years ago. Recently I have been working on a High voltage supply for a Geiger Muller Counter that may also find use in a scintillator counter. As you probably know Geiger counters and Scintillator counters are used to detect radiation. I have passed the design over to a friend in the USA who makes scientific instruments. If you would like to see a photo of what we electronics enthusiast call the “breadboard” I can post that too.

Please keep in touch.

Kind regards

Samuel

[Gail]

I would very much like to keep in touch, will pm you my address for email. I know Ralph Sutcliff and I think you mentioned he was a friend of yours?

[Samuel]

Hi Gail:

I know Ralph well though I have yet to meet face to face. He is an Internet buddy and has supplied me with some great Kidney Ores over the last two years. We communicate by email though not always about minerals.

[Samuel]

Hi Gail:

I am showing off a bit, too, but what I am really trying to get across is that you do not have to be wealthy to build a fine collection. I am a retired Chemist who lives on a meagre income, but through persistence I have managed to acquire minerals that some might feel are beyond their finances. The Beryl/cassiterite piece shown above was valued by a fiend and vendor in the USA at between $1500 to 2000USD, but what I paid for it was considerably less. The Cinnabar is better in my opinion than one offered by a high-end mineral vendor in the USA for $10,500. I can assure you I did not even pay 1/10th of this for mine. Attached is a Calcite I received for free. The Chinese friend/vendor was having difficulty identifying a sulphide. He sent me a small sample and I had it analyzed for him. He gave me the Calcite as a sign of gratitude.

[Samuel]

We always associate Pyrite cubes with Spain, but this one comes from China - Shangbao. I suspect the matrix is a mix of quartz and dolomite. It has an interesting corner modification but not on all corners. The main pyrite crystal is about 2.5cm wide. Also note these and the other photographs were not taken by me, but are what the vendor supplied. I have bought a digital camera and made a light tent. I will be creating (hopefully) a better looking set of prints in the weeks to come.

[Gail]

Lovely minerals and am rather impressed with your photography!
I agree, you don't need to be wealthy to collect a great group of minerals, many of my favourites are actually inexpensive. We are at 4200 minerals, believe me when I say many are just simple pieces that delight us.
We are going for locality pieces now, to make suites of minerals.
I am enjoying your minerals, what fun!

[Samuel]

I am a real “push-over” for sulphides and when this one was offered I could not resist. It is Sphalerite, variety Cleiophane from the Gradishte Mine, Bulgaria and was part of the Late Gary Grenier collection. The specimen is about 10cm long and the main crystal is just over 4cm. When back lit it looks like yellow-green glass. I have been told it is large for a Cleiophane.

[Samuel]

Hi Gail:

You have a lot of minerals – oodles of minerals in fact. I have a small collection of about 250. When I get more than one of the same kind, I give it away. I try to help others build their collections too, and I just do not have the room. I keep a well stocked technical library and my “electronics lab” also takes up a lot of space, so I have to be very selective with the minerals I acquire.

This is a Fluorite with Pyrite combo from the De’an Mine, China. It is basically eye candy, although the paragenesis is interesting. When displayed with good lighting you can see it from 20 feet away.

PS the photos are those the vendors supplied. I will be creating a set of original prints soon.

[Samuel]

Attached is a specimen of Jamesonite that was thought to be Zinkenite. It hails from the San Jose Mine in Bolivia. Regrettably many assume that these are all Zinkenite. I had it analyzed and passed the results onto my good friend in the USA who sold it to me. For those who might not know the Jamesonite – Zinkenite controversy started with me. When I submitted it to the Museum I was hoping it was Benavidesite, but no such luck!