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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 10:34 Post subject: German Minerals |
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Hi all,
As a country with lots of famous mining areas and mineral localities and also with a long mining history, Germany features many mineral classics that are much sought-after by collectors all around the world. I'd like to know what, in your opinion, the greatest of them are, according to each one's taste. As a German collector with a marked preference for German minerals i'm interested to see what the preferences of collectors from foreign countries are. Just would like to know what you consider the "Best of Germany" ... ;-)
Some of my favourites are:
- Topaz from Schneckenstein, Saxony
- Fluorite from Clara Mine, Black Forest
- Fluorite from Woelsendorf, Bavaria
- Fluorite from Erzgebirge, Saxony
- Galena with siderite from Neudorf, Harz Mountains
Of course there are many others, but they aren't that famous and most of you will not know them ...
And i hope you are not shocked that a German collector doesn't prefer some evergreens like Bad Ems pyromorphite, Schlema proustite or Illfeld manganite ;-)
Cheers!
Tobi
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lluis
Joined: 17 Nov 2006
Posts: 715
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 11:11 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hi, Tobias
Well, maybe I am biased, but I prefer the Ilfeld manganites, the rarities from Grube Clara and the Grube Wolf rhodos.... Along with ruby silver from Germany, of course... :-)
As you say, to each one, his taste
With best wishes
Lluís
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Andreas Gerstenberg
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 336
Location: Chemnitz
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 12:16 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Great topic;-)
What should I start with? Hence there are so many favorites... The blue zoned fluorites from Halsbrücke/Saxony of course, clinoclase from Clara mine, the brown barytes from Zobes/Saxony, silver from Freiberg, the "black amethyst" from Plauenscher Grund near Dresden, the great chalcopyrites, galenas and sphalerites from many locales and, of course, all the other specimens that cannot compair with the international stuff (azurite from Altenmittlau/Hesse and so on, and so on) but are excellent for the country.
Best regards
Andreas
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chris
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
Posts: 538
Location: Grenoble
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 12:37 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hi Tobias,
If I had to chose one it would be Galena on Siderite from Neudorf first, followed by silver sulfides from various localities.
Christophe
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Jesse Fisher
Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 631
Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 12:38 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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I have always liked the fluorites from Erzegebirge. Some nice penetration twins very much like Weardale fluorites. A few years ago I got this specimen here in the US. It was labeled "Weardale" but the matrix is Baryte, which doesn't happen there. I am pretty sure it is from the Freiberg area, maybe Halsbrucke?
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Fluorite penetration twins with chalcopyrite Halsbrucke Mine (?) 10 cm across |
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Andreas Gerstenberg
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 336
Location: Chemnitz
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 12:42 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hi,
I agree, could be from Halsbrücke. The mine is named "Beihilfe".
Best regards
Andreas
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Joaquin Montoro
Joined: 25 Nov 2010
Posts: 225
Location: Murcia (Spain)
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 13:16 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hi Tobias, really I like very much the arsenics and bismuths from Hartenstein in Saxony.
Also the world famous pyromorphite from the Rosenberg Mine, near Braubach, in Bad Ems...and of course, all the silver minerals from Freiberg district.
_________________ Damnati ad Metalla |
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Jesse Fisher
Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 631
Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 13:31 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hello Andreas,
Thank you for the information. I looked up Grube Beihilfe on Mindat but there is no information about the mine other than mineral photos. I assume the mine is no longer active. Can you tell me what years it was active and what the main ores were?
Thanks,
Jesse
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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 14:58 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hi Jesse,
i hope you don't mind when it's me instead of Andreas who tells you about the mine ;-) They started mining there in the 17th century, the mine is famous of course for its fluorites but also for Baryte, galena and sphalerite and many others (i suppose you saw the mineral list on mindat). The mine was closed in 1969 ... and some of its minerals got really expensive during the last decades :-/
Cheers!
Tobi
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Jesse Fisher
Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 631
Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 15:45 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hello Tobias,
Thank you for the information. I have seen how expensive specimens from this mine are. Last year at Munich I was offered a very nice fluorite twin at an unaffordable price. I am hoping that my luck will be better this year!
Cheers,
Jesse
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keldjarn
Joined: 18 Feb 2008
Posts: 157
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 15:47 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hallo Tobias,
Even if German Fluorites, Topazes and Galenas can be nice, they are still quite common minerals found in splendid specimens in many countries. My mineral favorites from Germany would be those unique "Rembrandts "of the past - the best of the silver-minerals from the old mines (i.e. sulphosalts like Pyrargyrites, Proustites and not the least Samsonite where the best specimens in existence are just as rare and atractive as a Mona Lisa..). There are also unique specimens of native Bismuth found (even if most are too bulky and not really aesthetic) - and a recent favorite of mine following the acquisition of an exquisite specimen - the redish-golden crystals of Nickeline in large globular formations. Germany has truely provided the mineral world with many treasures - but sadly most of these are to be seen in dusty museum cabinets or locked away in back room drawers, and very rarely are such specimens available to collectors.
Knut
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Jesse Fisher
Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 631
Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Oct 09, 2011 16:28 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Just for fun, here is a photo of my Schneckenstein topaz. Not a great one, but a classic locality.
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Topaz with Quartz Schneckenstein, Sachen (Saxony) 1.5 cm tall |
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Peter
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
Posts: 346
Location: Sweden / Luxembourg
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Posted: Oct 11, 2011 06:36 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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It is a nice Schneckensetein topaz Jesse!
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Carles Curto
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 160
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Oct 11, 2011 07:02 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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This topaz,also from Schneckenstein, is in the Museum of Barcelona. Registered as MGB 11590 it arrives to the Museum in 1979 together with Cervelló Collection (num. 4758)
The samples size is 5,0 x 4,0 x 2,5 cm and the main crystal has 0,8 x 0,6 x 0,5 cm.
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Topaz Schneckenstein, Germany 5,0 x 4,0 x 2,5 cm. |
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Topaz Schneckenstein 0,8 x 0,6 x 0,5 cm (topaz crystal) A close view of the single crystal of the same sample. |
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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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Posted: Oct 11, 2011 11:58 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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lluis wrote: | ... but I prefer the Ilfeld manganites, the rarities from Grube Clara and the Grube Wolf rhodos....Lluís |
Hi Lluis, i agree: The rhodochrosites from Grube Wolf ( https://www.mindat.org/loc-15120.html ) are really fine, i also like them very much.
I don't have one in my collection, but the Marburg Museum has some really good specimens, among them this 21 x 21 x 14 cm killer specimen from the collection of Siegerland collector Gerhard Schweisfurth:
https://www.uni-marburg.de/fb19/minmus/bilder/sammlung/rhodo/image
(link normalized by FMF)
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Roger Warin
Joined: 23 Jan 2013
Posts: 1193
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Posted: Feb 14, 2013 17:26 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Of course fabulous minerals, but there are also calcites.
From Freiberg, Erzgebirge, Saxony, a calcite as beautiful as beryl.
Is the German name “Kanonenspath” correct? I think this term is also used for calcites from St Andreasberg (prism and pinacoid).
Roger.
Description: |
Calcite Freiberg, Erzgebirge, Saxony |
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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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Posted: Feb 15, 2013 06:42 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Roger Warin wrote: | Is the German name “Kanonenspath” correct? I think this term is also used for calcites from St Andreasberg (prism and pinacoid). |
The term is written "-spat" today ("-spath" is an older form; and many German consonant combinations of "th" disappeared during the 19th century and became a simple "t"). The word Kanonenspat is used for hexagonal looking calcite crystals like the one on your picture. It is used for several localities worldwide, e.g. Sweetwater Mine in Missouri or El Hammam in Morocco.
Tobi
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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Posted: Feb 15, 2013 07:09 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Hi Tobi. For me, the fluorites are the best of German collectible mineral specimens. I find some of them stunning.
_________________ Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4181
Location: Germany
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Posted: Feb 15, 2013 07:49 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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I agree, Pierre, fluorites are among my all-time favourites of German minerals. There are a lot of areas where wonderful fluorites came from (Harz Mountains, Erzgebirge, Black Forest, Wölsendorf/Bavaria) - only collecting fluorites from Germany can fill a collector's life. Well, but fluorite is ALWAYS a beautiful mineral, no matter where it comes from :)
Tobi
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Roger Warin
Joined: 23 Jan 2013
Posts: 1193
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Posted: Feb 15, 2013 08:24 Post subject: Re: German Minerals |
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Thank you very much Tobi
The word Kanonenspat seems to me (?) only used in Germany, even if that word applies to hexagonal prismatic habit for other localities worldwide.
Here is the same calcite illuminated by a UV lamp (365 nm).
Roger.
Description: |
Calcite Freiberg, Erzgebirge, Saxony With 365 nm light |
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