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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 258
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Jul 28, 2017 13:31 Post subject: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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There are (at least) two fluorite museums in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District:
Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, Marion Kentucky
https://www.clementmineralmuseum.org/
(link normalized by FMF)
American Fluorite Museum, Rosiclare, IL
It’s easy and worthwhile to visit both in a single day. They are a short distance apart (60 min, 27 miles), separated by road and a ferry ride across the Ohio River. The Clements Museum has best displays of the two.
The former had a good selection of specimens for sale in museum shop. The latter had a much more limited selection in museum shop but good specimens were available in the local community.
I will post pictures from both of the museums in separate threads and acquired specimens under my collection section.
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35671 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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Some details for this specimen on next picture. |
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35635 Time(s) |
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Label with previous specimen. |
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35642 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35657 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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Following label provides some details for this specimen. |
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35667 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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Label provides some details for previous specimen. |
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35647 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Barite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35598 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Barite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35695 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35662 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35670 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35635 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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Apology for pricing, but the specimen is worth seeing. |
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35771 Time(s) |
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Mike Chontofalsky
Joined: 13 Sep 2013
Posts: 14
Location: Centralia, IL
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Posted: Jul 28, 2017 20:31 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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Very nice pictures. My wife and I had a very nice tour of the museum today. If you have the opportunity to visit this fine Museum please support it any way you can. Not surprising they have a shoe string budget.
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 258
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Jul 29, 2017 11:15 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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Good point about the shoestring budget for many of these museums. It was subject in all the small ones visited recently. Some have good shops to assist. The specimens for sale in Clements Museum were great & I post some pictures of them. The American Fluorite Museum (Rosiclare) appears to be really struggling now as shown in newspaper articles this year.
I attach some more pictures of specimens.
Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Hill-Ledford Mine, Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35488 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Bethel Level, Ozark-Mahoning group, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35512 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35441 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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The block behind indicates size of this specimen. |
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35493 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35487 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Hill-Ledford Mine, Rosiclare/Sub-Rosiclare level, Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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Collected late 1050s-early 1960s. |
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35501 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35456 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35452 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Calcite, Fluorite |
Locality: | Hill-Ledford Mine, Rosiclare/Sub-Rosiclare level, Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35538 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Hill-Ledford Mine, Rosiclare/Sub-Rosiclare level, Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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Weighs approx. 200 pounds. Note single cube of galena on top of the specimen. Collected c. 1960s. |
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35597 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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Note - the hands-on label!- sample dimensions from person sitting behind. |
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35459 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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Found on dump pile of mine ore in 1933 BABB/Crittenden Co., KY. |
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35760 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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I had to throw in at least one of these 'aqua blue' fluorites. I was fortunate to obtain one of these during travels. |
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A reminder of the end fate for most fluorite. It is an industrial product after all. |
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35479 Time(s) |
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Bob Carnein
Joined: 22 Aug 2013
Posts: 327
Location: Florissant, CO
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Posted: Jul 29, 2017 15:33 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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In 1983, shortly after Ben Clement's death, his son Ed was marketing the collection now housed in the Clement Museum for sale. I believe the price was $10,000, but that may be wishful thinking on my part. Hearing that he also had some Franklin, NJ material for sale, I went to visit Ed in Kentucky and bought a few nice fluorescents and an odd piece of colorless, transparent fluorite and possible holdenite coating ore from Sterling Hill. Luckily, I didn't have $10K at the time, and most collectors didn't value US fluorite nearly as highly as they do now. This probably saved the collection from being dispersed. I still treasure and display the pieces I bought, and remember Ed Clement as a fine gentleman devoted to his father's memory.
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Bob Harman
Joined: 06 Nov 2015
Posts: 765
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Posted: Jul 29, 2017 16:57 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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I have been to both museums twice. They are small, but nice and worth seeing especially because they are in, and part of, the Illinois - Kentucky fluorspar district. If you go, starting with either one, take the auto ferry across the Ohio River to see the other. The Ben Clement museum sponsors a dig at the Kentucky Eureka Prospect; I think it is in October. You will find middling quality pieces on that dig. I field collected on the Illinois side in 1998 thru about 2004. At that time you could still find nice middling quality stuff in the dumps and lining the parking lots of the Harris Creek district, North of Cave-in-Rock, Il.
See my pix collecting there in about 2004.
While the museum specimens are quite nice in both places, few examples are truly world class. One interesting note that I made was that the Kentucky fluorite, making up the majority of the Clement Museum examples was mostly the common dark purple cubes type with few examples of other colors or habits.
Ross Lillie was the Ozark-Mahoning company geologist in the last years of operation of the Harris Creek District in Illinois and amassed a world class collection from the miners. If his collection had been donated or sold as a lot to either museum it would have outclassed their specimens by a lot, but his collection was largely broken up and sold off. BOB
Locality: | Annabel Lee Mine, Harris Creek Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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Field collecting near the Annabel Lee Mine head frame. About March 2004 |
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On the shores of the Ohio River, Hardin County Illinois about March 2004 |
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 258
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Jul 31, 2017 00:37 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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A few more specimens.
Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Minerva I Mine, Ozark-Mahoning group, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35167 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35111 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Fairview Mine, Blue Diggings Fault, Rosiclare, Rosiclare Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35159 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35110 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Babb-Guill Mine, Babb Fault System, Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Livingston County, Kentucky, USA | |
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35144 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Rose Hill Mine, Hicks Dome, Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35298 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Spar Mountain Area, Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35156 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35101 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35132 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35113 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Baryte |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35114 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Calcite, Fluorite |
Locality: | Bethel Level, Ozark-Mahoning group, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35217 Time(s) |
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Fluorescent mineral display. |
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35135 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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35107 Time(s) |
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Kelvin Hu
Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 6
Location: Xiamen
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 00:48 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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Seems very few deep blue flourite produced in IL?!
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Jesse Fisher
Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 629
Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 10:40 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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The Minerva #1 mine was famous for blue fluorite and produced some very nice specimens in the 1980s and early 1990s. I would call the color "sky-blue" rather than "deep blue," however.
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Bob Harman
Joined: 06 Nov 2015
Posts: 765
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 11:43 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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As I previously noted, the Kentucky fluorite deposits were about 90% common dark purple cubes. The remaining small percentage were shades of purple and yellow in color.
The Illinois fluorite deposits, especially the Cave-in-Rock area including the Harris Creek District's 3 mines were quite variable in color. Shades of purple, blue, lavender, and several shades of yellow along with multiple colors in many cubes and specimens all were found. In general, the Illinois specimens were much more colorful than the Kentucky examples.
It also should be noted that there is still much ore in the ground. The mining rights are still owned by several local companies. If fluorite and ore prices again rise, mining might resume. One or two collector specimen mining concerns have, over the last few years or so, expressed interest in specimen mining in the district. The rising high prices for better collector specimens has spurred interest in this, but if many more collector specimens were to be found, high end prices might take a hit. BOB
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 258
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 15:45 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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More specimen, other pictures.
Re more ore in the ground and specimens. One of the companies mining for aggregate kin the area is stripping above one of the mines. This stripping apparently continues down into remaining pillars for fluorite mines and may expose some areas for collecting. They apparently have some specimens for sale, however, I did not have time to investigate further into quality or availability.
Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Bethel Level, Ozark-Mahoning group, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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35018 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34902 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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34920 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34899 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34939 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34950 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34899 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Calcite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34892 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34979 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Calcite |
Locality: | Minerva I Mine, Ozark-Mahoning group, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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34917 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Sphalerite |
Locality: | Minerva I Mine, Ozark-Mahoning group, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA | |
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34907 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Calcite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34946 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Calcite |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34926 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Calcite, Galena |
Locality: | Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, Illinois, USA | |
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34920 Time(s) |
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 258
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Aug 05, 2017 13:04 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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A few more specimens & that's it for my recent trip pictures of this museum.
Mineral: | Calcite |
Description: |
Tri State Lead-Zinc District, MO-OK-KS |
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34759 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Calcite |
Description: |
Tri State Lead-Zinc District, MO-OK-KS Purchased from Boodle Lane Collection. In museum shop. |
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34742 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Galena, Sphalerite, Marcasite, Dolomite |
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Tri State Lead-Zinc District, MO-OK-KS |
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34767 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Fluorite, Calcite |
Locality: | Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Central Tennessee Ba-F-Pb-Zn District, Smith County, Tennessee, USA | |
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34685 Time(s) |
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Mineral: | Dioptase |
Locality: | Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region, Namibia | |
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Mislabelled location in museum. An occasional occurrence. Worth mention to staff and sometimes they care. |
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34786 Time(s) |
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34731 Time(s) |
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34700 Time(s) |
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Mining - processing lab tools. |
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34724 Time(s) |
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Grinding media from processing plant. Appreciate the description as 'Ball Mill crusher'. |
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34769 Time(s) |
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k-m.minerals
Joined: 08 Mar 2023
Posts: 23
Location: Illinois
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Posted: Mar 12, 2023 21:05 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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Just recently took a trip to the Ben E. Clement museum! I wanted to include some of the photos I got while we were there. These were all shot through the case with only the lighting in the case available, and I'll include a shot of what the original photos would've looked like. It was an awesome experience to see so much high-quality fluorite in one spot! Also good practice for creating and editing studio-like photos for specimens! I hope you enjoy these pieces & photos.
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This was an awesome yellow corner collected by Ben Clement. |
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10463 Time(s) |
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Two spectacular purple cubes intersecting. |
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10438 Time(s) |
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Witherite specimen from the KY/IL mining district |
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10417 Time(s) |
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A very cool speckling of Galena on Fluorite from Gaskins Mine |
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10439 Time(s) |
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A very rich aqua blue specimen! |
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10472 Time(s) |
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I was in love with the coloration on this one. |
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10439 Time(s) |
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A very neat specimen from the rare Alcoa Mine! The stacking of the cubic formations reminded me a lot of the typical appearance of Pakistan Fluorite! |
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10435 Time(s) |
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A very clean double corner with vivid color! |
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10467 Time(s) |
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That deep blue & purple with such clarity is a big wow! |
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10444 Time(s) |
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A very nice & glassy raspberry piece |
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10482 Time(s) |
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Calcite on Fluorite from the Bethel Level. |
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10490 Time(s) |
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This is what the lighting and color looked like straight out of the camera. A lot of editing and post-work, but I think the end result is worth it! I love making specimens float. |
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10458 Time(s) |
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Robert Seitz
Joined: 29 Dec 2015
Posts: 258
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Mar 12, 2023 21:10 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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k-m.minerals,
Since you recently visited, is the fluorite museum in Rosiclare still open?
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k-m.minerals
Joined: 08 Mar 2023
Posts: 23
Location: Illinois
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Posted: Mar 12, 2023 21:14 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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Sadly, I don't believe so. It's my understanding that they've been broken into twice now, and set on fire both times as well. The most recent incident (which had to be a few years back) took too much of a toll on the museum. What wasn't stolen was most likely damaged by the fire. I don't think they've been open since :(
It's disheartening to see people be so careless with such a core piece of history for the area. Those specimens were irreplaceable.
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k-m.minerals
Joined: 08 Mar 2023
Posts: 23
Location: Illinois
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Posted: Mar 13, 2023 15:34 Post subject: Re: Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum -- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District |
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Wanted to add some more photos, including some from the "WOW" room, which displays fluorite specimens that are backlit to show off color, zoning, and formation.
Description: |
My favorite specimen of the WOW room, because WOW!!! The composition and color of this specimen are amazing. |
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10349 Time(s) |
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10328 Time(s) |
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An awesome blue / yellow core specimen from the Clement collection room. |
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10338 Time(s) |
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10370 Time(s) |
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A petroleum covered fluorite corner! |
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10302 Time(s) |
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A purple specimen with insane etching |
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10319 Time(s) |
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A nice purple corner specimen |
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10351 Time(s) |
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