FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[nimfiara]

Hi all minernautes:
I have a curiosity. Is there any mineral in the USA which is especially abundant and easy to get?

For example, in Spain are very common aragonite Basin area and is one of the minerals that they first get people starting a collection. They are very abundant, easy to remove and if you want to buy, are cheap

Would a similar example in the USA?

Thanks to all in advance

[Ed Huskinson]

You bet Nim. One of the most popular places to collect is from the salt beds near Jet, Oklahoma. There they dig out single crystals and occasional intergrown masses of gypsum crystals. The single crystals are intruguing because, as they grow, they incorporate a little brownish sand or very fine clay into the growing crystal. The result is a doubly terminated crystal that, when held up to the light, displays an hourglass shape inside. The crystals are common, and form in a variety of shapes, intergrown and whatnot. They come in many sizes, and are quite common, plentiful, and are easy to collect, other than the fact that one has to go so Oklahoma to do so. I'll post one or two photos later.

I'm confident that my fellow forum fanatics will think of and pass along their suggestions as well.

Thanks,

Ed

[nimfiara]

Thanks!

I'm thinking of taking a map of america and place on it photos of the minerals most representative of each area (perhaps from each state), so I can make a clearer idea, because it is an area much larger than Spain, and I am able to wander through the streets of my hometown, so imagine all USA!

If you are interested could do something similar with Spain and upload the image to the forum, so share knowledge

PS: would be nice to record the image on a T - shirt once it is finished, so when you go to an event mineralogical n_n

[Ed Huskinson]

T-shirts... GOOD IDEA!!!! I'm in for an XXL. That way the photos will look like they are enlargements. Just joking, but I like your idea.

Keep them coming.

Ed

[vic rzonca]

Right Ed. Nim, another location that started a lot of budding collectors is the New York,USA location where double terminated quartz crystals, commonly known as "Herkimer Diamonds" are found. The area is quite large and the crystals can be found glistering in the dirt after a heavy rain, by far the easiest way to collect them. They have eroded out of the dolostone where they occur in cavities sometimes a meter across, though rarely. The one pictured was hard rock mined, found in Fonda, NY, USA.. The sizes encountered range from microscopic to 15 cm. or larger.

[Ed Huskinson]

Glistering!! Good on ya Vic!!! you've been reading Andrew's posts. I'm embarrassed, I recommend gypsum crystals while you recommend diamonds...

What a contrast, eh? I look forward to seeing what/where other members suggest.

Thanks,

Ed

[VRigatti]

Check out Jordi's postings on "A mineralogical trip through the United States" on the forum -> https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewforum.php?f=25
There are many locations with excellent details and photos, and all listed by State

[vic rzonca]

Indeed, VR, a great thread and resource, I think at the locations Nim spoke to, it's almost impossible not to find some kind of neat stuff, and without austinite.

[rweaver]

[nimfiara]

Fantastic!
Thank you very much for the links, this afternoon (if I have free time) I will read.

Herkimer quartz is a beauty. Here in Spain I know some similar, in the Berbes Mine, but are much smaller and have within inclusions of organic matter, fluorescent under UV light.
They are very beautiful, but yours are size XXL (like t-shirts lol)

[nimfiara]

[Jordi Fabre]