FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Mark Ost]

Here is photo of a recent acquisition in the case that I am constructing for it. The case is top and bottom lit with three light levels that can be selected. The picture was taken in the shop with available lighting as the tint shows.

[Mark Ost]

This give you some idea of the grain in the birds eye maple I used for the quartz cabinet, Much better in real life.

[Mark Ost]

Detail micro photograph of an interesting Aegirine and Astrophyllite inclusion in quartz. Orginal image in bitmap. 5 megapixel Steindorf CCD camera mounted on Steindorf binocular boom microscope.

[Mark Ost]

Baryte and Marcasite on a base of buninga wood with flush formed cherry legs. The shot was taken in long wave ultraviolet light, 40 watts.

[keldjarn]

Hello Mark,

Interesting photos. How do you know the dark inclusions with astrophyllite in quartz from Zagi Mnts. are schorl and not aegirine ?

Knut

[Jordi Fabre]

[keldjarn]

Jordi,

the Zagi Mnt. occurences are in an alkaline environment. Schorl is not listed from the locality in Mindat and as a member of the Management group I like to contribute to update the mineral lists. Therefore I was interested in the identity. In alkaline localities Aegirine is an endemic mineral and a much more common mineral than Schorl which is more typically found in ordinary granites and granite pegmatites. From the picture I would guess the inclusions are Aegirine.

Knut

[Jordi Fabre]

OK Knut, thanks.

Mark, do you want I change "Schorl" to "Aegirine" in your captions?

[Mark Ost]

Hi Jordi
Don't know if you got my reply. But let us change the identification.

[Jordi Fabre]

[Tracy]

You might want to check for Schorl throughout the text, it appears at least once in the postings I just looked at (even though the photo description says aegirine; see March 19 19:03 post).

- Tracy

[Jordi Fabre]

[Mark Ost]

Hi Knut

Thanks for the help. I was not previously aware of this type of pyroxene. It seems to occur with astrophyllite associated so your identification is quite likely. The description sure matches the inclusion in the quartz. Excellent eyes. Thanks again.

[Mark Ost]

Here is a picture of fluorapatite nested with aquamarine on a matrix of muscovite. The fluorapatite is fluorescent in all three wave lengths. Best in SW. Fluorescent light is polarized. Yellow/orange fluorescence.

[Mark Ost]

Baryte and Cerussite crystals. Morocco. Cerussite fluorescent in MW Yellow/ Green

[keldjarn]

Hello Mark,

Nice pictures and specimen. The first picture shows pink Fluorapatite with aquamarine. These pink fluorapatites are extremely light sensitive and can loose the colour completely if exposed to sunlight - even indirectly over a few months. They should be kept protected from daylight and strong artificial light.

Knut

[Mark Ost]

Hi Knut
I keep this one in the dark fluorescent cabinet out of the sun and generally the room has no direct light (which is pretty low) into the cabinet. The cabinet has a glass safety shield in order to protect viewers from the 40 watt SW lamp. I appreciate the advise you give. Your call on the quartz inclusions was spot on. I looked at the terminations under the microscope and lengthwise along the C axis and am sure you are right. I had not heard of that mineral but looked it up in my Deer, Howie, Zussman reference book and there it was. I never would have known. Must be quartz syanites in those mountains for rocks?

I guess the cabinet has protected this sample so far as it has been in there for around 8 months with no change that I can see. The inside is black so reflected light should be pretty low. I have a kunzite I also protect against sunlight and only light it to display it to friends. Thanks for all the help. Have a great week end.

[Mark Ost]

Just received this Andradite Demantoid and was working it under the microscope. I wish the camera could capture what the eye can see. The human eye can handle such contrast and range of light that just burns a CCD. Depth of field, exposure, light angle and reflections all are complications when shooting something very small.

[Mark Ost]

Another shot of the Andradite crystal faces

[Mark Ost]

Anglesite in oxidized Galena vug.