FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Dave Varabioff]

Pictures do not do it justice. You get lost in and in all of it when you see it in person :-)

[Dave Varabioff]

And then of course the other side :-)

[Bob Harman]

All these recent pix of gold and crocoite are very nice.......great new specimens, but I would like to see them as part of their full context. Are they being taken to Tucson to be in display cases or be for sale. If for sale are they already spoken for or available (no prices, just status).
BOB

[Dave Varabioff]

I am going to ask the admin and Peter how I can answer this question and stay within guidelines and policy of both this forum and the main show. I will respond accordingly after I get in touch with them

Dave

[Jordi Fabre]

[Bob Harman]

Okay, then I will rephrase my question. Will your newly collected specimens be on display in Tucson, and, if so, where? BOB

[bob kerr]

There is indeed a fine line between advertising and informing. From my perspective, I post photos of special specimens that I think would be of interest to anyone who is into mineralogy. I also think these special specimens will soon disappear from public view - so this may be the only time the public will get a chance to see them.

But I think we all recognize that some level of advertising is intrinsically involved in these posts - just don't over do it.

The new crocoites are brought to Tucson for sale from The Adelaide Mining Company who have had the same room (241) at the HTCC for years. A basic internet search will provide all contact info for them.

bob

[Bob Harman]

Thanks Bob K,

I personally have no commercial interest in the new specimens. However field collecting for many years and being privileged to find some hi quality examples, I have always been especially interested in seeing truly new hi quality specimens being found in other parts of the world. When attending Tucson, and other shows, I make a special effort to see the newly found material. Bob

[Dave Varabioff]

I will be on display in room 422 at the HTCC before the main show.

Dave

[Byron Anderson]

Dave

Thank you for posting the field photos. That is truly an incredible find! I especially love the photo of the specimen covered in manganese oxide. You can see the potential teasing us through the veneer. I would have needed to be resuscitated.

[Dave Varabioff]

Yea Byron it was an incredible day, it was one of many specimens out of the same pocket that day. Took about 5 hours with the chainsaw and then we got to pull 5 major pieces. They are still being prepared but this was in the same pocket!

Dave

[Joseph DOliveira]

More venues are starting to open as the show makes it's gradual build up to the official opening. This specimen was so large a crane had to be employed to remove it from the truck.

[bob kerr]

Spent most all day today down and around the various mineral shows - pretty much an arrival and setup day but still many dealers were open. Here's a brief summary:
- Only a very few rooms are open at the HTCC - many more each day to come - and Jewel Tunnel Imports (Rock Currier's old business) will be opening at 9am Tuesday morning. Crystal Springs mining was one of the early openers with the usual very bright entrance way just off the main lobby - see photos. they had some very nice Brazilian golds and some unique chalcedonies after gypsum?? - see photos. The Ballroom is scheduled to open thursday morning at 10am.
- Top Gem Minerals will hold it's grand opening on Wednesday morning at 10am
- quite a few dealers were open in and around the Top Gem/Sun Gems area. the Top Gem annex which includes the Ramoses' with excellent Peruvian minerals, Minerama, Clive Quite and Rocco's - all were open and doing a brisk business - photo attached.
- the Sun Gem area was also mostly open - and the Crystal Classic's people had leftover rogerly fluorites at double keystone - lots of great deals.
- the new show that is to occur behind the Sun Gem facility is scheduled to open this friday but there may be a construction delay - see photo - there's quite a bit yet to be done.
- the La Fuente facility which houses a second Jewel Tunnel Imports as well as a number of other dealers is planning to open Wednesday also.
- The TNMS is scheduled to open Feb 5 with a Feb 4th evening showing by invitation only.
- a number of dealers - anchored my Mikon Minerals from Germany is opening in the old Executive Inn - now the Fortuna Inn - later this week.

An observation - the area in and around the old La Fuente/Top Gem/Elks is rapidly becoming a mineral hot spot rivaled only by the HTCC.

Lots more to come - stay tuned.,
bob

[Dave Varabioff]

This beautiful baby that I have called "The Angel" will be on display ahead of the main show on room 422 of HTCC along with numerous other new finds from the Colorado Quartz!

Dave

[bob kerr]

I spent the entire day today down at the HTCC - first to check out the Jewel Tunnel Import (JTI) opening then to check out other open rooms. Most rooms are still in setup mode but there are a good many open also.
- JTI had the usual tables of reasonably priced gift shop material and a few groups of minerals - grape agates, aegerines, brucites and some semi interesting quartzes from Columbia with yellowish bases - see photo
- the Axinite PM room - excellent Russian minerals especially Dalnegorsk - was open with a new shipment arriving just today, so much of the material on display was not all new but they did have a nice group of small Ukrainian heliodors - more to report from this room.
- stopped at the room of Geologic Desires (Mike Walter) who had two new items - crystallized graphite (self collected) and gem sphalerite - both from New York. These are both excellent - best to just look at the photos.
- visited Mustafa's (Fine Arts Minerals) room who was in the middle of room setup but still agreed to a pre-sale viewing - tourmaline on kunzite, quartz on tourmaline, apatite on quartz and beautiful aquas - top level specimens - again, best to see the photos.
- many of the Chinese dealers had good numbers of those blue/purple fluorites - gemmy, rich blue/purple and quite expensive. These do seem to be a "must have" though for either fluorite or China specialists - seem a good year to do it.
- lots of chatter about the new Rogerley Mine fluorites (UK Mining Ventures) - the Bruces were advertising a Jumpstart for Thursday at 4:30pm - could be a feeding frenzy as these are truly great pieces.

Tomorrow is the Top Gem opening as well as the La Fuente (JTI take 2 plus others) - and lots more rooms will be opened at the HTCC.

bob