| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
James Catmur
Site Admin
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 1461
Location: Cambridge
|
 Posted: Jul 21, 2016 10:19 Post subject: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
Pierre ( Cleaning Pyrite )
The incredible thing is that if you walk up almost any valley in that area of Spain you will find pyrite cubes (I have done it and it worked). Those on the surface will be oxidised and you may only find small ones, but you will find some. The well known localities are those that produce large ones that are often brilliant.
I think the largest mass I have ever seen was about 40cm across, but it had bad pyrite rot. I have some 'shells' in my collection where the inner core has vanished and only the outer goethite remains. Not sure which valley they came from.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Jul 21, 2016 11:02 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| James wrote: | Pierre
The incredible thing is that if you walk up almost any valley in that area of Spain you will find pyrite cubes (I have done it and it worked). Those on the surface will be oxidised and you may only find small ones, but you will find some. The well known localities are those that produce large ones that are often brilliant.
I think the largest mass I have ever seen was about 40cm across, but it had bad pyrite rot. I have some 'shells' in my collection where the inner core has vanished and only the outer goethite remains. Not sure which valley they came from. |
Fascinating! Do you have any photos of such valleys? I communicate quite often with a few people in Spain and have been invited. Perhaps someday! Regards.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Carles Millan
Site Admin
Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 1531
Location: Catalonia
|
| Posted: Jul 21, 2016 11:23 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| Pierre Joubert wrote: | | Fascinating! Do you have any photos of such valleys? I communicate quite often with a few people in Spain and have been invited. Perhaps someday! Regards. |
Here there are, Pierre https://piritasdenavajun.com/Fotografia%20en.htm
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Jul 21, 2016 12:21 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| Carles Millan wrote: | | Pierre Joubert wrote: | | Fascinating! Do you have any photos of such valleys? I communicate quite often with a few people in Spain and have been invited. Perhaps someday! Regards. |
Here there are, Pierre https://piritasdenavajun.com/Fotografia%20en.htm |
Thank you Carles. I must visit this place. Navajun looks like a scene from a cowboy movie.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
James Catmur
Site Admin
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 1461
Location: Cambridge
|
| Posted: Jul 21, 2016 14:36 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
Pierre
It is a very dry region where life must have been very tough as they farmed narrow terraces with little rain. So most villages are partially deserted and great to explore (with care).
Look up Navajun on Google maps then use the satellite and street views and you will get an excellent idea what it is like. Go to where the road LR390 crosses the Barranco del Gustal and use street view to get a good idea. I think I collected up the Barranco de Salmaro, but it was 25 years ago!
James
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Jul 22, 2016 03:26 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| James wrote: | Pierre
It is a very dry region where life must have been very tough as they farmed narrow terraces with little rain. So most villages are partially deserted and great to explore (with care).
Look up Navajun on Google maps then use the satellite and street views and you will get an excellent idea what it is like. Go to where the road LR390 crosses the Barranco del Gustal and use street view to get a good idea. I think I collected up the Barranco de Salmaro, but it was 25 years ago!
James |
Thank you James. I love these quiet and remote places. I will visit Google and have a look. If you or someone else have more photos from this area, I will appreciate it. Best regards.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5020
Location: Barcelona
|
| Posted: Jul 22, 2016 06:28 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| Pierre Joubert wrote: | | ...If you or someone else have more photos from this area, I will appreciate it... |
This is promising, so I separated, renamed, and reorganized the posts related to this topic with the hope that it would generate a nice new thread ;-)
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
James Catmur
Site Admin
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 1461
Location: Cambridge
|
| Posted: Jul 22, 2016 07:12 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
Pierre
It is certainly quiet and remote! A great area to visit and in some ways very beautiful but in others very sad. I do have a few photos from 1990, but I would need to scan them.
Have a look at this hike through the area near the mine (in Spanish): https://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=7501600 Just click on the photos
James
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Jul 22, 2016 07:23 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| James wrote: | Pierre
It is certainly quiet and remote! A great area to visit and in some ways very beautiful but in others very sad. I do have a few photos from 1990, but I would need to scan them.
James |
It will be welcome! That is about 25 years ago. I wonder if much have changed.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
James Catmur
Site Admin
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 1461
Location: Cambridge
|
| Posted: Jul 22, 2016 07:29 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| Not much has changed, except things will be even more ruined. Do look at that hike and the photos of it (English version of site, but not description on: https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=7501600 Look at the photo 'Vista de la mina de pirita' to see the mine from above)
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
supertxango
Joined: 15 Jul 2012
Posts: 135
Location: Madrid
|
| Posted: Jul 27, 2016 11:41 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
Hi Pierre and colleagues!
Here you have some contemporary pictures from one of the most well known places, Ampliación a Victoria Mine in Navajún.
I hope you enjoy them and if you come to Spain please tell me and I´ll go with you because it´s an exciting place to collect minerals.
Regards!
| Locality: | | Ampliación a Victoria Mine, De Alcarama Range, Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain |  |
|
| Description: |
| Navajun town and surroundings |
|
| Viewed: |
32337 Time(s) |
|
| Locality: | | Ampliación a Victoria Mine, De Alcarama Range, Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain | |
|
| Description: |
|
| Viewed: |
32334 Time(s) |
|
| Locality: | | Ampliación a Victoria Mine, De Alcarama Range, Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain | |
|
| Description: |
| Pyrites ready to go to my home! |
|
| Viewed: |
32358 Time(s) |
|
| Locality: | | Ampliación a Victoria Mine, De Alcarama Range, Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain | |
|
| Description: |
|
| Viewed: |
32317 Time(s) |
|
| Locality: | | Ampliación a Victoria Mine, De Alcarama Range, Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain | |
|
| Description: |
| The gallery where probably the most beautiful pyrites have been found |
|
| Viewed: |
32290 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Jul 27, 2016 12:39 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| supertxango wrote: | Hi Pierre and colleagues!
Here you have some contemporary pictures from one of the most well known places, Ampliación a Victoria Mine in Navajún.
I hope you enjoy them and if you come to Spain please tell me and I´ll go with you because it´s an exciting place to collect minerals.
Regards! |
Thank you very much Supertxango! I hope we see many more pictures from this area, also from off the beaten track. If and when I plan to visit Spain, I will most certainly let you know. Best regards.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
supertxango
Joined: 15 Jul 2012
Posts: 135
Location: Madrid
|
| Posted: Jul 27, 2016 13:01 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
You are welcome Pierre. A nice pyrite collected in my last trip to the mine. I love it!
| Mineral: | Pyrite |
| Locality: | | Ampliación a Victoria Mine, De Alcarama Range, Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain | |
|
| Dimensions: | 10x5x4 cm. |
| Description: |
|
| Viewed: |
32359 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Les Presmyk
Joined: 06 Dec 2007
Posts: 372
Location: Gilbert, AZ
|
| Posted: Jul 27, 2016 13:11 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
| I am ready to go. Beautiful country and really good collecting. Heaven on earth.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
James Catmur
Site Admin
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 1461
Location: Cambridge
|
| Posted: Aug 08, 2016 08:03 Post subject: Re: The incredible valleys with Pyrite cubes in La Rioja, Spain |
|
|
This is what the area looked like in 1990 (sorry it took a while, Pierre). The first photo is similar to the one of it now, loaded by supertxango so you can see what has changed in 25 years
| Locality: | | Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain | |
|
| Description: |
| Taken in 1990. The church and the village of Navajún |
|
| Viewed: |
31809 Time(s) |
|
| Locality: | | Ampliación a Victoria Mine, De Alcarama Range, Navajún, Comarca Cervera, La Rioja, Spain | |
|
| Description: |
| Taken in 1990. The village of Navajún |
|
| Viewed: |
31763 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ 
Register
Log in
Forgotten your password?
