FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[bob kerr]

Jim Gebels Fluorite Display

[bob kerr]

Bill and Sandy Bowman Display

[bob kerr]

Chen's HUGE Green Chinese Minerals

[bob kerr]

Terry Huizing's Dalnegorsk Minerals Display

[bob kerr]

Los Angeles County Museum Display

[bob kerr]

Minerals of Japan Display

[bob kerr]

Smithsonian Display

[bob kerr]

Arizona Minions Display

[bob kerr]

Rogerly Mine Display

[bob kerr]

Scott Rudolph's Tsumeb Case

[bob kerr]

And finally - Jim and Gail Spann entered their typically wonderful case of their trophies. I really like the background photos of their "happy place".

[bob kerr]

And - a few odds and ends.

First - this is a Kyanite from Merilani - WOW! - in Anton Watzl's booth.

[Herwig]

Dear Bob,
Many thanks for posting these "display case photos".

Tucson 2025 was a very unusual edition for us: due to some personal issues, we lost 3 days during the week of the Main Show.
That had a profound impact on the things we were still able to see and do.
One of the things we had to cut back on, was looking at the displays at the Main Show: in total, we were only able to spend less than 10 minutes enjoying them.
Very frustrating.

And that is why I enjoyed the end of your Tucson 2025 report even more!
Muchas gracias for undertaking the gigantic task to create this report (I know from experience how much work it is). :-))
Cheers, Herwig

[bob kerr]

Some final thoughts:

- there was very little that was new at the shows - at least I couldn't find anything.

- The Congos - both of them - seem to be the main source of new specimens - mainly secondary copper specimens. There were quite a few interesting malachites after something pseudomorphs.

- Dioptase - once a rare and sought after species - is now almost a commodity from both Congos. They are sometimes associated with malachite which makes for interesting associations - BUT the malachite tends to impact the luster - and not in a good way.

- The new Congo dioptases simply do not hold a candle to Tsumeb

- This was the first show in 38 years that Les and Paula Presmyk did not have a booth at the TGMS "Main" Show. They were still ultra busy though but I think happier!

- The display cases at the TGMS "Main" show were indeed good - but simply not great.

- The "major" dealers (exceptions - Evan Jones, Mike Bergman, Anton Watzl and Mustafa) do not sell at the TGMS Show. The have their own buildings now.

- Mineral City and the surrounding buildings have pretty much totally taken over as the heart of the mineral world in Tucson. The "Three Kings" so to speak - Crystal Classics (and others housed there), Trinchillo's White House and the Grenada Gallery - all near the site of the old Inn Suites house the true top end pieces.

- There are celebrations going on almost every night in and around Min City. LOTS to eat and drink. The main party again had a terrific band - this year it was a Santana tribute band, and they were really good.

So, that's it for 2025. Other additions to this thread are welcome - but it seems there's less interest this year - maybe because there's so many others doing video reports on Facebook?

bob

[Bob Morgan]

Thanks for your reports on what is wonderfully spectacular and stunningly beautiful. It's a real public service.
I go to Tucson for things that don't make these reports. This year I ran across two new sources of wonderful but affordable pyrite. Ambas Aguas has been reopened with great pyritohedra. They were in the 22nd Street tent. Another nearby locality was being marketed around the Mineral Coop. And the not quite so new Vera Cruz pyrites are most remarkable.
Out at the Miner Show along the interstate between Ina and Orange I found a quartz twisted along the a axis from Oklahoma- a real oddity. This show is out of campers and the back of pickups but always has something interesting - reminiscent of former days.
What's best can't be photographed. It's the conversations and friendships renewed each year. Nothing beats Tucson for that.