FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[David Hospital]

A few days ago, I visited Fabre Minerals shop in Barcelona in order to see the last novelties and the usual specimens like those of the Ex-Folch collection and others. Any visit to a mineral shop is always gratifying but when you go to Fabre Minerals is still much better due to the high quality of the showed minerals and also the large diversity of species. It was surprising to me to realize that no mineral was exposed in a showcase. Instead, all are inside cardboard boxes. Then, each box could be a surprise when you open it. It’s even no possible to guess the samples size because big specimens are together with small ones and, the very high quality minerals are mixed with, to say it in some way, the “most normal ones”. I was opening and selecting samples for my collection for two hours in a relaxing atmosphere surrounded with classical and jazz music and good friends. Some selected samples include a small but very nice Legrandite from the Flor de Peña Mine, Lampazos, Nuevo León, México and a Cuprite from Tsumeb (from the Folch collection).

Eventhough I didn’t buy them I would like to emphasize some specimens of Cerussite "Jackstraw" from the Pentire Glaze Mine in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Its quality is higher than I have seen before from other localities from Ireland or USA. The specimen we show in the picture was formed by groups of very snowy white acicular crystals on matrix. Its price is close to 1200EUR but the specimen worth this value, as Jordi told us it is impossible to sell and send them by courier or post because of its fragility. You must to go here!

So, I spent there a very nice time and I am planning to visit them again when more new material will be available. This shop in Barcelona (by appointment only!) would drive crazy any mineral collector, due to the very high density of high-quality minerals by square meter!