FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Montanpark]

Hey Gail, nice trip!
I always wanted to go there. DSC_0047_2.JPG looks like a Johanngeorgenstadt Mimetite?

cheers
Roger

[Gail]

[Alan.Hart]

Hi All

It was a pleasure to have you round, luckily you also came when we had some pretty neat stuff out being made ready for the Munich show. The Copper is from Relistian mine, Cornwall; It is indeed a Johanngeorgenstadt mimetite; a stunning libethenite from Wheal Phoenix. Ill try and post details as they come through. Oh, the tourmaline 'spray' came to the Museum in 1810 from a Colonel Symes who was given it by the King of Ava (now Burma) - remarkably similar to those more recent specimens (which are smaller) from Vietnam, and as 'Ava' incorporated much more of the region it may be likely they are the same. The specimen was noted by Sowerby to be the most 'famous specimen known in the world', and value at 500 guineas in 1810.....expensive!

[Les Presmyk]

The copper is good enough to be from Arizona but I suspected it was probably from England. Also, 500 guineas in 1810 was the equivalent of about $10,000 at that time, I believe. Very expensive!

[Jolyon Ralph]

In the meantime, a video from that trip

[Gail]

I LIKED my visit, had a good time, had a full day with a curator and we brought FLASHLIGHTS.

[Gail]

...Now, where was I? Oh yes.....

HART - Recently 're-discovered' in the Geological Survey collections this specimen came by exchange from Peter Bancroft. Some careful cleaning and conservation reveals our best rose-quartz - Minas Gerais, Brazil

[Gail]

So, I have never been called a celebrity guest before, have you Jolyon? Kind of funny isn't it? ( chuckling here <------ )

Speaking of celebrities..here's my very own Jim with that Quartz.

[Gail]

...Calcite

[Gail]

...

[Gail]

...Chlinoclase.

[Gail]

Great anatase from Binn, Valais, Switzerland 1896. In Bancroft's book the crystal is 3.7 x 3.2 cm.

[Gail]

HART - The famed stephanite from Wheal Newton, Cornwall. For the species a 'killer' specimen, let alone the fact it is Cornish. A wonderful paper by Prof. J.W. Lewis (Camb. Phil. Soc. Proc., Vol. IV, Part IV, 240-252) describes the form and crystallography.

[Gail]

HART - The acanthite is an amazing specimen. From Wheal Newton Cornwall, mid 19th century. By far the best one in the collection although Russell has smaller and similar. This specimen came from a Mr Bennett who was agent for the mine - he also supplied the stephanite crystal above

[Tobi]

Once again a great report, Gail, stunning mineral specimens!

https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/files/dsc_0033_2_237.jpg
---> skull scene from Hamlet? ;-)