FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Samuel]

I just thought I would post another photo of the large Cinnabar. I was not happy with the other photo so I wanted to highlight some additional features of the piece. It hails from the Yunchangping Mine, Wanshan District, Tongren Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China. It is 19 x 10 x 8 cm and the largest Cinnabar is a tad under 3cm. About 1/3 of it is covered with dolomite rhombs. What attracted to this piece was the colour of the Cinnabar crystals – bright red and translucent even without backlighting. They look like red rubies. There are about 8 Cinnabars in total, and the smallest is about 0.5 cm. The matrix maybe a volcanic rock, perhaps basalt, and the associated minerals are dolomite and calcite.

[Sammy]

I thought it would be appropriate to post another of my treasures, and in some respects I feel like a “gypsy” displaying her treasures to the world - smiling. This is a nice Ferberite from China and the luster is just incredible. You can see your reflection in the crystal faces. The surface is sprinkled with small balls of mica (?). It hails from Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang County, Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China. It is 7 x 6 x 2 cm.

[Sammy]

This is another piece from Hengyang. I have a few of these Pyrite nodules and so far no two are alike. I have one that looks like a “sunflower” and I will post pictures of that later, but this one is fascinating. It is a ball of Pyrite out of which has grown sharp cubic and stepped pyrite crystals. It really does look like a “disco ball” and has the most amazing luster and colour, much more golden than the photo. If you worry about pyrite rot forget it with these “critters.” Some have been kept in high humidity, covered in wet soil and in the dark for months with no signs of alteration. It hails from Hengyang Baifang Coal Mine, Hengyang, Hengyang Prefecture, Hunan Province, China. It is about 5 cm wide.

[Gail]

[Sammy]

[Sammy]

What I am trying to do with my contributions to this Forum is help people get minerals and books that will reveal the inherent beauty in the natural world. So please PM me if you have any questions. Below is a book I can highly recommend, and part two is devoted to silicate minerals. The author and title are easily seen in the photo. I have included a portion of the page that deals with cyclosilicates, and you tell me who does not have a cyclosilicate in their collection. I have two - aquamarine, one from China and the other from Pakistan.

[Sammy]

I thought I would post some additional photos of the Bulgarian sphalerite, galena quartz combo. The pictures were not too clear in the earlier photo. It hails from Deveti Septemvri Mine, Mogila Deposit, Madan Ore Field, Sth Rhodope Mts, Smolyan Oblast, Bulgaria.

[Sammy]

In keeping with the last post I will add some more detailed close ups of the Chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, quartz combo also from the Deveti Septemvri Mine, Mogila Deposit, Madan Ore Field, Sth Rhodope Mts, Smolyan Oblast, Bulgaria.

[Samuel]

I am very partial to Pyrite, and though a common mineral it is possible to get some stunning pieces. In my opinion it is a great mineral to start any collection with. The following piece is a Spanish Pyrite and I just love these things. They are bright and sharp with plenty of “eye candy” appeal. The piece featured below hails from Ampliación a Victoria Mine, Navajún, La Rioja, Spain. The largest crystal is 5cm on edge, and the smaller one a little over 3cm on edge. I would really like to get a very large one but I understand they are few and far between!

[Samuel]

Featured below is another book I can highly recommend. For anyone interested in minerals and their origin this text is a "must have." The information in it is priceless in my opinion and the diagrams and colour plates are breathtaking. Just get a load of that Kidney Ore (Hematite) absolutely beautiful.

[Samuel]

Featured below is a “Pyrite Sun” and again the many and varied forms of pyrite make it a very interesting mineral. I bought this over 20 years ago from a mineral stand at the local market. It has the most captivating shape, like the petals of a flower. It hails from Ziegler Coal Mine, Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois, U.S.A. It is about 10 x 8 x 0.6 cm.

[Samuel]

Below are a few Macro shots of the Bulgarian Chalcopyrite with Quartz needles that hails from the Deveti Septemvri Mine, Mogila Deposit, Madan Ore Field, Sth Rhodope Mts, Smolyan Oblast, Bulgaria. I love macro photography as it reveals so much about our beloved minerals.

All the macro shots were taken with very specialized equipment – a 3.2MP camera held firmly in my hand, and all shots were photographed outdoors and under shade. The Field of View or FOV as some like to call it was about 2.0 cm unless indicated otherwise. I now have invested in a 10MP Camera.

Enjoy!!!

[Samuel]

Cleaning Silver:

Though I am qualified as a Chemist to the level of PhD I am humble enough to accept the fact that I do not know everything. Chemistry and indeed Mineralogy are such big fields of investigation that only God could claim to be an expert in all fields of the study. This is why I recommend the following text. If you want to know about Chemical reactions, growing crystals or even cleaning native silver the answers lie within. The title and authors are given in the left hand picture. The right hand picture tells you how to clean silver and what chemical reactions are involved. I consider this book a “must have” for anyone interested in minerals and chemistry.

[Samuel]

Now this is one of my Hematites from Elba. I just love these Italian hematites and like the British Kidney Ore it is one I had earned for ever since I was a kid reading “Rutley’s Elements of Mineralogy.” I saw my first Elba Hematite at the state Museum in Melbourne, Australia several decades ago – late 50’s early sixties I think, and I was indeed smitten. The one featured below is hard to categorize. Is it an ore sample or is it a display sample? It is a large mass of massive hematite with a large vug that is full of hematite blades – crystals. The crystals have the most alluring surface feature. It hails from the Bacino Mine (or stope), Rio Marina, Isola d' Elba, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy. It is about 14 cm x 7 x 7 cm.

[Samuel]

This is my first post of a fossil, perhaps I will include a picture of another old fossil – me!! Perhaps not!?! This is an ammonite and the label really explains everything. Each slice has a diameter of about 11cm. The stand is one I made myself out of glass I got cheap from the $2 shop. I am thinking about making wood stands now that I have my Dremel tools handy.