FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[2 Bar A]

Back to the collection, I have about 130 more pieces to identify, so here goes...

[Ed Huskinson]

Yep. Calcite. That's what I'd call it. Looks zoned. If you would be so kind as to post a photograph of the entire specimen one of us will be able to tell you where it's from. That should do it. If not, then a shot of the backside so we can see the matrix is called for.

This is fun, eh?

[2 Bar A]

Here is another view of #8

[2 Bar A]

Totally fun!

[2 Bar A]

And the other side

[Les Presmyk]

I had to leave something for John to comment on. I had not forgotten about liddicotite but just wanted to start the discussion about getting away from using tourmaline all of the time.

This calcite is going to be a bit tougher for a locality. Just keep them coming. My comments about trimming the lepidolite matrix were made before I checked the dimensions. The lepidolite probably does not need trimming but if the elbaite fits back on without any gaps then I recommend it be repaired.

Yes, this is fun, especially being out of touch for day and catching up on all of the activity.

[Singingstone48]

Hi,
You said you inherited this collection, correct? Many of us may be curious to know who the collector was and where he lived, and some of us might even know him. The specimens you have posted so far are better than you see in many mineral collections and show some care and intent in collecting. I'm not sure I completely understood your post. Did you inherit this collection 20 years ago? Or was the collection put together then and you just inherited it now? Just curious. Someday my daughter will have my collection, and I hope to leave it to her with the majority of the specimens catalogued and identified.

[Les Presmyk]

Steve, you read my mind. Thanks for asking all of the questions that inquiring minds want to know. This sure beats looking at another collection where the lady owned a gift shop and broke off all of the crystals to sell as trinkets.

[Ed Huskinson]

Hey everybody!!

I have something in my collection that is this calcite's twin bother. Or sister. But I cannot find lay my hand to it at the moment because it's buried in the mineral room somewhere. By buried I mean it would take a trackhoe with a 2 yard bucket and 18 ft reach to unearth it.

Here however, is a picture of one from the same area of the mine (Thanks Steve!!). It's from the Mariposa Mine, California Hill, Terlingua Mercury District, Brewster County, Texas. This one came to grass (as Bob Jones likes to say) easily, because I have it in my systematic collection under carbonates/calcite. It's a phantom with a bit of clayish material deposited on an interior plane. The one that is a twin to 2 Bar's displays the same phenomenon, except the coating material is cinnabar, bright red, just like 2-Bar's specimen.

I must admit that it would be a singularly remarkable coincidence if both calcites were of the same provenance. The Terlingua material is not well-known, although there is stuff out there. Most notable the phosphorescent calcite from Terlingua. Light it up with SW UV, turn the light off, and it glows for well over a minute. Except. All of this highly phosphorescent material that I have seen has been massive, no crystal faces, and it is white, generally with a reddish patch or patches (which appear to be due to the included HgS). I'll try this little crystal and we'll see if it fluoresces. If so, then we may have a diagnostic test for 2-Bar's calcite.

Sound reasonable? I'm off to buy batteries for the UV light.

Ed

[2 Bar A]

I discovered the collection in my basement ~ 1991. I was renting a house in Berkeley at the time. My landlord told me it had belonged to his ex-wife's family but had been left behind when she moved out. He did not want it and said I could have it. I don’t have any more information than that.

[2 Bar A]

Sorry for such a long intermission...ok, here comes the next specimen...#85, 7cmX4.25cm black crystals on a white base. I have no idea what it is.

[2 Bar A]

And here's our next specimen it almost looks like a dessert! No number on this guy, measures 14.5cmx12cm...

[2 Bar A]

One more till tomorrow #10-32a 11.5cmX9cm

[Edelmin]

Hi Barbara,

Your first specimen today is a group of neptunite crystals (black mineral) on a matrix of natrolite (white). It comes from the Dallas Gem mine, San Benito Co., California.

The second is probably a tourmaline specimen (black long crystals) on albite (white). It may be from Minas Gerais, Brazil, it is very similar to specimens I have in my collection from there (but I have no more precise locality information).

The last one looks as hemimorphite on limonite but I am not sure from the pictures. May be anyone else can give any other choice.

Regards,

Felix Garcia

[Ed Huskinson]

Hey 2 Bars. #85 is neptunite from the Benitoite mine in San Diego County. The white stuff is natrolite, makes a nice contrast, eh?

Congratulations again on your windfall.

Ed