FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Paul Bordovsky]

Thanks for the show report and pics of the early arrivals. Looking forward to getting there on Sunday.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Thanks people for your encouragement, and thanks Volkmar for the locality help. I couldn't remember where these azurites came from and the language barrier was insurmountable, but they do come from Liufengshan Mine, Guizhou, Anhui Prov. The fluorite I talked about yesterday was in several rooms and the locality is Xinjian, Henan Prov.

Today (Wed the 28th) about 30% of the dealers at the Inn suites were open but about 70-80% of the parking appeared to be taken. I heard a rumor today that the lot used for parking to the N of the Inn Suites has been sold and will be developed - if this comes true, parking will be impossible at this venue.

One of the first places I stopped was room 124 (Alvaro Lucio), who had some nice tourmaline from the Chia Claim in Minas Gerais. One piece was something around 20 cm long, with a really sharp termination, clear prism faces, and good luster. Although the color was dark, with lighting you could see nice color zoning within. Pictures below.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Next I went to Donald Olson's room where I saw another year's assortment of aesthetic specimens. I always enjoy looking at what they have assembled. They had a bunch of material from an old Bisbee miner that was interesting. Also they had several unique Milpillas brochantites with stout xtals and chisel shaped terminations. Also catching my eye were a Milpillas azurite, Tsumeb dioptase, Espirito Santo chrysoberyl, and a Keweenaw copper. Pictures below.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Next I went to Zheng's room (rm 309) where they always have a bunch of interesting chinese material.

[Matt_Zukowski]

I walked around more at the Inn Suites but didn't take any more pictures. Collectors Edge was open but still loading cases. Green Mountain had most of their cases filled but their door was closed because they weren't finished.

At about 4ish I drove over to the Riverpark Inn where I saw Marcus Budil with, among other things, some nice Swiss quartz pieces. Then I walked down to the fine mineral building where I found that Rocksaholics had opened. I had a nice chat with Aisha and Dave Wilber, and also saw some nice rocks - pics below.

[Jordi Fabre]

[Matt_Zukowski]

My guess is that 50%+ of the rooms at the Inn Suites were open today. There is plenty of activity going on.

North Star Minerals (Ross Lillie) opened today. As always, he had a nice selection of material including much from eastern Europe.

[Matt_Zukowski]

In Room 307, I was shown a small but very fine cuprite with primary malachite, pictures below.

Next was Collector's Edge, pictures below.

[Matt_Zukowski]

The last stop I made at the Inn Suites today was at Wendel Minerals. He had a great assortment of stuff.

[Matt_Zukowski]

And now over to the Riverpark Inn, in Room 186 (Mineral Collection), they had some nice Namibian quartz on matrix.

Then in room 185 (Cailloux), I saw an interesting prismatic apatite and calcite.

[jaysminerals]

This is great and thanks for sharing! Please keep doing so, since this is very nice for those who can neither afford to attend Tucson nor afford most of the minerals posted. But at least getting to see them is great!
Thanks to all those who undertake the efforts to take pictures and post!

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 01/30/2015

Bad news, the weather forecast says that it will be bad during the next three days. Bring your umbrella.

It will not be cold, but it will be raining most of the time until Monday, when we open ourselves, but I can guarantee that we have not hired any Indian sorcerer that it might rain until we we open! ;-)

More to come...
European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[John S. White]

Thanks for the wonderful news Jordi.

[Woody Thompson]

Could be worse. We are getting one snowstorm after another in Maine. Closing in on 3 feet in the past week, and two more storms on the horizon for next week.

A rainy Tucson sounds good right now. Enjoy yourselves out there, and thanks for the reports and photos!

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 01/31/2015

Today it is still raining and Tucson is full of water pools and even "lakes" because it is a place not habituated to the rain, but the forecast says that probably the weather will improve by evening today, so better than what they announced.

The activity yesterday was a little bit slow due the rain but we can say that the whole Show is in full activity currently.

More to come...
European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™