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Cecil Bankston
Joined: 18 Mar 2010
Posts: 12
Location: Louisiana
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 Posted: Jan 08, 2011 14:28 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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| The specimens and pictures are very impressive. Are there any photos of the collecting areas you could post?
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 820
Location: MA
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| Posted: Jan 12, 2011 11:21 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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| Mike, great finds,I'm sure they didn't just fall into your hands. I wonder if the natural calving of the sea cliffs is your ally and are the pockets encountered gas pockets or brecciations? I also know the joys of the sharp end and "Going where no man has gone before!", mostly on rappel. Bold collecting Mike, lets see more!
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Jan 13, 2011 17:38 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Thanks guys, to answer a few points; the locations are invariably from boulders at the foot of the big sea-cliffs (made of tertiary basalt lava flows), which fringe much of the west coast of the isle of skye. I have been exploring the area for zeolites which mostly occur within gas cavities in the basalt lavas. I haven't yet resorted to rappel methods, nor taken to the seas; my philosophy is to try explore as far as possible without getting wet! And have fun doing it - I don't always find stuff when covering new ground but the impressive scenery more than compensates.
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| The 'beach' to the south of Talisker Bay, Isle of Skye, at low tide. Sep. 2010. |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Mar 20, 2011 07:51 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Then again, some of the Isle of Skye coastline looks like this, on a nice day. The calcite locality of Biod a Mhurain is in the centre of the photograph. It is very difficult to access!
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| Isle of Skye coastline at it's most beautiful - the 'Wilderness' area (Duirinish), about 6 miles (10km) south of Moonen Bay. The locality of Biod a Mhurain is approximately in the centre of the photograph. June 2008. |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Mar 20, 2011 08:49 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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This view is from the cliff-top 600 feet (200m) above Oisgill Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye. This beach locality is relatively easy to access, but the huge vertical sea-cliffs are a constant threat for rockfall. My friend D.M. was there one time, near the large boulders on the beach and away from the big cliffs, when a massive rockfall occurred probably involving hundreds of tons of rock, which sent a dust-cloud over the bay which obscured the sun for about 30 minutes!
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| Cliff-top above Oisgill Bay, Isle of Skye. March 2007.Tertiary basalt lava flows are easily seen in the 600' (200m) vertical sea-cliff. The even bigger cliff-top in the middle distance is called Waterstein Head (nearly 1000' high or 270m) and tucked in behind it is Moonen Bay. |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 21, 2011 06:35 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Right then, time for some more zeolites and related minerals from the Isle of Skye.
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Gyrolite + Apophyllite on Thomsonite
Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
The larger gyrolite ball is 12 mm across.
Nice little thumbnail specimen; self-collected from Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, in 1996. |
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26055 Time(s) |
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Gyrolite on Thomsonite
Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Field of view approx. 30 mm x 22 mm.
Self-collected from Moonen Bay in 1996. |
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26074 Time(s) |
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Gyrolite on Thomsonite
Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
9 cm x 4 cm x 6 cm high
Some of the gyrolite shows alteration to a white powdery mineral. Self-collected from Moonen Bay in 1996. |
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26249 Time(s) |
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Gyrolite + Apophyllite on Analcime
Inbhir a' Gharraidh, Duirinish peninsula, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Field of view approx. 6 cm across
Self-collected from Inbhir a' Gharraidh, Duirinish, Isle of Skye in 1998. This locality is about 600m NW of MacLeods' Maidens - which are two or three prominent sea-stacks (pinnacles). If there was a scale of difficulty to access this place, it would be seven (assuming Sgurr nam Boc is grade five !). |
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26032 Time(s) |
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Laumontite on 'Mesolite'
'Glen Caladale', Loch Eynort, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Laumontite sprays 10 mm high
Small brown calcite crystal: 3mm
A small (3mm) brown calcite crystal sits on top of the laumontite sprays which are 10mm high. Self-collected in 1996 from 'Glen Caladale' - a coastal locality near Loch Eynort, Isle of Skye. I keep the specimen in a clear sealed box and so far, it hasn't crumbled to bits. |
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26033 Time(s) |
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Levyne
Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Crystals to 7 mm
Levyne crystals to 7mm in a gas cavity in basalt 16mm across. The thin blue layer lining the cavity is a clay - like mineral. The broken edges of some of the levyne crystals show the white fibrous epitaxial overgrowths of (erionite/offretite). Self-collected in 1994 from Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland. |
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26078 Time(s) |
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Levyne
Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Levyne crystals to 9 mm on small clear Analcime crystals
Levyne crystals to 9mm on small clear Analcime crystals. Most of the crystals are undamaged and this is the best specimen I have found of levyne. Self-collected in 2010 from Moonen Bay. |
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26040 Time(s) |
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Epistilbite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Crystals to 5 mm
Crystals to 5mm on quartz, with a little ?mordenite. The cavity is 23mm x 18mm. Self-collected in 1996 from Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye. |
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26039 Time(s) |
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Epistilbite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Largest 'ball' is 6 mm x 4 mm. Cavity is 3 cm x 2 cm.
Epistilbite in single crystals and aggregates - largest 'ball' is 6mm x 4mm. Cavity is 3cm x 2cm. Self-collected in 1997 from Sgurr nam Boc.
{Ref:- Green,D.I. & Wood,M. (1996) Epistilbite from the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Journal of the Russell Society 6(2), p85-87. |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 30, 2011 08:08 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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More zeolites from the Isle of Skye,Scotland.
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Cowlesite
Oisgill Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Grey balls of cowlesite to <1mm on 25 mm x 10 mm gas pocket in the basalt
Cowlesite. A gas pocket in the basalt lava (25mm x 10mm) hosts an aggregate of grey balls of cowlesite (to <1mm). It looks very similar to the more common thomsonite but it forms much smaller balls; and tends to occur with other rarer zeolites such as levyne phillipsite, garronite. Self-collected in 1999 from Oisgill Bay, Isle of Skye. |
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25937 Time(s) |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 30, 2011 09:45 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Heulandite from the Isle of Skye.
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Heulandite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Specimen measures 17 x 6 x 5 cm
Pink Heulandite crystals to 10 mm
Pink Heulandite crystals to 10mm with some white 'cauliflower' stilbites. Specimen measures 17 x 6 x 5cm. Self-collected in 1992 from Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye. |
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25929 Time(s) |
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Heulandite + stilbites + micro crystallized quartz
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Specimen measures 63 x 45 x 35 mm.
Large curved Heulandite crystals with small stilbites and micro crystallised quartz. Specimen measures 63 x 45 x 35mm. Self-collected 1992 from Sgurr nam Boc. |
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25923 Time(s) |
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Heulandite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Crystals to 7 mm
Pink Heulandite crystals to 7mm; specimen is 48 x 26mm. Self-collected in 1992 from Sgurr nam Boc. |
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25964 Time(s) |
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Heulandite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Field of view 4 cm across.
Crystals to 4 mm with thin platy stilbite crystals to 10 mm.
Pink Heulandite crystals to 4mm with thin platy stilbite crystals to 10mm. Field of view 4cm across. Self-collected in 1994 from Sgurr nam Boc. |
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25965 Time(s) |
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Heulandite + chabazite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Specimen is 4 cm x 2 cm.
Heulandite crystals to 12mm on very small friable chabazite crystals.
Heulandite crystals to 12mm on very small friable chabazite crystals. Specimen is 4 cm x 2 cm. Self-collected in 2002 from Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye. |
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25936 Time(s) |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 18, 2013 05:18 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Now where was I ?
Oh yes; more heulandite from the Isle of Skye...
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Heulandite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
25 cm x 10 cm x7 cm
Very large specimen of pink heulandite crystals to 15mm, with a few white stilbite crystals to 20mm. A lucky find - only took me 30 minutes to extract it. Found by crawling under an enormous boulder; it was in another boulder below it. Spent three days breaking rock to find more cavities and only found one more - a smaller cavity - at the end of the third day !
Self-collected 2007 from Sgurr nam Boc. |
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23119 Time(s) |
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Heulandite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
16 cm x 12 cm x 8 cm
The largest heulandite crystal I have collected - it measures 80mm x 50mm. There are smaller heulandite crystals to 25mm and stilbite crystals to 25mm attached to the large crystal, all lustrous, resting on a bed of coloured chabazite crystals to 10mm, and a mesolite spray. The mineral combination appears to be unique to this boulder, near the south end of the beach.
The specimen is repaired - it split in half - right down the middle of the big crystal ! But no way was I going to leave it like that, so I glued the two halves back together. Sorry.
Self-collected 2006 from Sgurr nam Boc. |
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23095 Time(s) |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 18, 2013 05:31 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Sgurr nam Boc a few weeks ago
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Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland
View looking North from the beach at Sgurr nam Boc. The cliff is over 600 feet high ! (~200m).
Nice day for it !! |
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23112 Time(s) |
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supertxango
Joined: 15 Jul 2012
Posts: 135
Location: Madrid
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| Posted: May 18, 2013 15:25 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Hi Mike,
Heulandite specimens are really nice with good color and shape. And also the place looks very interesting and nice. Good and hard discovery.
Thank you for share,
Juan H
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 19, 2013 10:51 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Thank you Juan, yes it's a very nice part of the world, but only if the weather is good ! Most of the time it is not good - we were very lucky this time. Camped in a tent and sunny every day, for eight days ! Cold at night though (-5C to -8C) which is pretty unusual for Skye.
| Description: |
Mesolite + Stilbite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
9 cm high x 5 cm x 4 cm
Superb mesolite 'ball' 50mm across, with white stilbite crystals, resting on coloured chabazite crystals. The mesolite ball is not complete; it is cleaved across the back - but it displays well ! From the same boulder as the previous photographed specimen. Self-collected 2006. |
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22903 Time(s) |
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Mesolite
Talisker Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
6 cm x 5 cm x 4 cm
Mesolite crystals to 13mm in analcime-lined gas cavity in basalt rock.
Self-collected 1988. |
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22892 Time(s) |
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Mesolite + Chabazite
Moonen Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
70 mm x 55 mm high x 25 mm
Mesolite in attractive radiating clusters to 13mm across on pink twinned chabazite crystals. From the south end of Moonen Bay.
Self-collected 1997. |
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22884 Time(s) |
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Mordenite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
10 cm x 5 cm x 6 cm deep
Mordenite in delicate crystals to 10mm long with a few stilbite crystals, in a quartz-lined cavity in basalt. This zeolite mineral is very silica-rich and to my knowledge is only found at this locality (on Skye, that is), where quartz is plentiful.
Self-collected 1998. |
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22862 Time(s) |
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Joan Martinez Bruguera
Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Posts: 62
Location: Sant Esteve de Palautordera (Barcelona)
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| Posted: May 19, 2013 11:46 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Hello Mike
Good stories from a collector of minerals in this interesting area of zeolites in the lava flows of the Isle of Skye.
Beautiful specimens!
Regards
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supertxango
Joined: 15 Jul 2012
Posts: 135
Location: Madrid
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| Posted: May 19, 2013 13:23 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Mike, congratulations for having the opportunity of enjoying this beautiful place, even with the cold. I was in Scotland but only a few days, visiting Edimbourgh and the most touristic places. I would like to go again and enjoy a little bit more and visit places that you have shown to us. Also here in Madrid and in Spain in general is really bit cold for this month. Mesolites and mordenites are also really nice.
Regards,
Juan H
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 22, 2013 13:30 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Thank you Joan and Juan for your appreciative comments; I love to go to Skye for mineral collecting - it is quiet and scenic, but some of the coastal localities are difficult to get to, unless of course you are good at climbing. You may have noticed the date the specimens were collected - none of them are from my last visit at Easter this year !
Meantime I shall continue to post photographs approximately in order of zeolites and related minerals from the basalt lavas, and some locality photo's for added interest.
| Description: |
Mesolite or Natrolite
Sgurr nam Boc, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
9 cm high x 6 cm x 4 cm
Large 'mesolite' crystals collected from wave-cut platform at south end of beach at Sgurr nam Boc. I have a recollection that this material was tested, and it may be natrolite - but I can't remember now !
It is certainly the largest of its type I have seen from Skye. Self-collected 2003. |
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22735 Time(s) |
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Laumontite
Sgurr nam Fiadh, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
6 cm x 5 cm x 3 cm
Fresh laumontite crystals (largest is 14mm) from a large cavity at sea-level in the cliff at Sgurr nam Fiadh. The mineral has been kept in water and so far it has not dehydrated and still looks fresh.
Self-collected 1998. |
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22723 Time(s) |
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Natrolite + Laumontite
Sgurr nam Fiadh, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
8 cm x 8 cm x 4 cm
Natrolite or mesolite crystals to 12 mm on white crystals that used to be laumontite, but have most likely dehydrated as the specimen has been stored dry. I have had similar material tested from this locality and it proved to be natrolite - courtesy of Alan Dyer - but not this same material.
This locality is 5km south of Talisker Bay and - you guessed it - very difficult to access !
Self-collected 2006.
Self-collected 2004. |
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22701 Time(s) |
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Sgurr nam Fiadh, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Sgurr nam Fiadh from the south (looking north).
The highest point of the cliff is nearly 900 feet high (260m).
April 2012. |
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22715 Time(s) |
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Antonio Alcaide
Site Admin
Joined: 23 Aug 2009
Posts: 314
Location: Spain
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| Posted: May 22, 2013 14:23 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Lovely zeolites, Mike, and amazing spots. I am reading this thread with true interest.
Regards
_________________
Life is the shortest crystal |
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Tim Blackwood
Joined: 19 May 2013
Posts: 29
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: May 22, 2013 15:44 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Absolutely amazing specimens, Mike. Thank you for sharing them. I've never seen a fresh, fully hydrated laumontite before.
Best wishes,
Tim
Cohasset, Minnesota, USA
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GneissWare
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 1287
Location: California
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| Posted: May 22, 2013 21:10 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Mike,
These are fabulous specimens!! And beautiful collecting localities too.
--Bob
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: May 23, 2013 05:24 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Wow Mike, very impressive; and I thought I was a keen collector! Fantastic specimens, by a deserved collector. I am amazed that you can remove and transport such delicate specimens. Thank you for showing.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: May 24, 2013 16:09 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
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Thank you Antonio for your interest in the Isle of Skye ! Thanks Tim and welcome to FMF !
Gneiss of you to say so Bob ; )
Pierre, thank you for your kind words; I must say that I have been very impressed with your specimens - especially the quartzes - and your postings of your collecting trips in the mountains of South Africa. Your photo's provided the inspiration for me to start again with my collection thread after a long delay !
Cheers, Mike : )
| Description: |
Laumontite
'Glen Caladale', Loch Eynort, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
8cm x 6cm x 2cm
Laumontite on 'mesolite' with a few scattered brown calcite crystals (to 3mm). From the same locality as one shown previously which is dry and kept in a plastic box. This specimen has been kept in water and is still fairly fresh.
The locality is on the north side of Loch Eynort on a wave-cut platform with large boulders on it.
Self-collected 1996. |
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22537 Time(s) |
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Natrolite + Analcime
Oisgill Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
10mm crystals
Natrolite crystals to 10mm on small analcime crystals in a gas cavity in basalt lava. This material has been analysed.
Self-collected 2004. |
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22445 Time(s) |
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Natrolite
Oisgill Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
10cm x 8cm x 4cm
Radiating aggregates of natrolite crystals. This was found in a gully around the corner at the north end of Oisgill Bay - on the map this spot is called 'An Ceannaich'. This specimen has been analysed. I went back to the same spot recently and could not find a trace of it; I think it had been buried by rockfall. My recollection is that the natrolite was formed in a vein in the back of the gully.
Self-collected 1995. |
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22514 Time(s) |
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Natrolite
Sgurr nam Fiadh, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
8cm x 4cm x 3cm
Crystals of Natrolite found in a very large gas cavity in a weathered boulder. The greenish background (altered basalt) is distinctive and Prof. M.F.Heddle in his famous book 'Mineralogy of Scotland' (1901) describes Scolecite from this locality on a similar coloured background. But this stuff is definitely Natrolite, it was tested via Alan Dyer in 2002. A mystery perhaps?
Self-collected 1994. |
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22506 Time(s) |
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| Description: |
Oisgill Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland
The north end of Oisgill bay. An Ceannaich is the cliff around the corner. The cliffs are 600 feet (190m) high and scary / awe-inspiring !
Photo taken Easter 2013. |
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22512 Time(s) |
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