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Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jun 18, 2012 15:29 Post subject: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - The Start
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 06/18/2012
Considering the circumstances (new organization) I'm sure that many people is waiting to know what happens in Ste. Marie 2012. I was at the Show during all day and what I can say is that everybody in Ste. Marie seems to be very excited with the Show, and a lot of energy is involved with the process. Everybody is extremely gentle and very few NO are the answers to the multiple requests. The result of this friendly atmosphere is still dubious considering the complexity of the organization of this Show, but for the moment everything seems to be lovely. We should see what happens tomorrow when the huge flood of the exhibitors download in the "new", fresh, Ste. Marie.
Let me explain my feelings of today doing a kind of tale with the images.
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - The Start.jpg
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7:15 AM Several helpers are already there, around the major of Ste. Marie, Claude Abel, trying to set the details.
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And again the “Ste. Marie red jackets” discuss the future front the stairs of the Theater.
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jun 19, 2012 15:02 Post subject: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - The set-up day
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 06/19/2012
Outside the novelties mentioned here -> https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=24152#24152 let me add also some other novelties, the new show guide, smaller and easier to use, as well as a new area outside the Show for logistic that permits the customs, taxes and VISA formalities in a faster and more practical way.
At this point, I believe I did my task to introduce the "old-new" Ste. Marie Show, so is the time to let room to other people to publish here their sensations, photos and opinions about this classic&refreshed Show.
Please FMFers, download a lot of posts and a lot of images! ;-)
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - The Start (58).JPG
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The new guide with a useful map by colors
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And in the same guide a list of exhibitors, also by colors
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Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - The Start (22).jpg
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The new logistic area outside the Show, in the same street than the supermarket, in the West entrance (Col des Bagenelles) of the Show
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jun 21, 2012 16:16 Post subject: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - The Show
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 06/21/2012
To be brief, the Show seems to be a success, all exhibitors appear delighted with the new organization, and the impression given is that it seems as if all of the people of Ste Marieare helping and pushing to promote the Show and trying to make it a success.
We should still wait for more details and the next flow of visitors this weekend, but for the moment and to the surprise of many, everything looks in peace and in order.
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - The Show.jpg
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As every year, a happy crowd on the stairs of the Theater as well as in the whole Show, which is remarkable because Ste. Marie is just a small village in the Val d'Argent but nevertheless with this Fair they have organized a global event...
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Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - Animal life (1).jpg
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...and here you have the proof that Ste. Marie is really a small village. The goats of Ste. Marie decided that they want also participate in the festive atmosphere and they visited the roof of the home where we stay in Ste. Marie (just five minutes walking from the Show)
Hard to say if they want also visit the Show or if they want to eat the roof or the gutters of the home because his capacity to eat everything is legendary, but in any case that's the life (animal life in fact) in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Alsace, France! ;-)
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Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jun 24, 2012 17:54 Post subject: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - The develop of the Show
Sainte Marie wrote:
A super foto serie, with unforgetable details which makes Ste. Marie so unique.
Thanks Jordi.
Thank you to Sainte Marie for the good management!
Until now I have been concentrated on infos about the organisation of the Show, as that seems to have been what most attendees were interested in, but let’s not forget about minerals where the ‘what is new’ in Ste. Marie was (as usual in the last times) a little bit limited and, in my opinion, was almost all focused on Morocco.
It was seen throughout the Show hundreds of specimens of attractive Barytes from a classic locality (see Baryte Specimen Localities) that has not produced specimens for many years. At the moment this Baryte mine is given two names: Ouichane (or Mount Ouichane) or Sidi Lahcen, but what is clear is that it is the region of Ségangane, near Nador. As it has recently produced a huge number of specimens it is very likely that it will continue to do so in the future as, just as people told me years ago, it is a very rich source. Most of what was seen during Ste Marie was either low quality or of poor color, but during the first moments of the show, and discreetly afterwards, some exceptional specimens changed hands ;-)
Another new find, also from Morocco, was the new specimens from the Bou Nahas (or Afrou, according to other people) Mine that is next to the classic locality of Oumjrane, and they are a great mix: good Baryte, excellent Chalcopyrite and Marcasite (and not ‘Arsenopyrite’, which they were sold as), and also Pyrite, Quartz and Siderite, all of which are associated with each other making them interesting specimens.
There was a third Moroccan novelty at Ste Marie, but I ask for your patience as I do not want to talk about it until the results of analysis are available.
Clearly there were other new finds, but not many as most were known about before the Ste Marie show. To name some: from China, Danalites, Boracites, Löllingites, and new Quartz specimens that have an identical form the ones from Dalnegorsk that are (incorrectly) called "Quartz beta" and from Tanzania, transparent Dravites from Mwajanga, Komolo, and green Tremolites, a little bit transparent, from Merelani.
I will publish photos of some of these novelties as soon as I can, please be patient. This topic is still young and I know that several FMFers were in Ste Marie and probably will also publish their photos and comments. As this show is in a rather isolated area people generally stay in private or rural homes where there is no Internet access, so we have to wait until they get home before they can post on the site or publish information about the show.
When I see that the general comments have ended, I will publish my overall opinion on this, the 49th Ste Marie Show, and I can tell you already that it will be very positive. In the interim, while we wait for the photos of the new finds to be available, here are few more shots of the event.
(All photos from: Jordi Deusedes)
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - During the Show (14).jpg
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Another improvement of the Fair is that thanks to the large number of volunteers were able to achieve targets such as keep empty the parking area in front of the Fair for what was needed (disabled, minivans of the fair, contingencies...) and as a plus, the fence results a kind of display for upcoming shows...
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FMF breaks barriers and also in Ste. Marie is a member of the worldwide´s press! ;-)
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There was no lack of visitors across the ocean, here are the Simonoffs. As it is well known, Jessica Simonoff has written several articles about minerals and mineralogy, which for her age (she is the small lady in the photo) is quite amazing.
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Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - During the Show (3).jpg
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The "Taverne du Mineur" (The Miner's Tavern) is an institution in Sainte Marie. I always remember seeing it there, just front the entrance of the Fair, and I and the Show visitors we eaten there a geological number of times ;-)
In its walls are hung a series of pictures that explains briefly the long history of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines and its relation with the minerals. This is the first of the series...
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...this is the second...
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...the third...
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...the forth...
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...and the fifth and last.
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here the reproduction of an old engraving
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and a historical photo of old miners with their parade clothes
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and this is the classic "Taverne du Mineur" from outside.
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jun 25, 2012 11:22 Post subject: Re: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012
A lot of photos of a kind of "Ste. Marie mineralogical miscellanea" have been downloaded by Juan María Pérez in the FMF-Spanish side. So, if you want to see all kind of minerals displayed at Ste. Marie 2012, go ahead and use: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - Spanish side
Posted: Jun 27, 2012 06:33 Post subject: Re: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012
Another interesting news from Morocco are vanadinites on black sparkly Descloizite-Mottramite, but I have to confirm that by some analyzes. I will try to post here some photos of the specimens from this find, here is only one snap-shot. Some of them are big and really spectacular!
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jun 27, 2012 07:01 Post subject: Re: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012
Jordi Fabre wrote:
...There was a third Moroccan novelty at Ste Marie, but I ask for your patience as I do not want to talk about it until the results of analysis are available.
Tomasz Praszkier wrote:
Another interesting news from Morocco are vanadinites on black sparkly Descloizite-Mottramite, but I have to confirm that by some analyzes. I will try to post here some photos of the specimens from this find, here is only one snap-shot. Some of them are big and really spectacular!
BTW it was great to see you all in SMAM!
Best!
Right Tomasz, this is the "third Moroccan novelty...", ha, ha!! ;-)
The first to get the analysis it shall publish it here! ;-) ;-)
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jun 27, 2012 12:04 Post subject: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - The Novelties
Jordi Fabre wrote:
...the ‘what is new’ in Ste. Marie was (as usual in the last times) a little bit limited and, in my opinion, was almost all focused on Morocco.
It was seen throughout the Show hundreds of specimens of attractive Barytes from a classic locality (see Baryte Specimen Localities) that has not produced specimens for many years. At the moment this Baryte mine is given two names: Ouichane (or Mount Ouichane) or Sidi Lahcen, but what is clear is that it is the region of Ségangane, near Nador. As it has recently produced a huge number of specimens it is very likely that it will continue to do so in the future as, just as people told me years ago, it is a very rich source. Most of what was seen during Ste Marie was either low quality or of poor color, but during the first moments of the show, and discreetly afterwards, some exceptional specimens changed hands ;-)
Another new find, also from Morocco, was the new specimens from the Bou Nahas (or Afrou, according to other people) Mine that is next to the classic locality of Oumjrane, and they are a great mix: good Baryte, excellent Chalcopyrite and Marcasite (and not ‘Arsenopyrite’, which they were sold as), and also Pyrite, Quartz and Siderite, all of which are associated with each other making them interesting specimens.
There was a third Moroccan novelty at Ste Marie, but I ask for your patience as I do not want to talk about it until the results of analysis are available.
Clearly there were other new finds, but not many as most were known about before the Ste Marie show. To name some: from China, Danalites, Boracites, Löllingites, and new Quartz specimens that have an identical form the ones from Dalnegorsk that are (incorrectly) called "Quartz beta" and from Tanzania, transparent Dravites from Mwajanga, Komolo, and green Tremolites, a little bit transparent, from Merelani...
Finally we found time to do the photos. Here them are:
Quartz-TB240.swf
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This Quartz doesn't shows so well by photo, so Jordi Deusedes has prepared a swf to offer a better vision of it.
Quartz Huanggang Mine, Kčshíkčténg Qí, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia A.R., China 6 x 5 x 4.2 cm Mined: 2012 Swf: Jordi Deusedes
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Loellingite_top.swf
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The same that happens with the Quartz, better this swf file than a photo.
Löllingite (analyzed) on Magnetite (analyzed) and partially covered by Arsenopyrite (analyzed ;-) Huanggang Mine, Kčshíkčténg Qí, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia A.R., China 9.3 x 8.2 x 10.5 cm. Main crystal: 8.4 x 7.5 cm. Mined: 2012 Swf: Jordi Deusedes
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Ste. Marie 2012 - Barita_Bou Nahas_Oumjrane_Marruecos.jpg
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Baryte with inclusions on Quartz Bou Nahas (or Afrou), Oumjrane, Alnif, Er Rachidia, Morocco 5.8 x 5.7 x 3.1 cm. Main crystal: 2.6 x 1.8 cm. Mined: 12/2011-01/2012 Photo: Jordi Deusedes
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Ste. Marie 2012 - Marcasita_Bou Nahas_Oumjrane_Marruecos.jpg
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Marcasite Bou Nahas (or Afrou), Oumjrane, Alnif, Er Rachidia, Morocco 3.8 x 2.3 x 1.5 cm. Main crystal: 0.8 x 0.6 cm. Mined: 12/2011-01/2012 Photo: Jordi Deusedes
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Ste. Marie 2012 - Calcopirita_Bou Nahas_Oumjrane_Marruecos.jpg
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Chalcopyrite with Quartz Bou Nahas (or Afrou), Oumjrane, Alnif, Er Rachidia, Morocco 10.5 x 8.5 x 6.8 cm. Main crystal: 0.9 x 0.7 cm. Mined: 12/2011-01/2012 Photo: Jordi Deusedes
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Baryte Ouichane (or Mt. Ouichane or Sidi Lahcen), Ségangane, Nador, Morocco 5.6 x 4.5 x 2.8 cm. Main crystal: 3.9 x 0.6 cm. Mined: 01-04/2012 Photo: Jordi Deusedes
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Ste. Marie 2012 - Barita_Ouichane_Segangane_Marruecos_matrix.jpg
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Baryte Ouichane (or Mt. Ouichane or Sidi Lahcen), Ségangane, Nador, Morocco 8 x 6.2 x 3.8 cm. Mined: 01-04/2012 Photo: Jordi Deusedes
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Ste. Marie 2012 - Vanadinita_Marruecos.jpg
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Waiting the promised images from Tomasz, I add this Vanadinite with an unknown species (yet ;-) , probably Descloizite or Mottramite Aderhoual, Mibladen, Midelt, Morocco 7.9 x 6.9 x 5.3 cm. Main crystal: 1 x 1 cm. Mined: May 2012 Photo: Jordi Deusedes
5 more photos taken by Jordi Deusedes during the Show.
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Rush to unpack in the zone Val Expo at the beginning of the Show.
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Although the organization worked very well, at some point during the Show there were the inevitable jams...
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The theater was what this year had a more different appearance from previous years. There were just few exhibitors with more space for everyone and only in the lower level.
The upper level (Scčne) was closed this year and there were not exhibits neither in the Scčne neither in the ground floor. They said to me that the next year (the year of the 50th aniversary of the Show) they are already preparing similar exhibits to those made before, though not yet known whether will be made in the Scčne of the Theater or in the Val Expo zone.
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The coat of arms of Ste. Marie along with the coat of arms of the cities to which it is twinned. As you can see in his coat of arms predominate the mining tools...
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And finally one of the most notable examples of the past mining of Ste Marie. In the "Maison de maître" a sixteenth-century house for the senior officials of the mine, now "Pharmacie de la Tour" located in the Keufer Square, you can see a large block of argentiferous Galena (quite meteorized by the pass of the time) encrusted in the wall of the "Maison de maître". It symbolizes very well the importance of mining and minerals in this beautiful town of the Val d'Argent.
For more information on the "Pharmacie de la Tour": http://www.valdargent.com/pharmacie% 20of% 20the% 20tour.pdf
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jul 03, 2012 16:38 Post subject: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - Löllingites & Arsenopyrites
Recently I published a 3D image of the Löllingite and then Gneissware told me that it would be useful show the differences between the Arsenopyrite and Löllingite in these specimens. So far I had not chance to publish a clear picture of an Arsenopyrite on Löllingite to show the differences, I hope this one serves.
As you can see in the image, the Arsenopyrite crystals of this find are sharp, bright, with a whitish-silvery color, and the Löllingites of this find appears in large crystals of polycrystalline growths, so not so sharp, grayish color and always (to my knowledge) having grown before the Arsenopyrite, the same that the Arsenopyrites has always (to my knowledge) grown after the Löllingite.
Just add that unlike the Helvite-Genthelvite-Danalite from this mine, the Löllingites-Arsenopyrites are not zoned but each species is clearly differentiated.
Arsenopyrite on Lollingite - Huanggang Mine_Chifeng_Inner Mongolia_China.jpg
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Sharp, pseudoctahedral crystals of Arsenopyrite on coarse grained polycrystalline growths of Löllingite
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jul 09, 2012 10:51 Post subject: Sainte Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - Analysis results
Jordi Fabre wrote:
...There was a third Moroccan novelty at Ste Marie, but I ask for your patience as I do not want to talk about it until the results of analysis are available...
...The first to get the analysis it shall publish it here! ;-) ;-)
The analysis arrived and I can confirm that the black material related to new finds of Vanadinite in Aderhoual zone, Mibladen, is Mottramite, species that, as far as I know, was not listed so far in Mibladen.
Vanadinite with Mottramite - Aderhoual, Mibladen, Midelt, Morocco.jpg
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Vanadinite with Mottramite Aderhoual, Mibladen, Midelt, Morocco Specimen size: 8.1 × 8 × 4.5 cm. Main crystal size: 1 × 0.9 cm. Mined in May 2012 Photo: Jordi Deusedes
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Vanadinite with Mottramite - Aderhoual, Mibladen, Midelt, Morocco - Detail.jpg
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Vanadinite with Mottramite Aderhoual, Mibladen, Midelt, Morocco Main crystal size: 0.9 × 0.7 cm. A detail of one of them Photo: Jordi Deusedes
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5026
Location: Barcelona
Posted: Jul 11, 2012 05:33 Post subject: Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - Final
This is a good time to finish my show report.
First, it is clear that the change in management of the Fair has been a success, the new organizers have taken control without too many problems, they have continued to do well what was already being done well, and they have improved other things, such as the number of parking areas and access to the Fair from these car parks. Very positive also was the large number of collaborators who were helping in the fair so that everything worked well, and their kindness, which was extreme. All exhibitors I spoke to were delighted with the new organization and surprised by how well everything was working.
That said the serious problem represented by the dimension of the fair compared to the infrastructural capacity of the small town of Ste Marie is still there. I also believe that the organization will have to make an extra effort for next year (which is its 50th anniversary of the Show) to organize quality exhibits equal to those made in past years, and I think they will have to be very attentive to avoid letting the fair gradually return to a kind of "local Fair" instead of the big international Fair that Michel Schwab-Mineral Concepts has produced.
As for minerals, this Show, which is undoubtedly the main international exhibition for minerals from Morocco, has offered (consistently ;-) new minerals from Morocco as the main attraction of the Show. The new finds in Ouichane, Bou Nahas and the new Mottramite with Vanadinite from Mibladen have been, in my opinion, the most remarkable novelties in Ste. Marie. As always, many other small finds were there, but I think that apart from Morocco and China there were just a few more new things were really outstanding.
For more information about the Ste. Marie novelties: Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines Show 2012 - The development of the Show
See you next year, which is the 50th anniversary of the beloved, sometimes delightful, sometimes irritating, the unique, unrepeatable Fair of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines!
Jordi
PS: I wanted to mention a small detail that I found very peculiar. In previous years Ste Marie generated a lot of information either here, on Mindat, and on blogs so a lot of news was published on line about the Fair while the Fair was occurring. This time, as far as I know, not much more than this chronicles has been published. I do not know if it means anything or is purely coincidental, but I must admit that caught my attention.
Thank you to John White and James Catmur for his help with my previously "dirty" English texts ;-)
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2012 - During the Show (15).JPG
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This is the artist who took most of the pictures for this story. Here we can see Jordi Deusedes in action.
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And with this last picture, a small tribute to the "historic" Pioneers who at one time opened markets and released things not seen before. Here you have Giuseppe Agozzino, obviously Italian ;-) He was the first to go to Pakistan and Afghanistan to reveal the treasures of these countries to the "rocks" community.
As we can see, now he seems very interested in computers. Scary! ;-)
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