FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[nurbo]

Today I've done two more from the largest part of my collection, that being; boxed specimen's from North Yorkshire,
Firstly a Gypsum specimen from Mossdale Cavern's that just fit's corner to corner into a 6 cm box.
Second I've got a few of these and I used to think they were Aragonite var Floss Ferri but now I'm not so certain. I tried to fizz the actual central crystals, without getting any HCL on the surrounding carbonate matrix and they didn't show any sign of fizzing at all, the specimen is also a bit heavier than similar sized piece's from the same find and if you check the crystal form in the second photo and know the area a bit it seem's highly likely these are Baryte, the piece come's from a small dump near to Dam Rigg Level
. As always If anyone has any thought's either way I'd be very interested to hear them.

[nurbo]

I heard a tale today about why there will be no more of the Mossdale caverns Gypsum specimen's like the one from my previous post. In 1971 a group of 6 young cavers got into difficulties and drowned down there and the entrance was concreted shut, how terrible.

A Fluorite on Dolomite from a little seen location, The Dalefoot level at Mallerstang, the Fluorite's have lovely edge's and one has a black inclusion of something, Ive no idea what.
With Dolomite in mind here is a rather good Chalcopyrite on Dolomite from Wales.

[nurbo]

Im a particular fan of these green Sphalerite on Baryte from Judkins Quarry, I've only got a couple of samples but they are favourite's, I especially like the contrast between the green and the pinkish colour of the Baryte,
Another Baryte (or maybe not Baryte ) from Arkengarthdale, the more I look at these the more I'm convinced it is Baryte, which might be a bad thing because the more convinced I become the more I doubt I'm correct.

p.s. An amendment to the Mossdale Caverns tale ... The accident happened in 1967 but the entrance wasn't filled in till 1971, apparently it has been reopened to give access to much of the cave system but not the section where the cavers were entombed.

[nurbo]

I thought I repost these here after they were split off into another thread. I might not be 100 % sure what they are but whatever it is, they are among my very favourite pieces, they are so unusual and delicate,

[nurbo]

Hello,
A great new addition to my Ojuela collection and my Wulfenite collection too I guess. Wulfenite on Mottramite, it needs a bit of a clean but apart from that its perfect.

p.s. Does this really come from San Juan Poniente level 6 I can find no reference to Mottramite with Wulfenite from that bit of the mine complex ?

[nurbo]

I just got this Rampgill piece from the Boundary Cross vein, hard to photograph but a lovely assemblage of minerals. Im particularly interested by the two colours of Fluorite! there is a cluster and another crystal that are in contact with some Sphalerite that appear a kind of orangey yellow whereas the other Fluorite's on the piece are clear. Im thinking the colour has leeched into the cubes off the Sphalerite, also the prisms on the Quartz crystals are made of terminal faces which I didnt really capture too well in the photos.

[nurbo]

Another couple of Australian pieces, firstly Gold on Quartz from Kalgoorlie followed by a rather nice Baryte from Linkes Load.

[nurbo]

Wulfenite looks ever more edible to me.

[nurbo]

Today Ive done a Crocoite micro from Nontron in France and a Hemimorphite from the Precaucion Mine in Spain (Thanks Juan)

[nurbo]

A couple of classic northern English pieces today ...

I just took delivery of this excellent sample of reticulated Fluorite from the Old Towns Quarry, its a really fascinating piece, the Fluorites from some angles appear to be flattened octahedra.

This is a "Daisy Wheel" gypsum from Birkshead Mine, are these Cyclic twins?

[nurbo]

I also just got this terrific Millerite from Coldberry Gutter with a huge white arrow glued to it, Its going to have to go!

[Don Lum]

I like your taste in minerals. I think you are fortunate to have the wulfenite on Mottramite.

Cheers

[nurbo]

Firstly I'd like to thank everyone who has visited my collection thread over the past 4 years, helping it to join Carles and Gail's threads in passing 100 000 views It is satisfying to know that the huge amount of time and effort I've put into it is not going totally unnoticed.

A new piece from the Hilton Mine ... Im going to clean and trim this piece up and when I've done Ill post the pictures, All the potential display faces are coated in a "Skin" of Fe oxides, a day in Super Iron Out will soon resolve that though, underneath it will be the yellow we all have come to expect from the Hilton Mine, it has some tiny Galena's on there too.

[nurbo]

Here is an octahedral fluorite from Berta that I got

[Carles Millan]

Hi, Nurbo !

My sincere congratulations for your reaching 100,000 views and winning the yellow star. You've worked hard and deserve it. Others will follow you in the not distant future.