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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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 Posted: Mar 11, 2013 11:04 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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| INSITU… Here is a small fun group of random photos, scenes from within and surrounding the pocket. |
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39917 Time(s) |
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40023 Time(s) |
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39897 Time(s) |
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39963 Time(s) |
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COLLECTING SEQUENCES… This is the fun, this is the glory!
I love collecting crystals. It’s fun, intense, demanding and an experience absolutely precious to me. Sharing some of this good time, the following photos in this next set will let you come along and thrill, big smiles galore!
In this first photo, I’m driving a medium sized bar into the matrix behind the crystals lining the pocket. For the most part, within the pocket, the crocoite crystals have grown into an inter-locking crystal carpet covering all of the pockets surfaces. |
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39928 Time(s) |
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As such, with the coverage being so complete, I’m not really trying to “define” to the specimen I’m hoping to recover, rather I’m just trying to realize it without having it disintegrate and fall apart!
Well away from the crystals, I gently work to clear an area so that when the time is right… |
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39947 Time(s) |
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| I can pry softly to create a break in the wall of the pocket from which I can separate out a hoped for beautiful specimen… just like this one! |
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39893 Time(s) |
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| Magic. Heart-swelling magic! |
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39990 Time(s) |
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39942 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 11, 2013 11:16 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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| This the magic, this is the glory! |
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39872 Time(s) |
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| Staying on course, let’s try for one a bit larger… |
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39868 Time(s) |
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| Find a “sweet spot” and work my way in… |
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39853 Time(s) |
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| You can get a “feel” for the piece I’m after if you look close… |
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39829 Time(s) |
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| I’ve worked under and behind it and am getting close to bringing it down off the wall. The box, a sturdy wooden affair, is set beneath it to act as a support if case of any surprises… |
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39906 Time(s) |
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With just a bit of effort, the specimen is down.
When the plate came loose, I gently cooperated with it so as to roll both it and the box into a flat stationary position where I could secure the specimen and then maneuver it out of the working area and into a flat for eventual transport out of the mine.
Note the large cloud of steam resulting from my (much relieved) exhaled breath once things had settled! |
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39872 Time(s) |
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39893 Time(s) |
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| Back at it, reference for the next extraction… |
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39846 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 12, 2013 10:26 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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| Work behind the specimen until the time is right and then… |
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39612 Time(s) |
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39707 Time(s) |
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| See the scirble hanging just off-center left? Let’s get it! |
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39729 Time(s) |
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| Grasp it, hold it securely and then when you’re sure you’ve got it, lift it free… |
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39622 Time(s) |
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| Sweet, an exquisite fan of crocoite splendor! |
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39697 Time(s) |
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This next collecting sequence documents a truly challenging time. Scary in the extreme but in the end, everywhere happy smiles surrounded!
This is a busy, hard to orient scene, but we’re above the last remaining section of The Bridge. In the photo, on the right about a third of the way up, the last edge of The Flats can be seen. Beneath me, I’ve cleared out everything on both sides of the pocket. I’m ready to begin extracting the specimens which rest on and above The Bridge. This is a difficult, nerve-screaming process in the extreme as everything is inter-connected. This material, which had fallen from above during some event in the geologic past, has accumulated on The Bridge, loose clods and chunks mainly, and all loosely cemented together by crystallizing crocoites.
A pretty jumble, but an insane one to try to collect without damaging a million crystals! I’ll be working, hopeful of opening, the upward tilting slot just to the left of center… |
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39674 Time(s) |
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| Right from the get-go, the first piece I’d have to go after was a monster! Deftly I maneuvered through and around the crystalline barbs of the surrounding crocoites until I was able to find a finger hold. Once there, I flexed a bit and *POP* the piece breaks free of its crystal bonds. It’s still in-place, but it’s loose and that’s a big plus! |
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39611 Time(s) |
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| With my fingers re-secured, and with me hoping nothing breaks, I next gently lifted and began wiggle-tilting the specimen between, over and around the hazards which surrounded it… |
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39633 Time(s) |
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| Ohhhh, it’s getting close! Precariously balanced on my finger tips, it’s getting close! |
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39653 Time(s) |
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| Easy, gentle, get another resting point for my left hand to hold it safe and… |
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39672 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 12, 2013 10:41 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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39627 Time(s) |
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| No damage, crystals all a’ burr around its edges, this one’s nice! |
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39658 Time(s) |
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39654 Time(s) |
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| This begins our last collecting sequence, easy pickings from the floor of the pocket… |
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39658 Time(s) |
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39619 Time(s) |
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39597 Time(s) |
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RUINS AND THE WORST OF THINGS… This is an odd set of photos where something that is “bad”, may also offer another face if one’s perspective is changed…
The ruins of the old Dundas mill… For some, these concrete and rusting steel foundations in the midst of wild untamed forest may strike an ugly scene, for me, as we rounded the corner and they miraculously appeared out of nowhere, they immediately set my mind a-whirl as I imagined the scene hereabouts during an earlier time when the hills about me resounded with the squealing and grinding-roaring groans of surface trams, the mines, the men and the mill. |
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39686 Time(s) |
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| Gorse... Gorse is a spiny European evergreen shrub that is a blight in the areas it has overtaken. It spreads rapidly and its aggressive nature results in the loss of local native plant habitat and life. Sharp, lethal spines abundantly adorn its branches making it a Devilish adversary when encountered. Its only grace is its brilliant yellow flowers which ignite the bush in a stellar bright cloak of color. |
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39669 Time(s) |
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| Bruce beside a stream of contaminated water run-off from the South Comet Mine… |
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39667 Time(s) |
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| Not typically a popular subject, but taken out of context, these unique toxic conditions created a healthy growing environment for these wispy plants, photographed as they gently swayed in the flowing currents… |
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39646 Time(s) |
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39669 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 12, 2013 10:46 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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39686 Time(s) |
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39683 Time(s) |
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| Now this, dumped trash out in the middle of nowhere, this was offensive! |
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39620 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 13, 2013 11:14 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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NATURE… The photos in this next group represent different nature scenes which captured my attention during my stay. Most of these photos were taken just off of the Adelaide Mine road and on the Adelaide Mine lease. Enjoy…
A nice sweeping view of the Dundas area with its varied greenery of dense forest. |
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39131 Time(s) |
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| Picturesque clutter found on the Adelaide Mine lease. |
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39185 Time(s) |
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| Peering down between the rotten timbers, deep into the depths above a densely foliated abandoned subterranean opening where the previous mine leaser had mined crocoites vertically, straight up to the surface and daylight. |
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39140 Time(s) |
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| Bright yellow Wattle flowers blossoming over the tumbling waters of Comet Creek. |
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39145 Time(s) |
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| Peering into the depths of the wood, the lush greenery was enchanting. The luxuriant mosses and ferns made for such rich viewing experiences. |
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39144 Time(s) |
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| And the crush of the vegetation quickly and completely seals the woods off from view. |
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39132 Time(s) |
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| Blechnum nudum is a variety of fern found abundantly in the area of the Adelaide Mine. |
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39132 Time(s) |
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| Exotic-seeming in the extreme, the Tasmanian Tree Fern, Dicksonia antarctica, is an easy thrill ride for the eyes. |
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39112 Time(s) |
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| The gorgeous bursts of yellow flowers are a joy to see on this Wattle tree. |
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39168 Time(s) |
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| Here, I found the wild combinations of colors and textures captivating. |
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39188 Time(s) |
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| Lichens, pretty in their own way, as seen on the Adelaide Mine lease. |
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39169 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 13, 2013 11:32 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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| Again, pretty textures and colors. |
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39144 Time(s) |
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| I believe this is Native Laurel, Anopterus glandulosus. |
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39160 Time(s) |
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| A common theme, textures and colors. |
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39156 Time(s) |
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39156 Time(s) |
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| Bright and thriving in the sunlight. |
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39135 Time(s) |
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| Native Laurel is my guess. |
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39179 Time(s) |
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| One of the most impressive and beautiful of the flowering plants I saw during my visit, the Tasmanian Waratah, Telopea truncata. Several of these flowered along the mine road during my stay and this one offered a good picture taking opportunity while we hauled out a fresh batch of crystal treasures! |
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39123 Time(s) |
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| Six to nine feet (2 to 3 meters) of gorgeous bright red flowering awesomeness! |
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39159 Time(s) |
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| The insanely-pretty, bright red-pink flower of the Tasmanian Waratah, Telopea truncata. Each flower is about 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter. |
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39135 Time(s) |
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| Lining the highway in bright colorful clumps of flowers, the West Coast Flag Iris, Diplarrena latifolia, made a pretty sight. |
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39126 Time(s) |
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| Beyond pretty, the poof-ball blossoms of the Pink Flowering Gum Tree, Eucalyptus ficifolia, were my absolute favorite. Huge tracts were covered by this plant, all gloriously blooming in an absolute riot of color that was incredibly beautiful. |
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39108 Time(s) |
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| A last Nature view, this of the Indian Ocean as seen from the west coast of Tasmania near the small settlement of Trial Harbor. |
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39117 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 14, 2013 09:25 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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| SPECIMENS… Following is a random selection of specimens, sharing some of the treasures freshly collected from The Adelaide Mine… |
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39042 Time(s) |
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39054 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 14, 2013 09:46 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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39055 Time(s) |
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39051 Time(s) |
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39036 Time(s) |
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39031 Time(s) |
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39023 Time(s) |
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39069 Time(s) |
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39049 Time(s) |
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39022 Time(s) |
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| The largest of the crocoites crystal plates Bruce and I recovered during my stay. A fourth plate was added to this group before I left and a fifth was staged to come off the wall just prior to my leaving. |
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39030 Time(s) |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Mar 15, 2013 10:52 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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I didn’t spend a lot of time gazing into the fairy land above me called the Red River Upper, there was just to much amazing ground right before me to be distracted, still before I left, I needed to snap off a couple of shots…
This is me in the cramped little raise leading up to the Red River Upper, it’s tight! |
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38890 Time(s) |
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Looking approximately 21 feet (7 meters) into the treasure vault!
Note the hanging stalactite on the right hand wall up near where the pocket walls merge… |
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38926 Time(s) |
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221 A bit closer…
But it’s still so far away! This incredible crystal covered feature hangs about 1 foot (30 cm) off of the wall. Its like has never been seen before! What other mysteries are still to be uncovered as this pocket and its story continues to unfold? |
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38872 Time(s) |
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| And then that was it, it was time for my last walk out of the mine… |
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38916 Time(s) |
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| Bruce was a great guy to work with… |
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38901 Time(s) |
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| … Always there with a grin… |
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38853 Time(s) |
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… And a cheeky comment!
I couldn’t have asked for a better digging partner! |
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38910 Time(s) |
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| And so, that’s it. I’m tired and it’s been an awesome run, time to call this one good. |
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38892 Time(s) |
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| Like a dog peeing on a bush, I marked my territory… |
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38879 Time(s) |
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| So you’ll know I was here. |
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38897 Time(s) |
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| I’ll leave Bruce working as diligently as usual and all too soon, that’ll be that. |
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38935 Time(s) |
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I can’t thank Adam and the guys enough, Erika too. I had a great time visiting Tasmania and Australia for the first time and am one hundred percent hopeful of another return trip. The pocket continues and is definitely calling me back. The time I had, the people whose lives I shared, the Country with its varied and exotic plants and animals, all of these things and so many others all combined to create an experience I’m hungry to recreate and re-explore!
As long and as detailed as this report has been, there was so much more I could have shared. Hopefully, maybe someday, more of this story will be told…
Be well Everyone and thank you for taking the time to come along, sharing the incredible experience that is the Adelaide Mine’s Red River Pocket!
Sincerely, all the very best,
John
PS… For more information on The Adelaide Mine and the Red River pocket, I encourage you to see the November – December 2012 issue of the Mineralogical Record magazine for the feature article by Thomas P. Moore and Wendell E. Wilson; The BlueCap Productions, The Adelaide Mine, DVD by Bryan Swoboda; and finally, The website of Adam Wright and The Adelaide Mine Mining Company at…
http://www.theadelaidemine.com/ |
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38906 Time(s) |
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Philip Simmons
Joined: 24 Feb 2011
Posts: 79
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
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| Posted: Mar 15, 2013 11:35 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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John,
Thank you so much for the time and energy you spent to provide all of us with a truly wonderful report. What a great find! Keep up the excellent work!
Phil
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5028
Location: Barcelona
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| Posted: Mar 15, 2013 12:18 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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| Thanks John. Just great! ;-)
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Don Lum
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Posts: 2900
Location: Arkansas
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| Posted: Mar 15, 2013 13:27 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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John, thank you for taking us on your incredible adventure. I learned a lot and enjoyed your pictures and report.
Regards,
Don
_________________
hogwild |
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John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 128
Location: Port Angeles
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| Posted: Apr 17, 2013 22:22 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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Hi Everyone,
Work continues developing the exceptional crocoite crystal pocket at the Adelaide Mine in Dundas, Tasmania.
To help document this find, Bryan Swoboda of BlueCap Productions was contacted to share this story with the public through video. In the Nov. - Dec. 2012 issue of the Mineralogical Record magazine (Vol. 43, No. 6) featuring a lead article by Thomas P. Moore and Wendell E. Wilson titled Major Crocoite Discoveries at the Adelaide Mine, Tasmania, a complimentary DVD of this exceptional discovery in its earliest stages of development was gifted.
Since this initial filming, as noted above, work has continued to develop this occurrence. To document these newest happenings, Bryan has made a second trip to the mine and has posted a new video taken only days ago of Bruce Stark and I recovering a beautiful crocoite crystal plate from off of the pockets hanging wall. By clicking the link below, you'll also be able to share in the fun!
Sincerely, I hope you enjoy. All the very best,
John
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_0noXIhIGg&list=UUSIGYON34E_XN97bJAPqYuA&index=1
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Dehne
Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 11
Location: Hobart, Tasmania
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| Posted: Apr 18, 2013 01:08 Post subject: Re: CROCOITE! A Huge New Pocket From The Adelaide Mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia |
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| John Cornish wrote: | Hi Everyone,
Work continues developing the exceptional crocoite crystal pocket at the Adelaide Mine in Dundas, Tasmania.
To help document this find, Bryan Swoboda of BlueCap Productions was contacted to share this story with the public through video. In the Nov. - Dec. 2012 issue of the Mineralogical Record magazine (Vol. 43, No. 6) featuring a lead article by Thomas P. Moore and Wendell E. Wilson titled Major Crocoite Discoveries at the Adelaide Mine, Tasmania, a complimentary DVD of this exceptional discovery in its earliest stages of development was gifted.
Since this initial filming, as noted above, work has continued to develop this occurrence. To document these newest happenings, Bryan has made a second trip to the mine and has posted a new video taken only days ago of Bruce Stark and I recovering a beautiful crocoite crystal plate from off of the pockets hanging wall. By clicking the link below, you'll also be able to share in the fun!
Sincerely, I hope you enjoy. All the very best,
John
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_0noXIhIGg&list=UUSIGYON34E_XN97bJAPqYuA&index=1 |
Well done John and Bruce, I like the recent 2013 crocoite from the Red River find as it has far better colour than most of the 2012 find. My collection has already improved from your guys effort
Cheers
Dehne McLaughlin
_________________
Dehne McLaughlin
Hobart
Tasmania
Australia |
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