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Pierre Joubert · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 1605 Location: Western Cape

I would like to conclude my contribution to this thread with the following, and welcome comments. When I take somebody out on a collecting trip I expect them to abide by a few simple rules. They are to: respect the privilege to enjoy the property or place in nature and tell no one where it is; no littering. When you need to visit the bush, dig a decent hole and cover it; if you need to smoke, take your cigarette butts home. It is not always possible to fill a hole after removing crystals, but as far as possible, do so. I also expect that you will not make an attempt to visit the place without getting my permission.

I hope that these guidelines can help you find a pocket. If you do strike it rich, please think of me :-)

Martin Rich · Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 127 Location: Lower Austria

Hello Pierre!

Thank you very, very much for your execution. Here in the European Alps, collecting quartz (and other minerals as well) is very similar to your area. Alpine clefts are showing in the most cases signs that not all collectors are able to read this sings and it is not easy to find such clefts. The host rock in the Alps is in the most cases gneiss, amphibolite, greenschist and other metamorphic rocks. If you are lucky enough, it is always a pleasure to dig out minerals from a cleft. I think this is the spirit of mineral collectors around the world!

Martin

PS: I agree fully with your last post.

Reinhardt van Vuuren · Joined: 10 Mar 2015 Posts: 55 Location: Port Elizabeth

This has been wonderful thank you. Hopefully soon Ill be able to share successful finds thanks to your guidance :)

Don Lum · Joined: 03 Sep 2012 Posts: 2900 Location: Arkansas

Pierre,

Thanks for taking us along on one of your quartz hunting outings. I enjoyed seeing pictures of you and Riana. It was a very well done report.

Regards,

Don

Peter · Posted: Mar 18, 2015 16:02 Post subject: Re: How to find a pocket? - (22)

Very nicely written and illustrated Pierre!

Pierre Joubert · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 1605 Location: Western Cape

Hi Martin, Reinhardt, Don and Peter. Thank you very much for the kind comments. I did also send Jordi a personal thank you for the privilege to post this contribution and the honour to have it featured.

Enrique Llorens · Joined: 02 Jun 2011 Posts: 406

Great post, and good new finds Pierre.

Regards,

Enrique.

Pierre Joubert · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 1605 Location: Western Cape

Reinhardt van Vuuren · Joined: 10 Mar 2015 Posts: 55 Location: Port Elizabeth

Hi Pierre,
Following your advice I went to a local beach where there were quartz outcrops, the quartz was milky and clearish in some parts, so I went about following quartz veins and looking in all the funny crevices as you explained and started seeing small crystal faces but nothing exciting after about half an hour of searching in between the rocks I found a large pocket of crystals but they were heavily water worn but this gave me big hope that there must be more decent crystals. I followed a vein a few meters up and found a small whole in the rock, there was small crystals peeking out at me so I put my fingers into this rain water filled whole only to feel a big crystal face, and my first pocket :D I worked to open the pocket and found my main specimen followed by a few smaller ones. I noticed there was red iron staining on some of the crystals and while digging around in the pocket came across an old rusty bolt that must have fallen into the pocket, as such I decided to remove the mayoralty of the iron staining on the crystals using warmed vinegar. I just want to thank you greatly for sharing these wonderful tools with us, its something that will be with me for many years to come. see attached photo's of my find.