FMF - Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jordi Fabre]

[Gail]

Gentlemen! I am ecstatic!
We are off to a party, but just ran over to take a few quick photos of some of my displayed pieces. What a treat to show the beauty of this incredible mineral.

[Gail]

And more..

[Gail]

...

[Carles Millan]

And here some more...

Full descriptions available at http://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=6450#6450 and http://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=6310#6310 (these links may not work fine with some versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer due to an unsolved bug).

[Peter Megaw]

Here are a few Mexican hemis from my collection.

[strahler]

Peter,

When is the Mexico Min Rec with Santa Eulalia coming out, I heard you were leading the article?

Ryan Bowling

[strahler]

Here is my contribution.

I too like the clear and opaque crystal combinations.

Best Regards,

Ryan

[Peter Megaw]

Did Wendell put you up to this...? This is a long-term work in progress, that I'd like to think I can finish this year...big subject to do justice to though

[strahler]

Peter,

No Wendell is not behind this one, just my interest on the topic. It is one district that I have always wanted to learn more about.

Take Care,

Ryan

[Peter Megaw]

Ryan, I was kiddling, Wendell bugs me about this every time I see him. Funny, learning more about Santa Eulalia is still high on my list too...I think half the system remains to be found

[Montanpark]

Hi all,
Peter, what great hemis from Sta. Eulalia!! My contribution looks very humble in comparison but it is one of my favourite specimens and i have it since around 20 years.

Santa Eulalia, Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua. Size approx 15 x 15 cm.

cheers
Roger

[Peter Megaw]

Hey, I love the SE material that is coming out of the woodwork! But I'm not surprised, during the 80s the Oxide Zinc orebody effectively kept the Potosi Mine alive...mining 400 tpw for shipment to a fume smelter in Monterrey. They mined by hand and the orebody was essentially one flat-lying pocket above another, separated by high grade Zn-Fe-Mn ore. Many of the pockets had calcite linings, but almost as many had hemi linings. Miguel Romero got the biggest crystal I ever saw from there...it was 25 cm long...and ugly because it was heavily included with Mn-gunk.

Similar bodies, that have never been touched exist throughout the upper parts of the West Camp (Buena Tierra and Potosi Mines) and the San Antonio Mine in the East Camp. I have been in caverns 50m wide, 100m tall and 400m long that were completely lined with a crust of hemimorphite 15 cm thick! (again, most was ugly). And let's not forget the zone where you get the white rhobohedral calcites overgrowing hemi...very similar material from both Santa Eulalia and Ojuela. Much is mistakenly sold as "chabazite" thanks to some long-ago mineral dealer who insisted that's what it was...and the error sticks.

I'll load some more shots of hemis from the 4th Level of the San Antonio mine...and elsewhere if I have them

For those who read German...or like cool old crystal drawings...the following is a classic study on Santa Eulalia hemi

Seebach, M. and Paul, F.P., 1912, Uber Kieselzinkerz von Santa Eulalia bei Chihuahua, Mexico; ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Krystallformen dieses Mineral: Zeitschrift fur Krystallographie und Mineralogie, bd. 51,h. 2, p. 148-206, 3 pls.

[Peter Megaw]

Here's a small hemi from Ojuela in my collection

[Tobias Martin]

Peter, you must be very proud of your hemimorphites, they are absolutely superb! Please keep posting pictures of each single specimen, it is a pleasure to see this wonderful minerals.

Cheers!

[Peter Megaw]

Thank you for your kind words Tobias, i am pleased to have been fortunate enough to acquire these over the years...and what a great way to share them!

It's dusty here in Tucson, so am facing the daunting biannual job of removing all the specimens from their cases, dusting them off (compressed air works well) and reorganizing, redoing the display and retiring some things to drawers. This may be accompanied by some photo shooting, so perhaps there will be more to share soon.

[bugrock]

Peter,

A jaw dropping group of specimens!