FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Michael Shaw]

Thanks Tobi, Here's another piece from the same mine.

[Michael Shaw]

[Tobi]

[Michael Shaw]

Thanks Tobi, the volume of matrix that was removed was about equal to what is remains on the specimen currently. The trimmed off portion had a few nice but small calcite crystals on the dolomite, but it distracted from the dominant crystals. There is no better feeling than to have everything go according to plan when you undertake this kind of task :>)

[Michael Shaw]

[Michael Shaw]

[Fiebre Verde]

Nice little specimen Michael!
If am not mistaken, that variety is commonly called fuchsite.
Chrome Muscovite is pretty common in the Colombian emerald belts but I have never seen hexagonal crystals.
Gérard

[Michael Shaw]

[Michael Shaw]

[Michael Shaw]

I first ran across these interesting Colombian fluorites at the 2016 Tucson show. At that time most of the specimens had a fair amount of damage. I saw a few more pieces this past September at the Denver show. This specimen was collected in 2017 and it is relatively damage-free. In talking with the dealer, who is very familiar with the locality, these fluorites are found in the upper levels of the mine and good specimens are somewhat scarce. Apparently none were found this year. The mid levels of the mine produce some spectacular quartz clusters, and the emeralds are found in the lower mine levels.

[Fiebre Verde]

I have seen many samples of those chromium-rich fluorites - most of them badly damaged - yours is definitely a clean specimen!
Actually beryls and fluorites do mix in Peñas Blancas - two fluorite crystals can be seen in this specimen on the right of the main emerald.
Apologies for the poor quality of the photo.
Gérard

[Firmo Espinar]

Hi Michael.

Sadly all of these fluorites I´ve seen the last week in Bogotá and also now in Medellín were very damaged. The best specimens fly quickly to USA and Europe, i think. In Madrid 2018 were at least ten nice examples of these fluorites, and also in Expominer Barcelona 2018 we could see same of these green core fluorites.

My Peñas Blancas Mine specialist dealer in Medellín didn´t have any no damage fluorite, and he offers us only really junk in this occasion, pity. And this year the Peñas Blancas Mine quartzs are stretched further than before.

Congratulations Michael. Always you are constantly in touch with the market. And your acquisition is one of the best i´ve ever seen.

From the jungle.

[Michael Shaw]

Thank you for your comments Gérard and Firmo. It's always valuable to hear about what other collectors are finding available at shows and dealers outside the U.S.
Michael

[minsur]

Chromium is definitely a valuable option, especially in this part of the world;-)
I was told by my contacts that more probably rare earths, i.e Ytrrium, are responsible for the sometimes really bizarre zonal coloring - might result a bit difficult to really find out.

[Fiebre Verde]