FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Peter Megaw]

Jordi and John have aked me to say a bit about myself and why I might have something to contribute as a moderator. I am an over-educated, recovering-academic geologist/mineralogist who spends most of my time explorating for silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper mines in Mexico. I fell in love with Mexico as a country in 1971, fell in love with her geology in 1976 and her minerals almost immediately thereafter. I quit working for Big Companies iin 1982 to get a PhD in Economic Geology (Mineralogy minor) at the University of Arizona and then consult. I was fortunate to get the entire Santa Eulalia District in Chihuahua for my PhD study area (read... playground) and from there worked outwards into her sister Carbonate Replacement Deposits worldwide (Naica, Ojuela, Lamentos, etc.). Being hooked on silver, I also ventured into epithermal vein deposits, which are plentiful in Mexico. The fates have been kind...my consulting team has made several major ore-deposit discoveries over the last 20 years, some of which have produced some nice specimens (Platosa, Durango for example) and others that will someday (Fresnillo West, Zacatecas). We have also acquired a number of specimen producing localities Batopilas, Flor de Pena, Minillas etc.) in the hopes that someday we will have time to collect them ourselves.

Ed Huskinson got me started collecting minerals seriously when we overlapped at the University of Texas, Austin in 1977 and he brought me to my first Tucson Show...introducing me both to Miguel Romero and the means to pay for a rapidly growing mineral habit. Ed encouraged me to focus on Santa Eulalia, which I did until branching out (while paring back from the ret of the world) to Mexico as a whole 6 years ago. (Wulfenite, sulfosalts and pseudomorphs remain foci as well). I moved to Tucson in 1979 and have gotten deeply involved in the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, primarily working with exhibits, but also speaking and selling off the odd duplicates acquired on the road (and triplicates, quadruplicates etc.). Being of academic background, I tend to write a lot, give talks at shows whenever possible, and chime in on this website when it seems appropriate. I am also partially responsible for unleashing my daughter Lauren on the unsuspecting mineral collecting world, where she seems to be thriving.

One of the beauties of being focused on Mexico is that I can appreciate minerals from everywhere else...liberated of the need to possess them. (More baldly put, this lets me focus my coveteness on a narrow range so my acquisition efforts stay highly targeted). Regardless of where things come from, I like mineral collections that have a geologic context...either coming from the same locality or deposit type, or have a coherent mineralogic, crystallographic or morphologic context. I do NOT discriminate for or against on the basis of size (micros to museum size are fine) or who owns them...unless they are jerks. I love aesthetically "ikonic" pieces, but mostly when they are in one of the above contexts with other specimens. I am also nuts about mining and mineralogical history, especially old mines and early collectors.

All this has led me into many of the world's major mineral museums and into friendships with a broad spectrum of the world's mineralogists, curators and collectors....which is what makes it all worthwhile. I look forward to pitching in here, although I am not sure how moderate a moderator I will be...I enjoy stirring the pot and challenging conventional and unconventional "wisdom". I have the (mis)fortune of being the child of 2 English professors, so if you need help with a manuscript I'm happy to help.

If you want anymore...ask...meantime, let's skip to some specimens

[Ed Huskinson]

Nice minerals Pete! For some reason, Jeff's photographs look so much better than my blurry snapshots. Go figure.

Thank you for your kind words vis-a-vis UT. It's good to think back to the times when we had no money, but the enthusiasm sure made up for it. Miserite indeed.

Merry Christmas to you, Allison, Lauren, and to everyone on FMF.

Ed in Kingman

Here's a fantasy photo to befit the season....

[Peter Megaw]

Ed...I'll see your miserite and raise you a manganobabingtonite!


Merry Christmas to all...again!

[KDF-TX]

Hi Peter, I have an "Ex Peter Megaw" labeled specimen in my collection (I hope; I trust the seller...).
Apatite from Cerro de Mercado, Durango, Durango, Mexico.
It would probably be better trimmed to make a couple nice minatures, but I'd hate to ruin it.
I need to take better pics too (Ebay photo).
I really enjoyed the Pala DVD with Lauren and the other kids. It seems she's already a prominant collector and role model for the new generation.
Appreciate you,
Kevin

[Peter Megaw]

Kevin, that looks like something that might have passed through my hands... However, it was never in my collection...I do know of a couple of dealers who put "from the collection of" a collector even when it was never more than sale stock.