FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Les Presmyk]

Your minerals and photography are a real pleasure to look at but I belive I am going to be the bearer of bad news. It looks to me like the apatite from Mexico is not just repaired but probably a crystal glued onto the matrix. As you can see in the photo, the base of the crystal does not touch any of the matrix. The miners over the years have learned, as have others throughout the world, that collectors prefer crystals on matrix to unattached single crystals.

[jaysminerals]

Hi Les
Thanks for your comment. Indeed the Apatite crystal looks like glued onto the matrix. I first thought that too. But look at the side shot photo. I left it a little bit to dark so that the structure of the matrix is better visible. I bought it from a friend of mine and he got the explanation that the crystal broke of during growth and then got "glued" back on by mother nature. But not by a "desperado". This is also the reason why I bought the piece. It got a nice Apatite crystal that tells a story.
Wonder what others think about it. Glued by nature or not?

[GneissWare]

Depending on the type of glue used, it may show up under UV lamp. Unfortunately, not all glues show. Look for darkness or differences in reflectivity at the point of attachment. Also, closely examine the crystal with a hand lens for evidence of glue. Based on the photo, if this is glued on, they did a nice job.

[jaysminerals]

Here is an even closer picture. Thanks for your tips GeissWare.

[jaysminerals]

And here is a new piece I recently acquired. It is a Knappenwand miniature. Hard to photograph. In real this piece is an absolutely pleasure 360° round. It comes from the 2009 new finds.

[Jordi Fabre]

It don't looks as glued to me. If you wish, you can check it immersing the specimen in Acetone during 10 hours (at least). Most of the glues dissolves with Acetone.

Jordi

[jaysminerals]

It has been quite a little while since I posted something. Here are three pieces I recently aquired.
An andradite with hedenbergite and quartz (especially the combination is rare). A prasem with hematite. Both pieces come from a recent new find from Serifos in Greece. Both measure about 8cm.
An a Pyrite from classical locality in Spain. I liked this one especiall because of the different intergrown crystals. Was only 12$. But sometimes cheap things are the best.

[jaysminerals]

Here I got a Manganite from the classic German locality Illfeld. I wonder what you guys think if the price was right for this thumbnail. 3 Euros.